Contested Races Will Bring a Big Election Day to the Heights

With more than 2,000 ballots cast at the Chicago Heights City Hall early voting location, election officials said to expect a big voter turnout on Election Day.

Cook County Clerk David Orr named a few reasons why some towns saw a lot of action during the early voting period of March 14 to March 31.

"Judging by early voting turnout, it's clear there are some hot races in this election," Orr said in a press release. "The areas with the heaviest turnout were clearly those with a contested race, such as Chicago Heights, or those with a tax increase referendum, such as Wilmette and Lemont."

Clerk's office representative Courtney Greve said it is common for contested races to draw a big crowd on Election Day, and said David Orr's office will be paying close attention to voting sites in Chicago Heights.

"We will be monitoring Chicago Heights diligently just as we did during early voting," Greve said. "There will be additional staff in Chicago Heights. We will also have the States Attorney and the Sheriff’s office on call."

The extra precautions will be in place to combat any instances of voter fraud or harassment, something that allegedly hit the Chicago Heights early voting site in a huge way .

Greve was at City Hall March 24 when the Rev. Lawrence Blackful Jr. of Chicago Heights and mayoral candidate Joseph Faso called for the early voting site , accusing individuals of "electioneering" inside the voting area. 

The Clerk's office opted not to close the site, and Greve said it was all under control by the last day of early voting.

"It was only really crazy early on, and because we were able to respond, it wasn’t as bad toward the end," Greve explained.

Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. April 5.