Oct 29, 2008 10:39 pm US/Central
Truth In Politics: Impact Of Early Voting
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
With six days to go in Campaign '08, Thursday is the final day for early voting. 700,000 Illinoisans have already cast ballots - nearly 10 percent of everyone registered. This is Illinois' first presidential election to allow early voting. In tonight's Truth in Politics, CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports on how it could delay the final count, and on how it's changing the process.
The biggest change is that the term "Election Day" is now obsolete. With early voting underway for weeks, it's more like "Election Month." It reduces the impact of any late-breaking "October Surprise," since all those early voters cannot go back and redo their ballots. It could also complicate the counting.
The lines have grown longer each day at early voting polling places. That hasn't deterred the more than 200,000 who have already cast ballots in Chicago nor another 200,000 in the Cook County suburbs.
"I'd wait three hours, yeah, I'd wait all day," said Courtney Berne, Chicago early voter.
"It's a priority thing. It's a must. I'll stay here all day if I have to," said Angel Brakie, Chicago early voter.
Because early ballots require separate handling from those cast in precinct polling places Nov. 4th, a former chairman of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners fears it may be Nov. 5th before most are counted.
"I'd say more like 8 or 9 the next morning, and then it won't be final. It'll be close to final, but it won't be final," said Michael Lavelle, veteran election watcher.
Lavelle foresees the biggest voter turnout here since the 1960 election of President John F. Kennedy. Lavelle's turnout projections are 93 percent of active registered voters in Chicago, 91 percent in suburban Cook County, 89 percent in the collar county suburbs and 87 percent down state.
Local election officials say they are prepared for the onslaught.
"We could have in precincts that are very crowded about an hour delay, but I still think that they'll have enough results coming in that you'll get a real good feel and experts know which precincts to look at," said David Orr, Cook County clerk. "You'll have a real good feel by the 10:00 news, I think you'll know."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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