Suburban Cook County voters set an opening-week record, casting more ballots during this early voting period than in any past consolidated election, Cook County Clerk David Orr announced in a Friday news release.

The release said there had been a 37.7 percent increase from the first week of the 2015 consolidated election. This was also a 36.6 percent increase from the 2013 election, even though the 2013 election featured more contested races, including the Special Election for the 2nd Congressional District.

As of early Friday afternoon, the release said, more than 42,050 voters had participated in early voting.

Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center reported the highest number of ballots collected in the first week, but had narrowly slipped to second place by midday Friday with 3,189 ballots, the release said.

“It’s not surprising to see a rise in Pre-Election Day voting,” Orr said in the release. “Early Voting – in particular – allows voters to skip any Election Day lines and cast their ballot when and where it’s most convenient for them.”

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