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00000178-3092-da2f-a5fe-fbbf0c520000Reactions to the 2016 ElectionNPR and GLT are here for you as we all react to this historic election. Trust Morning Edition, On Point with Tom Ashbrook, Here & Now and All Things Considered for in depth reporting and thoughtful analysis of the national races and international reactions. Count on GLT and IPR for comprehensive coverage of events here in central Illinois.

Election Day: Midday Update

Emma Shores
/
WGLT

Nearly 13,000 people cast early votes in the city of Bloomington, according to election commission records.

That includes in the office, at Eastland Mall, and by mail.

Commission Director Paul Shannon says that's about 26% of all registered voters in pre-election turnout.

In McLean County, the Clerk's office reported steady activity all around the county. Turnout at the Bone Student Center on ISU's Campus began slow, but Michael says, it started to pick up before noon.

Clerk Kathy Michael said there were nearly 100 people casting ballots at several Normal locations in the first hour of voting.  At a west side Bloomington polling place, Trinity Lutheran Church, election judge Linda Foster said turn-out in the first three hours of voting was a little less than for the last presidential election.  There is one touch screen machine there and she said people are embracing it.

"We have a few people that have tried it out and once they did, overwhelmingly they all agreed it wasn't that bad," said Foster.

Judith and Allen Gibson voted before nine this morning.  Gibson, wearing an “I heart Jesus” hat,said this is one of the most important votes he’s cast because he wants conservatives on the Supreme Court.  He also agreed with others that the election cycle is too long and campaign rhetoric is exhausting.

"Debates, I think those are dumb. They get out there and say whatever and the running back and forth doesn't accomplish a thing except making both of them look stupid," said Gibson.

There have been some social media posts about touch screens switching votes but both officials at the Bloomington Election Commission and McLean County Clerk’s office said they have not received any official voter complaints or reports from election judges.

The Bloomington Election Commission reports an issue with a tabulator at St. John's Lutheran Church.  Director Paul Shannon said the tabulator quit working and had to be replaced. As is normal practice voters were directed to place their ballots in the auxiliary bin. 

Normally those ballots would be scanned into the tabulator after the polls had closed. However, because of the large turnout the auxiliary bin had become full. Shannon said an election worker from the commission went to the polling place and with the help of an election judge from each party ran all of the ballots through the tabulator.
 
In McLean County, there have been minor equipment glitches. Kathy Michael said two so far.

WGLT Senior Reporter Charlie Schlenker has spent more than three award-winning decades in radio. He lives in Normal with his family.
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