From Rockford to Peoria to Springfield, fewer voters cast ballots on Election Day

Voter turnout from Rockford and Winnebago County to Peoria and Springfield was lower Tuesday than it was four years ago during the last presidential election.

Although Election Day felt busy as former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris faced off for president, the number and percentage of voters who showed up were below expectations, Rockford Board of Elections Commission Chairman Ryan Brauns said.

“It does seem like turnout is down all over, but then the swing states and places with hot races were up,” Brauns said. “I don’t know if it is the fact that Illinois isn’t in play, or that we didn’t have all that much on our local ballot and a lot of unopposed races.”

Here is a look at the numbers according to unofficial results.

Rockford, population 146,120

2020

Registered Voters: 89,049

Turnout: 55,815, 62.3%

2024

Registered Voters: 92,131

Turnout: 50,617, 55%

Winnebago County, population 280,922

2020

Registered Voters: 94,329

Turnout: 73,080, 77.5%

2024

Registered Voters: 93,149

Turnout: 68,907, 74%

Peoria County, population 177,513

2020

Registered Voters: 117,380

Turnout: 85,167, 73%

2024

Registered Voters: 117,217

Turnout: 78,891, 67%

Sangamon County, population 193,491

2020

Registered Voters: 140,667

Turnout: 106,037, 75%

2024

Registered Voters: 139,246

Turnout: 100,219, 72%

Galesburg, population 29,130

2020

Registered Voters: 18,054

Turnout: 12,579, 70%

2024

Registered Voters: 17,394

Turnout: 11,477, 66%

Knox County, population 48,411

2020

Registered Voters: 15,323

Turnout: 10,822, 71%

2024

Registered Voters: 14,656

Turnout: 10,646, 73%

Stephenson County, population 43,105

2020

Registered voters: 33,376

Turnout: 22,251, 67%

2024

Registered voters: 27,504

Turnout: 21,158, 77%

Livingston County, population 35,320

2020

Registered Voters: 22,044

Turnout: 17,334, 79%

2024

Registered Voters: 21,847

Turnout: 16,591, 76%

Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at [email protected] and on X @jeffkolkey.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: From Rockford to Peoria, more voters stayed home on Election Day