Early voting starts strong

City Clerk Rodney Greene says more than 400 people turned out in Evanston Monday for the first day of early voting for the presidential election.

Greene says people were already waiting when clerk's office staffers arrived for work at 8:15 in the morning.

Early voting continues through Oct. 30, and, in addition to its regular weekday hours, the clerk's office in the Evanston Civic Center will be open from 9 a.m .to 5 p.m. on Saturdays Oct. 18 and 25 to provide the early voting service.

County Clerk David Orr's office says that in the first 90 minutes of voting Monday morning Evanston had the third highest turnout of any suburban Cook County Community, with 66 voters casting ballots. South Holland had 78 and Matteson had 68.

This is the first presidential election in which Illinois voters can participate in early voting.

With Illinois Senator Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential candidate, voter turnout this year in his home state is expected to be unusually high, and Greene encouraged voters to make use of the early voting service and "avoid the crowds" on election day, Nov. 4.

Voters vote early at 43 suburban locations as well as at the county clerk's office at 69 W. Washington in downtown Chicago.