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Young Voters Lead Surge At Chicago Polls, Officials Say

By Heather Cherone | November 8, 2016 2:36pm | Updated on November 8, 2016 5:17pm
 Voters cast their ballots Monday at 15 W. Washington St.
Voters cast their ballots Monday at 15 W. Washington St.
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DNAinfo/Heather Cherone

CHICAGO — Millennial voters led a surge in people flocking to the polls on Election Day, Chicago election officials said Tuesday.

Voters between the ages of 25 and 34 cast 208,000 ballots through 5 p.m., said Chicago Board of Election Commissioners officials.

Members of the Baby Boom generation — those ages 55 to 64 — have cast 139,000 ballots, and Generation X — those between 35 and 44 years old — were tied for second place, officials said said.

The results prove that "Millennial voters are coming out to vote" despite concerns that they would fail to participate in this year's elections, said Chicago Board of Election Commissioners Chairwoman Marisol Hernandez.

Overall voter turnout in Chicago is expected to meet or exceed the 2008 and 2012 turnout, when nearly 75 percent of voters turned out, said Election Board spokesman Jim Allen.

In all, 325,112 early ballots were cast in the election that features the presidential contest between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton at the top of the ticket.

In addition, more than 62,000 ballots that have been cast by mail — a "massive amount," officials said.

That means about 400,000 ballots were cast in Chicago before 6 a.m. Tuesday, when the polls opened on Election Day.

All polling places will be open until at least 7 p.m. Tuesday. Voters waiting in line at the time the polls close must be allowed to vote under state law.

Complaints can be made to each polling place's head election judge or by calling 312-269-7870, officials said.

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