Few Reports Of Problems In Chicago Area In Early Hours Of Election Day
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Despite a massive turnout in Chicago and the Cook County suburbs on Election Day, officials have reported only a few problems at polling places on Tuesday.
Cook County officials said more than 130,000 people voted in the first few hours the polls were open, an incredible number, according to a spokesman for the county clerk's office.
In the suburbs, there have been no reports of problems with polling places opening late, or over-exuberant poll watchers for candidates, but Cook County Clerk David Orr said officials would be ready if there is trouble.
"Poll watchers are a very important thing; very legal. They can be inside a polling place if they have credentials, and most of the time they're great; they're doing their job, which they should. If they get out of hand, we'll have them removed."
Meantime, the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners has had a handful of complaints that election judges did not give some voters one page of the ballot needed to vote on proposed constitutional amendments.
Unfortunately, anyone who left the polls without getting that page cannot go back to get one. If you are going to the polls on Tuesday, make sure you get two pages.
In Frankfort, in Will County, a steady stream of voters headed inside to vote. A computer glitch at the start of the day delayed voting by about five minutes, but the situation was quickly resolved.