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Super Tuesday: Polls open in Illinois

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By Ed Tibbetts | Tuesday, February 5, 2008 4:14 PM CST | () comments

A supporter of Barack Obama for president picks up a campaign sign at the Sangamon County Democratic Party Headquarters in Springfield. With the state an unaccustomed player in the presidential primary season, Democrats have an Illinois U.S. senator, Barack Obama, and an Illinois native, Hillary Clinton, to choose from, as Republicans are largely focused on whether to give their nod of approval to Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain or former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. (AP Photo)

Illinois voters will go to the polls today with weather forecasters expecting a winter storm.

Early predictions, however, are that the bulk of the snow will push through the Quad-Cities in the evening and overnight hours.

Illinois joins 23 other states holding primaries and caucuses today, with polls opening at 6 a.m. at locations across the state.

Republican and Democratic presidential candidates are on the ballot, as are some congressional, state legislative, courthouse and township hopefuls and some special ballot issues.

“For the first time in the 21 years that I’ve been here, the presidential (race) hasn’t been decided before we voted,” Rock Island County Clerk Dick Leibovitz said.

He is hoping for a heavy turnout.

Illinoisans aren’t accustomed to voting in February. The state moved up its primary a month, putting it in the middle of the Super Tuesday extravaganza in the hopes of having an effect on the presidential race.

The change makes the contest more susceptible to the elements.

The National Weather Service was predicting another winter storm to begin today, with as much as 10 inches possible by mid-day Wednesday.

Meteorologists said the bulk of the snow wasn’t expected until the evening hours tonight and into early Wednesday.

“It looks like it will be moving into the Quad-City area between 3 and 7 in the evening,” said Tom Phillip, a meteorologist. An inch of snow was expected by the late afternoon.

“There might be some more accumulation Tuesday night and into the overnight hours,” he added.

Leibovitz said his office is making arrangements with the sheriff’s department in the event it needs escorts to bring in results from rural voting centers.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.