CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on early voting for the Illinois primary (all times local):
11:45 a.m.
More counties around the Chicago area are delaying the start of early voting for the Illinois primary over pending candidate challenges.
The four most-populated counties in Illinois, Cook, DuPage, Lake and Will, say they won't start in-person early voting Thursday as planned.
Clerks in Cook, including in Chicago, and DuPage counties will delay until Feb. 21. Lake County plans to start Feb. 16. Will County election officials say they'll keep voters updated on their website and hope to be ready within days of a decision.
Over four million voters are impacted.
Clerks elsewhere, including in Madison, Pope, Sangamon and Vermilion counties, will start early voting Thursday, but will explain the situation to voters.
One candidate challenge has statewide impact. A judge ruled Democratic attorney general candidate Scott Drury can't be on the ballot over paperwork issues, but his name is allowed to remain during an appeal. If Drury is ultimately ruled off, votes for him won't be counted.
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12 a.m.
Early voting is set to begin for the Illinois primary, but millions of voters won't have the option because of pending candidate challenges.
Illinois' two most-populated counties, Cook and DuPage, are delaying until as late as Feb. 21 to wait out final decisions on several races. More than 3.5 million voters, including in Chicago, are affected.
Clerks elsewhere, including in Madison, Pope, Sangamon and Vermilion counties, will start early voting Thursday, but will explain the situation to voters.
One candidate challenge has statewide impact. A judge ruled Democratic attorney general candidate Scott Drury can't be on the ballot over paperwork issues, but his name is allowed to remain during an appeal. If Drury is ultimately ruled off, votes for him won't be counted.
Though the decision to delay is up to each jurisdiction, state election officials encouraged them to start in a "timely manner."
