Evanston Voter Turnout Rises in Midterm Election
Early and Election Day voting in Evanston outpaced the last gubernatorial election, with long lines reported at Lake Street Church.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Civic Engagement
Live Poll
Do you think voter participation in your area is getting better or worse?
Evanston saw 11,826 people vote early in person, up from 9,222 in the last gubernatorial election. Voters lined up outside Lake Street Church when polls opened at six a.m. on Election Day.
Why it matters
The increase in early and in-person turnout reflects heightened local participation in the November 2026 non-presidential election. Turnout figures from the local early voting period offer one measure of civic engagement in the city.
Early in-person voting totals of 11,826 in Evanston exceeded the 9,222 cast in the last gubernatorial election. The extraction does not provide a final turnout percentage for the city.
The players
Jaylene McCandlish
McCandlish has served as a poll judge in Evanston since 2020.
Caroline Johnson
Johnson, age 17, worked as a poll worker for her AP government class and was too young to vote.
The details
Early voting ran for two weeks at the Robert Crown Center across 15 dates. On Election Day, voters lined up outside Lake Street Church before polls opened at six a.m., and more than 50 people had voted at the two Lake Street Church precincts by about 8:30 a.m.
Timeline
Two weeks before Election Day: early voting began at Robert Crown Center.
November 3, 2026: Election Day, with polls opening at six a.m.
Civic Trend
The 11,826 early in-person votes compare directly against the 9,222 cast in Evanston's last gubernatorial election. That baseline shows the 2026 early vote rose by roughly 2,600 ballots over the prior comparable contest.
Residents who have not yet voted can review their precinct and polling information through their local election authority before the next election. Voters who want to avoid long lines can consider early in-person voting, which ran for two weeks in Evanston this cycle.
The takeaway
Higher early turnout in Evanston shows that local residents turned out in larger numbers than in the last gubernatorial cycle. Voters planning for future elections can use early in-person voting to shorten wait times on Election Day.
Further reading
For related coverage, explore Civic Engagement stories on Evanston's local election participation.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Evanston Now.
Live Poll
Do you think voter participation in your area is getting better or worse?
