Forest Park voter turnout was light this afternoon with around 11 percent of registered voters turning out by the early evening at the village’s 10 precincts.
New at the polls this year in Forest Park were electronic pollbook laptops and label printers. Cook County Clerk David Orr test-piloted the new technology in Forest Park and Maywood this year.
“We’re the first to roll out the new system,” said Field-Stevenson election judge Donna Triplett. All Forest Park judges took a special class two weeks ago to learn the new system which made it easier to look up voters. The judges arrived at 5 a.m. to set up, fueled by donuts and popcorn as they waited for what one judge called “a trickle” of voters. Schools were closed for a teacher institute day.
The weather vacillated between thunderstorm and sunshine during the day. Park commissioner John Doss, standing at Grant-White Elementary School said, “I’ve changed out of wet clothes three times today.” Doss and his family, wearing “Punch Doss” shirts planned to celebrate at Chalk on Madison.
The bar owner group, Keep Forest Park Competitive, posted campaign workers at strategic corners with purple Vote No T-shirts. Voting No on the advisory referendum will permit state-sponsored video gambling in Forest Park.
