CHICAGO (CBS) – Although turnout was high in the city of Chicago during the final days of the 2024 election season, voting still lags behind 2020 numbers.
Still, there were long lines at many voting locations on Sunday as residents tried to take advantage of early voting.
To date, more than 424,000 ballots, both in-person and mail-in voting, have been received by the city’s Board of Elections, just under 300,000 fewer ballots than the same period four years ago, in the middle of the election. the COVID-19 pandemic.
A spokesperson for the Board of Elections said some early election sites were seeing more traffic than others and much of that had to do with their location. These locations near the lake tend to receive more traffic because they are closer to public transportation stops.
CBS News Chicago heard from voters in the city who waited in line for up to three hours to cast their ballots.
The city has released its “Vote Anywhere” program, which allows a voter who experiences long lines at their regular voting location to go to another location to cast their vote.
With such a crucial election, voters like 95-year-old Phillip Boasman of River North didn’t let the long lines deter them from voting.
When asked what kind of change he’s looking for in this election, Boasman said, “Above all, equality and fairness.”
Early voting will resume Monday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at polling places, and some locations will expand their hours on Election Day.
