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URBANA — System failures that led to inoperable voting machines at polling places across Champaign County Tuesday morning have been resolved, Clerk Aaron Ammons said shortly after 8 a.m

But another problem — power outages caused by overnight storms — left voters demonstrating at the Hays Center in west Champaign unable to cast their ballots early on Election Day.

According to Ameren's outage map, power went out around 8:15 a.m., affecting at least 400 customers. Operations are not expected to resume until 10:15 a.m

To make up for time lost due to the morning system disruptions, Ammons said his office is “working to extend voting hours until 9 p.m.”

The matter will be presented to a Champaign County judge, prosecutor Julia Rietz told The News-Gazette. The general rule is that polling stations open at 6 a.m. and remain open to all voters until 7 p.m

Voters waiting in line at several locations earlier today said they were told by election officials that technical difficulties had delayed the process. In some cases, those in line left because it was unclear how long it would take to resolve the situation.

Ammons blamed the problem on the county's “salesman.”

Colleen and Mark Ruebke of rural Urbana went to the Somer Township Building to vote just after 6 a.m. “and there seemed to be a problem. They said the polling station was closed at the moment.”

Colleen Ruebke said election officials took her contact information and indicated they would be in touch once the issues were resolved.

“It was very frustrating,” she said. “We're retired, so we don't have to go to work. I feel sorry for the people in line who said they couldn’t wait any longer and had to go to work.”

St. Joseph's Sterling Frye visited three polling locations this morning – to no avail. He had to go to work in Champaign and said he hoped to vote later today.

“Really frustrating,” he said. “I usually vote early, but this year I wanted to stick it out and actually vote on Election Day. If I do that, it will be taken away from me.”

To date, nearly 52,000 voters have already cast their ballots in the general election, Chief Deputy Clerk Angie Patton told The News-Gazette. That's more than half the total number of voters the last time the president participated in the election (96,185 in 2020).

Tuesday's glitch was reminiscent of disruptions in 2022, when connection problems and server performance slowed voting at some polling stations. At the time, Ammons attributed the problems to the district's supplier being the target of cyberattacks.

“I understand this is incredibly frustrating, but it is important that everyone maintain their commitment to exercising their right to vote,” incumbent state Sen. Paul Faraci, D-Champaign, told The News-Gazette Tuesday morning. “…I encourage everyone to stick with it because every voice counts.”

His Republican opponent had a different opinion.

“I can’t believe we have this problem,” Jeff Brownfield said. “There was a similar problem a few years ago. This should not be acceptable to our community.”