Emergency closure of 20 polling locations in Champaign Co. announced due to 'lack of trained election judges'

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) - Twenty polling locations are being closed due to the lack of trained election judges needed for the Consolidated Election in Champaign County.

The emergency closure was announced Tuesday.

See the polling location closure list below along with the list of polling locations that are nearest to the closed locations.

All polling locations are vote centers, and any eligible voter can vote at any polling location during early voting or on Election Day.

County Clerk Aaron Ammons says they tried to spread out the closures.

“Looking at the map and seeing geographically and just trying to make sure we split it up a little bit. We chose campus, we chose a couple in the rural areas but most of them were done in the Champaign-Urbana because they’re more locations in the Champaign-Urbana area.” said Ammons.

But because of the change of locations, Ammons believes it won't affect the number of voters that decide to come out.

“We actually announced this a week before to let people know that some of these polling locations are going to change which gives the voters options and those that have watched the news or our social media or their emails, they’re probably already making adjustments to vote early or to sign up for vote by mail. So, I don’t think these voters will be impacted by that.” stated Ammons.

CLOSED LOCATION	REASSIGNED LOCATION
BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH	CARPENTER’S UNION
CURTIS ROAD CHURCH	FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
PLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS	SAVOY RECREATION CENTER
RIVER VALLEY CHURCH	FISHER
RANTOUL YOUTH CENTER	THE GATHERING PLACE CHURCH
SADORUS VILLAGE HALL	IVESDALE FIRE STATION
LIVING WORD CHURCH	PRINCE OF PEACE CHURCH
ILLINI HILLEL	THE ARC
SIEBEL CENTER FOR DESIGN	THE ARC
FLORIDA AVE RESIDENCE HALL	TWIN CITY CHURCH
ILLINOIS ST RESIDENCE HALL	ILLINI UNION
MELLON ADMIN BUILDING	HOLY CROSS
PENN AVE BAPTIST CHURCH	TWIN CITY CHURCH
PHILO ROAD CHURCH	ST MATTHEW LUTHERAN CHURCH
FREE METHODIST CHURCH	WINDSOR ROAD CHURCH
BRESNAN MEETING CENTER	LEONHARD RECREATION CENTER
VINEYARD CHRUCH	MT. OLIVE CHURCH
DOUGLASS LIBRARY ANNEX	CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD
WORKNET	PARKLAND COLLEGE
CUMTD	BROOKENS ADMIN CENTER

“While these closures are not ideal, I’m relieved that these are the only closures we had to make for this election. It’s important to note with these closures that all polling locations are vote centers, and any eligible voter can vote at any polling location during early voting or on Election Day. Election authorities around the state and country are facing the same critical issue, a dwindling election judge pool. While it’s too late to train and be assigned to a polling location for this election, we encourage everyone who is interested in serving to sign up in preparation for the 2024 Election Cycle. If we don’t see a significant increase in Republican judges, we will be faced with the same problem again in 2024," said Clerk and Recorder, Aaron Ammons.

For more information about being an election judge or to sign up and serve for future elections, click HERE.

Breakdown of closures by region:

Campus 4

Illini Hillel

Siebel Center for Design

Florida Ave Res

Illinois St Res

Champaign Urbana Savoy 12

Mellon Center

Penn Ave Baptist

Philo Road Church

Free Methodist