Illinois early voting breaks records

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FOX 32 NEWS - More than 1.7 million Illinoisans have already cast their ballots, shattering all previous records for voting before Election Day. That's about 22 percent of all those registered to vote in Illinois.

We've had reports of people waiting up to three hours in line to vote Monday night. The law says if you're in line when the polls close at 7 p.m. that you do get to vote.

The lines were long Monday from a west suburban polling place in Kane County to ones in The Loop, where a queue of patient voters wound around the block from early morning until evening.

Election officials say total turnout could surpass the previous record of nearly 5.6 million who cast ballots in Illinois in 2008.

An all-time record of 8 million Illinoisans are now registered to vote, and Thousands more are expected to register Tuesday and cast a vote immediately.

“You must have two forms of identification with you in order to register and vote. One document must show your current name and address. And a second document must show your current name,” said Maricel Hernandez of Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.

Democrats pushed hard for those changes. Conventional wisdom holds that a bigger turnout usually, though not always, benefits the Democrats.

Polling places in Illinois open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. If you're in line by 7 p.m., the law says you do get to vote, no matter how long it takes.