Low Voter Turnout Reported At Polls

Update 11 p.m.: As of 10 p.m., McHenry County Clerk Katherine Schultz reported a voter turnout of 11.44 percent in McHenry County.

Election judge Bob Kunz has been working on elections, in various capacities, since 1964. 

Tuesday’s election marked the lowest voter turnout he’s seen in the past 47 years.

“I was hoping to have 10 to 12 percent (voter turnout),” said Kunz , who was working Tuesday at the Grafton township precinct 28 polling site at , 108 S. Lakewood Road in Lake in the Hills.

“The problem is, even though municipal elections are always in April, people don’t think about voting in April," Kunz said. "I’ve worked elections here where we’ve had 89 percent voter turnout, but not in April.”

Some of the races voters will decide today include , , , , and the Huntley Park District Board.

As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, 12 people had cast votes in Grafton precinct 28, which encompasses parts of Lake in the Hills and Huntley. The precinct has 910 registered voters, said Election Judge Paul Minarik of Huntley.

Minarik and his fellow judges speculated that the low turnout is due to several uncontested races and lack of campaigning by the candidates.

“You see the election signs out on the road but none of the candidates went around and put fliers in people’s doors,” Minarik said.

Across the room, election judges for Grafton Township precinct 23 reported having 14 voters. There are 352 registered voters in the precinct, said Election Judge Gary Cooney, of Huntley.

“That’s two voters per hour,” Cooney said. “I expected we would have less than 15 percent, but this is more like 3 percent." 

First-time election judge volunteer Robin Passman passed the time knitting.

“I am kind of surprised at the turnout because people complain all the time,” Passman said. “If they complain now, I’m going to ask them, ‘Did you vote?’”

Cooney, 76, served eight years in the U.S. Navy and was more emotional regarding the apparent voter apathy.

"People are not here because it’s not important to them,” Cooney said. “They’re ignorant. I would like all the people who didn’t vote today to look at the flag and see the red for all the blood shed throughout the years by people fighting for our right to vote.”

Lake in the Hills Voters Head to Polls

Lake in the Hills resident Jim Forssander echoed Cooney’s sentiments. Forssander cast his vote at the , 1212 Crystal Lake Road, in Lake in the Hills on Tuesday.

“I vote every election,” Forssander said. “I served in the U.S. Marines so that people have the right to vote.”

LITH resident Melody Kuphal arrived at her polling site at Illinois State Bank, 1301 Pyott Road in LITH to support candidates on the ballot, particularly those running for the Community Unit School District 300 School Board.

“I want to have a say in who is running the community,” Kuphal said. “I have two children who attend District 300 schools, and I’m very interested in that race. The last board decision was really harsh, and I’m here to vote for my close personal friend Steve Fiorentino and neighbor Karen Plaza. They both have sound judgement.”

Election judges at several other LITH precincts reported a resounding “dismal” turnout.

As of noon today, voter turnout numbers were reported at area precinct polling sites:

• Algonquin Township Precinct 58 ( polling site): 29 Voters. Precinct has 888 registered voters.

• Algonquin Township Precinct 57 (LITH Village Hall polling site):  23 Voters. Precinct has 1,284 registered voters.

• Algonquin Township Precinct 59 (Illinois State Bank polling site): 28 Voters. Precinct has 1,000 registered voters.

• Algonquin Township Precinct 61 (Illinois State Bank polling site): 20 Voters. Precinct has 694 registered voters.

• Algonquin Township Precinct 28 (Illinois State Bank polling site): 38 Voters. Precinct has 967 registered voters.

• Algonquin Township Precinct 15 ( polling site): 25 Voters. Precinct has 761 registered voters.

• Algonquin Township Precinct 11 (LITH POA polling site): 41 Voters. Precinct has 1,209 registered voters.