By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – Early in-person voting for the November election started Thursday in McLean County.

“Doors at Grossinger Motors Arena opened at 8:30 a.m. and we processed over 50 in an hour, and that doesn’t factor the Bloomington Election Commission who had longer lines than we did,” said McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael. “We are mandated by law to start early voting 40 days before the election and you can tell there is a lot of excitement. People know who they want to vote for and didn’t mind standing in a wait line that was about five minutes long. So everything has been so far, so good.”

Early voting sites in McLean County include Grossinger Motors Arena, Eastland Mall, and at Illinois State University the Bone Student Center and Watterson Towers. Times that these locations are open can be found here.

Meanwhile, due to the pandemic around 25,000 residents have requested mail-in ballots, according to Michael. Those ballots were mailed out Thursday and if you don’t receive it by Oct. 1, Michael said contact her office or the Bloomington Election Commission.

If voters do not wish to mail their ballot, drop boxes will be located throughout the county in Bloomington, Chenoa, Colfax, Downs, Heyworth, LeRoy, Lexington, Normal, and Towanda. Those drop boxes will be available on various days and times between Sept. 28 and Nov. 2. The drop box locations can be found here.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]