Early voting for Illinois primary far exceeds last midterm

March 19, 2018 at 4:27 p.m. | Updated March 19, 2018 at 4:35 p.m.

by Associated Press

In this Tuesday, March 13, 2018 photo, Chicago resident Sonja Russell walks up to a voting machine to cast her ballot in Illinois primary elections at the city's new early voting super site in downtown Chicago. In Illinois, attempts by hackers in the summer of 2016 to alter information were ultimately unsuccessful, although voter data was viewed. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)
In this Tuesday, March 13, 2018 photo, Chicago resident Sonja Russell walks up to a voting machine to cast her ballot in Illinois primary elections at the city's new early voting super site in downtown Chicago. In Illinois, attempts by hackers in the summer of 2016 to alter information were ultimately unsuccessful, although voter data was viewed. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

CHICAGO (AP) - The number of voters casting early ballots for the Illinois primary has far exceeded the number who voted early four years ago.

Information compiled by the Illinois State Board of Elections shows more than 330,000 people had voted as of Sunday, and election officials say thousands more were casting ballots on Monday. The total in 2014 was just over 200,000.

While some of the increase may be due to increased awareness of and comfort with early voting, election officials say it's also because of the large number of competitive contests on the ballot.

Voters are choosing nominees for governor as well as congressional, attorney general and other races.

In Cook County, a Democratic stronghold that includes Chicago, the number of early votes cast is almost three times the 2014 number.

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