(Above) With camera operator Oded Bino, Channel 2 News journalist Yonit Levi interviews a voter at Marina City on Tuesday. Not Channel 2 Chicago, but Channel 2 Tel Aviv. The polling place on the 20th floor of Marina City’s east tower was also the focus of an Associated Press camera, which fed video to numerous television stations throughout Europe.

November 7, 2012 – Chicago’s 42nd ward achieved a voter turnout of 82 percent on Tuesday, slightly better than for the general election in 2008 but with far fewer registered voters.

On January 29, the ward lost a large portion of the Gold Coast in redistricting along with about one-third of Streeterville.

Of 29,468 voters registered in time for the November 2012 general election, 24,327 ballots were cast. In 2008, there were 45,474 registered voters in the 42nd ward. With 36,745 ballots cast in the November 2008 election, the turnout was 80 percent.

According to results posted on Wednesday by the Board of Election Commissioners, 62.73 percent of voters in the 42nd ward picked Barack Obama for president. 35.39 percent voted for Mitt Romney.

For U.S. Representative in the 7th district, Danny Davis received 59.33 percent of the 42nd ward’s votes, followed by Rita Zak with 33.4 percent and John Monaghan with 7.28 percent.

Receiving the most votes for Water Reclamation District Commissioner were Debra Shore (21.91%), Kari Steele (19.72%), and Patrick Thompson (19.17%).

For Cook County State’s Attorney, voters in the 42nd ward picked Anita Alvarez (65.05%) over Lori Yokoyama (34.95%). For Clerk of Circuit Court, they chose Dorothy Brown (56.12%) and not Diane Shapiro (43.88%). For Recorder of Deeds, it was Karen Yarbrough (62.12%) favored over Sherri Griffith (37.88%).

66 percent of voters in the 42nd ward approved the proposed amendment to the Illinois constitution. 3rd District State Senator Mattie Hunter and 5th District State Representative Ken Dunkin ran unopposed.

Fewer voters registered but higher turnout in 27th precinct as well

The number of registered voters was also down in the ward’s 27th precinct, composed solely of residents of Marina City on one city block in downtown Chicago. There were 521 registered voters on Tuesday, 25 percent fewer than in 2008. Of those 521 voters, 484 ballots were cast in the 2012 general election, achieving a turnout of 92 percent.

In 2008, the 27th precinct had a voter turnout of 78 percent.

While many early voted, 335 residents of Marina City did not, filing through a meeting room on the 20th floor of the east tower. At Marina City, 219 people voted for Obama and Biden. 101 voted for Romney and Ryan. Residents also favored U.S. Representative Danny Davis, State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown, and Recorder of Deeds Karen Yarbrough.

More results from the November 2012 general election (42nd Ward, 27th Precinct)…

 Related story: Meet the new 42nd Ward