Early Voting Ends at 5 p.m.

Cook County voters have until 5 p.m. today to participate in Early Voting before Tuesday’s Presidential Primary.

Cook County Clerk David Orr said if voters are concerned that they won’t make it to their polling places on Tuesday, then they should vote today.

Today also is the deadline for the Clerk’s office to receive mail ballot applications, Orr said. Voters do not need an excuse to early vote or vote by mail.

More than 12,697 suburban Cook County voters have requested mail ballots. Although not all voters will return a voted ballot, mail voting is on track to exceed the 8,835 mail ballots cast in the 2008 Presidential Primary Election.

Early Voting turnout is expected to surpass turnout from the 2010 primary, if tradition holds and the final two days are the busiest.

Tuesday marked the busiest day yet for Early Voting, with 3,283 suburban Cook County voters casting ballots. Of those, 1,951 selected Democratic ballots, 1,303 chose Republican ballots and 29 voters picked nonpartisan ballots.

Since the Feb. 27 start of Early Voting, 28,537 suburban Cook County voters have participated in Early Voting. Republican voters represent 38.6 percent of ballots cast through Tuesday, up from 31.4 percent in 2010 and 19.4 percent in 2008.

For Early Voting locations, Early Voting total turnout, Vote by Mail applications and more, visit cookcountyclerk.com.