Election day: Kane voters turn out in person

Election day 2024 was rainy, gloomy and gray, but Kane County voters were perky and upbeat about doing their civic duty in support of democracy.

Though long lines snaked around the polling places during early voting – right up through Monday – Tuesday was easy peasy.

“It was fun,” said Mindy Cummings of St. Charles, standing outside the branch court polling place in St. Charles.

Llona Steele, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County, arrived to serve as a poll watcher. She was one of four volunteers, each covering four polling places.

“We’re watching to be sure that the rules are being followed, the State Board of Election rules are being followed,” Steele said. “And I have just found all of the poll workers to be absolutely professional. They know what they’re doing. They’re kind, considerate. It has been very very very smooth today.”

Carla Moats of St. Charles and her daughter, Emma Moats, 18, both came to vote.

Emma, who went to St. Charles East, now attends Elmhurst College studying biology.

“I was glad to vote. Glad the lines were short,” Carla Moats said. “This is a very important election and I was taking my daughter for her first election. ... I wanted to do the big event with her, together.”

Carla Moats said she bypassed early voting because the lines looked so long.

Besides that she brought her daughter who had the day off of school for the election.

“Voting for the first time – it was very interesting,” Emma Moats said. “There’s a lot of people there. Lot of people. I didn’t realize how many people actually ran Illinois. I figured it was just the president and that was it.”

But she winged it and voted in every race on the ballot.

“I just picked the same party as the president that I picked,” Emma Moats said.

Cassi Anderson brought her daughter Tori, 5, to the polling place.

“Honestly, I thought about voting early, but there have been so many long lines. I tried a couple different days and the lines were around the courthouse,” Anderson said.

“And I’m like, you know what? We’re not doing anything on Tuesday, we’re just to come and run some errands and go on Tuesday. And it’s a lot shorter of a line and she’s off school,” Anderson said. “Voting today works for us.”

At the Congregational Church of Batavia polling place, Alex Schuhow was waiting outside for some friends to finish voting.

Shuhow sported a Trump ballcap with an “I voted” sticker.

He wasn’t old enough to vote in past elections, but now at 21, he is.

“I voted last Monday ... downtown Batavia,” Schuhow said. “This is the first election I was allowed to vote in.”

Elijah Bortner, also of Batavia, said the line wasn’t bad for voting on election day.

“I just like coming out on election day, it’s almost tradition for me at this point,” Bornter said.

Jo Letwaitis said it was easy voting on election day.

No early voting or vote by mail for her.

“I’m old-fashioned. It’s the way I’ve always done it,” Letwaitis said. “My mom was an election judge growing up and I used to sit on the floor behind her and it’s just kinda what we do.”

At the Campton Township Community Center, Erik O’Bryan of Campton Hills said voting was smooth.

“There was no problem,” O’Bryan said.

“I’m a traditionalist,” O’Bryan said of voting on election day instead of early or by mail.

Another Campton Hills resident, Chris Pearson brought his son Corban, 18, to vote for the first time.

“It was easy,” Pearson said.

He didn’t vote early or by mail because he “just didn’t get around to it.”

“But I wasn’t going to miss this,” Pearson said. “And we all came together.”

And how did Corban feel about voting for the first time?

“Good,” he said.