Sue Rennels is expecting a record turnout for Election Day on Nov. 4.

Rennels, the Coles County clerk, said her office has registered 40,094 voters, which is higher than the 2004 presidential election.

“Many students have come in and early voted – many of them for the first time,” she said. “It is rewarding to watch their excitement as they cast their ballot for the first time.”

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Rennels said voters need to bring one form of identification such as a driver’s license or a voter ID card when going to the polls.

She added many voters typically come to the polls before work hours, lunch hours and after work.

“An election of the size that this one is anticipated, there would be some traffic, parking issues,” Rennels said. “I have been very specific to election judges that they are not to park close to the polling site to save the space for voters.”

Rennels said the county clerk’s office’s intention is to get every registered voter to vote without any issues.

She added no matter how well an office prepares, something unexpected will always come up.

She said from the times polls open to the time polls close, she will be visiting and checking each site.

“I will be checking that election judges are following proper procedures as they have been trained, and that voters are being accommodated the best way humanly possible,” Rennels said.

She said the county clerk’s office has prepared the entire summer for the election.

She added 4,000 voters have registered since May, and the office had to get absentee and military ballots out to those who applied for them.

Rennels added in preparation for the election, polling sites had to be secured, election judges trained, ballots prepared, election supplies distributed to the proper precincts and voter equipment had to be tested.

Anyone interested in watching voter returns on Nov. 4 can visit the Coles County Courthouse or go online.

Stephen Di Benedetto can be reached at 581-7942 or at [email protected].