URBANA — For the first time, members of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) are monitoring voting precincts in all 50 states, including parts of central Illinois.
Champaign County Clerk and Recorder Aaron Ammons confirmed to IPM News that DOJ staff have been on-site at multiple polling places in Champaign County, including the Bennett Administrative Center in Urbana.
“My understanding is that their presence here is to observe operations,” Ammons said. “They may be interested in speaking to voters after they vote, but no one is, of course, required or obligated to speak with them.”
The DOJ also confirmed the election monitoring effort in a news release.
“One of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) most important missions is ensuring election integrity, supporting free and fair elections, and protecting the right to vote for U.S. citizens across the United States. The DOJ has sent election monitors in support of this mission since the enactment of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 across all Administrations,” the DOJ said in a statement.
“Today, the DOJ will further this mission by engaging in its largest monitoring effort in history—with approximately 1,000 election monitors and observers deployed, and, for the first time, in all 50 states. The effort is coordinated by the Civil Rights Division. Monitors will include personnel from the Division, other DOJ divisions/components, U.S. Attorney’s Offices and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management. Throughout Election Day, Division personnel will maintain contact with state and local election officials.”
The polls opened Tuesday at 6:00 a.m. in Illinois and will close at 7:00 p.m. The Champaign County Clerk’s office has an app where voters can track their expected wait time at a polling place.
Voters are choosing candidates for statewide office, including U.S. Senator, Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Comptroller. There are also races for U.S. House as well as for the General Assembly.
In Champaign County, several school bond and local community ordinances are on the ballot. IPM News’ Voter Guide includes candidate interviews and explanations of the referenda.
Many voters in Champaign County have already voted. In a Facebook post, Ammons said 24,805 people early voted in person in 2026. As of Monday night, the County Clerk’s office said 13,765 people early voted by mail-in ballot. The final number will not be known until after the polls close tonight.
“We have probably 9,000 people who have voted today already,” Ammons said, speaking before 11:00 a.m. “My hope is that we surpass the 36,000 that we did on Election Day in 2022 … then we’ll have a better turnout even than we did in 2022.”
In 2022, 36,697 voted on Election Day and 68,665 total ballots were cast that year.
In 2018, during the Midterm Election of President Trump’s first administration, former Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten told IPM News that voters had cast 32,454 early ballots ahead of Election Day.
After the polls close Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., turn to WILL-AM 580 and WILL-FM 90.9 for national election coverage from NPR News. Click here for a live audio stream.
Brian Mackey, host of The 21st Show will provide statewide result updates at 7:15 p.m., 8:15 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 10:15 p.m.
Additionally, visit the Illinois Public Media YouTube channel for analysis of countywide results as they come in as well as possible candidate concession and victory speeches in real time.