SPRINGFIELD - Illinois election officials continue to scramble to prepare for the state's earliest-ever Feb. 5 primary as the nation watches Iowa on Thursday night for the first results of the long presidential-nominating season.

With just over a month to go before Illinoisans head to the polls, some counties are just now putting the finishing touches on sample ballots - a process that usually would have been done more than a week ago.

But, because lawmakers moved up the primary election from its regular mid-March date, a variety of factors have resulted in some last-minute hold-ups.

The Republican Party, for example, delayed its official filing for presidential candidates and delegates by nearly a month.

In addition, the state didn't certify the ballot until Dec. 21, which left local election officials just a couple of days before the Christmas holiday to begin printing ballots in time for absentee ballots to be sent out.

"There are many things that can impact when the ballots are available," said Mark Mossman of the Illinois State Board of Elections.

State officials believe any glitches will be ironed out before the start of the Jan. 14 early voting period. In 2006, an estimated 9 percent of the voters took advantage of the state's early and absentee voting laws.