(Above) Election judge Helen Panagos helps a Marina City resident insert a completed ballot into a ballot scanner. 213 residents showed up to vote on Tuesday in the Primary Election, a higher percentage of registered voters than the city in general.

February 3, 2010 – Although turnout was decidedly light compared to the November 2008 General Election, a greater percentage of registered voters in the tiny 27th precinct – that is mostly Marina City – actually voted, compared to the city in general.

With 617 active, registered voters in the precinct, Marina City achieved a voter turnout of approximately 36 percent, compared to a citywide rate of 26 percent.

Of the 213 people who voted on Tuesday, 176 chose a Democratic ballot, 36 chose Republican, and one Green party ballot was used.

In the race for U.S. Senate, David Hoffman got the most votes in the 27th precinct (47.9 percent) but citywide came in second, losing to Alexander Giannoulias. Republican Mark Steven Kirk was favored by Marina City voters (73.5 percent) as well as Chicago voters.

Pat Quinn led in both the 27th precinct (57.3 percent) and citywide, edging out challenger Daniel W. Hynes. Meanwhile, Republicans Kirk W. Dillard and Andy McKenna tied in the precinct, but McKenna won citywide.

For lieutenant governor, in both the 27th precinct and citywide, Arthur L. Turner beat fellow Democrats while Matt Murphy won in the Republican primary.

River North resident Desiree Grode, running for Cook County Board Commissioner, easily won in the 27th precinct, taking 54 percent of the vote. However, with 96 percent of precincts counted, she is trailing incumbent Robert B. Steele citywide. At last count, Steele had 56 percent of the vote and Grode had 28 percent.

Of 379,824 ballots cast in Chicago last night, 90.8 percent were for the Democratic primary, 8.8 percent were Republican, and the rest were for the Green party.

In the 2008 General Election, the 27th precinct had 694 registered voters and 80 percent of them voted.

(Above) After the polls close, most of the work begins for election judges, who will consolidate results from various types of ballots, then transmit the results to Chicago’s Board of Elections Commission. At left, a credentialed poll watcher is examining the first results from the 27th precinct.

(Above) Dozens of ballot cases, each containing ballots and supporting documents from Chicago’s 42nd and 43rd wards, wait processing Tuesday evening at Walter Payton College Prep on North Wells Street.

 Election results: Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago