Downtown Bloomington arena seen as county’s voting center on election day

Posted on August 5, 2020
Grossinger Motors Arena. (Photo courtesy: WJBC/File)

By Heart of Illinois ABC

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington’s city owned Grossinger Motors Arena will become the voting center for all McLean County residents if county and city officials sign off on an intergovernmental agreement.

A new state law requires local election authorities to set up a voting center in addition to individual precincts and mail-in voting.

The county clerk’s office runs elections for the Town of Normal and rural precincts, while the Bloomington Elections Commission oversees city balloting.

Election crews and voters can practice social distancing on the spacious arena concourse, according to County Clerk Kathy Michael.

The city won’t charge the county government for using arena space, assuming the county board and city council approve the agreement.

Besides being a voting center on election day, Michael said the arena will be the venue for early-voting, starting on September 24.

There are three other Twin-City early voting venues. Voting at Bloomington’s Eastland Mall starts October 10. Balloting begins October 26 at Watterson Towers and Bone Student Center on the Illinois State University campus in Normal.

Heart of Illinois ABC can be reached at [email protected]. 

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