Kane County switches to vote centers
GENEVA -- No sooner did Kane County officials recommend a change in a Rutland Township voting precinct than they recommended a change to that change.
The county board's sub-committee on precincts last week recommended splitting the 2nd Precinct in Rutland. The north end of the new precinct, now the 8th Precinct, would vote at the Del Webb ballroom vote center, and the south end, still the 2nd Precinct, would vote at the Fraternal Order of Eagles vote center.
The dividing line was to be Interstate 90.
But this week, officials decided a better dividing line would be Illinois 72.
"We think that's better," said Bill Wyatt, R-Aurora, precinct sub-committee chairman.
The Rutland Township split was the only one recommended after months of study by the precinct sub-committee. That's because splitting large precincts became largely unnecessary after the county clerk's office suggested it develop its polling places as vote centers.
The vote centers can handle voters from multiple precincts, made possible by the ability to program the controllers for the eSlate voting machines. A vote center, such as the Del Webb ballroom, could have as many as 30 eSlate machines. Instead of being divided into individual precincts, all voters from all four precincts housed at the vote center can use any of the 30 eSlates.
That should cut down on lines at polling places on Election Day, officials have said. Clerk's office voting officials have said they even have begun phasing out the term "polling place" in favor of "vote center."
The November general election is 139 days away. Early voting starts in 118 days -- or maybe 119 days. Early voting starts 21 days before Election Day, and stops five days before Election Day.
But this year, that would start early voting on Oct. 13, which is Columbus Day. Traditionally, state government offices, including the Illinois State Board of Elections, are closed that day.
"They're not sure what they're going to do yet," said Linda Mitchell, Kane's director of elections.
