The major candidates for governor can agree on one thing: this election will be close.
Several pollsters have deemed the race “too close to call.” Bruce Rauner predicts it will come down to just a few thousand votes, and he thinks the difference for his campaign will be winning over women.
“Women will decide this election,” Rauner said. “I’m honored to have my running mate be one of the most influential, leading women in the state. We’ll have many women in our administration. Women will decide.”
Gov. Pat Quinn has also told his supporters it will be a close race, but he believes positive economic developments will lead him to a second full term.
“We know we’ve had seven straight months of declining unemployment,” Quinn said. “Not only did we lead the Midwest in job creation, we’re second only to Texas in job creation in the whole United States.”
Quinn won by fewer than 32,000 votes in 2010. That race had five candidates on the ballot. This time, the choices are limited to Rauner, Quinn, and Libertarian Party candidate Chad Grimm.
No matter what the result, this governor’s race will go down as the most expensive in Illinois history.
Conversely, polls have shown a wider gap in the race for U.S. Senate. No poll has shown Republican challenger State Sen.. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) with a lead over U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
Polls will be open in Illinois until 7 p.m. For the first time, voters will be able to register on Election Day, though the service is only available in a limited number of places within each election authority.