Voter Turnout Reaches 232,672 Ballots Cast by Midday in Chicago
Chicago voters cast 232,672 in-person ballots by 3:15 p.m. on November 3, 2026, outpacing the 227,633 Election Day ballots recorded by the same time during the 2022 midterm election, according to Chicago Board of Elections figures. Block Club Chicago reported that heavy participation triggered lines stretching multiple blocks and severe paper ballot shortages across multiple city wards.
Polling locations in Uptown, Pilsen, Logan Square, Albany Park, and the Near West Side ran out of paper ballots, forcing voters to wait for limited electronic voting booths. At Goudy Elementary School on the Far North Side, election judge Adam Honaker said the site received only 50 paper ballots for 48th Ward voters and ran out by 8:15 a.m.
To all those who served today as election judges, supervisors, or poll workers: thank you for your dedication. With your help, voting in Illinois is accessible, safe, and secure. Know that our state — and our democracy — are grateful for your service.
Board of Elections Investigates Split Precinct Ballots
The Chicago Board of Elections reported that ballot shortages were concentrated in split precincts where boundaries divide different jurisdictions. Interim spokesperson Julie Metea said some of these split precincts require up to seven distinct ballot combinations to accommodate voters.
The board first received reports of a shortage in the 1st Ward around 10 a.m. and began printing additional supplies at its downtown warehouse. Metea confirmed ballot shortage reports in Ward 1, Precinct 4, along with inquiries into Ward 1, Precinct 5, and Wards 25 and 32. WTTW News noted that the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights tracked 11 voting locations across the city experiencing long hours-long delays.
Precincts Run Out Twice as Voters Encounter Long Wait Times
At Goethe Elementary School in Logan Square, volunteer Jessica Sullivan-Wilson stated that paper ballots ran out twice—once at 8:15 a.m. and again at 2:30 p.m. Ald. Daniel La Spata confirmed that two precincts at Goethe ran out of paper ballots by 9 a.m. and suffered a second depletion later in the afternoon.
Voters at Manuel Perez Jr. Elementary School in Pilsen faced wait times exceeding an hour after election judge Jesus Fraga confirmed the site ran out of paper ballots around 10 a.m. and a second time at 3:20 p.m. Meanwhile, the downtown voting supersite at 137 S. State St. recorded a wait time of 2 hours and 10 minutes as a line wrapped around State, Monroe, and Wabash streets, according to reporting by Colin Boyle for Block Club Chicago.
This is the line for Chicago’s downtown voting super site at 3:30pm. It wraps from 137 S. State St. all the way around State, Monroe and halfway down the block on Wabash. The wait time? 2 hours 10 minutes according to the person at the front of the line. 📹 for @BlockClubCHI pic.twitter.com/rH5z566t9e
Federal Monitors Observe Chicago Voting Locations
Federal monitors from the Department of Justice were present at select Chicago polling locations working in pairs, a Chicago Board of Elections spokesperson confirmed to WTTW News. The board reported receiving no prior official notifications regarding the presence of the monitors.
The total number of ballots cast in Chicago climbed toward nearly 500,000 by late evening when factoring in mail-in returns and early voting numbers. The Chicago Tribune reported that voters added these tallies to more than 211,000 early voting ballots cast through Monday and 109,000 mail-in ballots received by the city.
Common Questions Regarding the Chicago Election Day Ballots
Why did specific Chicago polling places run out of paper ballots?
The Chicago Board of Elections attributed the shortages to split precincts where boundaries overlap multiple political districts, requiring up to seven different ballot style combinations for voters.
What happened if voters were still waiting in line when polls closed at 7 p.m.?
Chicago Board of Elections spokesperson Julie Metea confirmed that any voter standing in line by 7 p.m. on November 3, 2026, was legally permitted to cast a ballot.
How many early and mail-in votes were cast before Election Day in Chicago?
The Chicago Tribune reported that voters cast more than 211,000 early voting ballots and returned 109,000 mail-in ballots ahead of Election Day.
Were federal officials present at Chicago polling sites?
WTTW News reported that Department of Justice monitors worked in pairs at select Chicago polling locations on Election Day.
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