Progress Illinois

In an effort to build momentum in the final days leading up to Election Day, Democratic candidates competing in two of the most hotly-contested congressional races met with supporters in Arlington Heights on Saturday to urge voters not to wait until November 6 to cast their ballots.

Early voting began in Illinois on October 22, and totals thus far have already kept pace with the records set in 2008, despite having one week less compared to four years ago.

As of October 28, more than 97,000 ballots had been cast throughout suburban Cook County, according to the Cook County Board of Elections website, about 40 percent of the total number of early votes cast throughout all of the 2008 election.  

"If voters keep turning out in such large numbers, we may reach the Early Voting record set in 2008," Cook County Clerk David Orr said in a press release.

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The old expression “all politics is local” seems not applicable to the high-profile 8th congressional district race between U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh (R-McHenry) and Democratic challenger Tammy Duckworth.

Unlike in the 17th congressional district race in western Illinois or even the neighboring 10th district contest, there is little in the 8th district race that is of exclusive interest to those particular voters. The battle between Walsh and Duckworth instead has focused on major national issues such as Medicare and Social Security, with Chicago and national media attention often covering the money being funneled into the race or the latest histrionics of Walsh, including his outrageous comments last Thursday on abortion. Read more »