* The voter-shaming letters are back…
* But there’s some “new” news in Hannah’s story…
In the weeks before Pritzker cast his ballot last month, his campaign had sent two rounds of vote-by-mail applications to 2.5 million likely voters around Illinois, the campaign said. Campaign finance records show the Pritzker campaign paid $1.2 million to Chicago-based firm The Strategy Group, Inc. for the first round of applications, which went out in early September, and spent an additional $1 million on the second round of mailings, which were sent later in the month.
Rauner is not doing a vote-by-mail application drive this campaign cycle, breaking tradition from the last few general elections when the gubernatorial candidates from both parties had done so. […]
Though local election authorities don’t keep track of which vote-by-mail applications come in through specific channels like the Pritzker campaign, the campaign can still keep track via information provided by the U.S. Postal Service. The applications sent out to likely voters also had pre-paid return envelopes, which allows the Pritzker campaign to keep a running tally of how many vote-by-mail applications the Democrat has spurred.
The Pritzker campaign told The Daily Line on Monday that the latest numbers indicate 200,000 of the 450,000 vote-by-mail applications originated from Pritzker’s mailings.
Emphasis added.
*** UPDATE *** The Rauner campaign insists it did do a vote-by-mail campaign. “Mail, digital, texting, doors, phones,” I was told.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 10:20 am:
When you’re deep double-digits unlikable…
Why remind and gin up early voting when you can’t get a majority of people polled to think of you approvingly?
Not having races for SoS, Comptroller, and Treasurer… it’s the feature… it’s not the bug.
Rauner needs depressed turnout… not depressed voters voting against him.
- Anonimity - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 10:23 am:
The City of Chicago expected to break a record set during WWII for mail-in ballots. If this was a result of JB’s push…
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-mail-ballot-midterm-elections-20181001-story.html
- Publius - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 10:37 am:
@OW I see your logic in thinking Rauner needs at low turn out but I would disagree because I think moderate GOP are staying home because they can’t get themselves to voter for him but if they did go vote ten they would need up voting for him. The Depressed turn out helps down-ballot Dems since the early vote is so far showing a dem ripple.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 10:42 am:
- Publius -
All good points. I understand.
How much money has Rauner given the SGOP?
Rauner isn’t about party building or upkeep.
That’s why Rauner depressing turnout is Rauner driven, not a party decision.
- Fav human - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 10:43 am:
I received a vote by mail at my house from Rauner. For my kid that moved to MO.
- Plainfielder - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 10:43 am:
Wow. They couldn’t even get the correct address for the Will County Office Building right. I’m not even sure that address exists…
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 10:53 am:
I voted by mail this time, just because I’d never done it before. I think I prefer going to a polling place. It just seems more like performing my civic duty. OTOH, it’s good VBM is available.
- Down South Dem - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 11:00 am:
“We are getting to that,” said demoralized Rauner campaign worker who was fresh off of managing a campaign that ended in an upset for Mt. Zion High School Student Body President.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 11:09 am:
My son got a vote by mail form from Rauner.
- Texas Red - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 11:13 am:
Casten is also the beneficiary of The voter shaming letters. They come from ” The Center for voting information” a Democrat front group.
- LittleHouse - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 11:17 am:
I keep seeing a JB ad on Facebook that includes “You already requested a vote by mail ballot—now just send it back! Sign up for a reminder when the deadline is approaching.” I’m guessing it’s targeted by my email address which I had to provide to the county election board when requesting a ballot online.
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 11:20 am:
these vote-by-mail campaign-sponsored applications make me a little nervous. I got some applications sent to my house for prior owners of the house from local republican candidates in addition to ones from pritzker for myself and my husband for having voted in the dem primary. wonder how long the prior owners will stay on the rolls as registered in a house they don’t live in.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 11:29 am:
Mail?
I think I did throw something away regarding voting by mail a month ago?
I couldn’t even get my kids to look into the mailbox. I empty it out when it gets full.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 11:36 am:
==I’m guessing it’s targeted by my email address which I had to provide to the county election board when requesting a ballot online.==
On my county vote-by-mail application,DOB,phone #, and e-mail info are optional, same with Pritzker’s application. They can’t track or bother me, while I can go on the county’s website to track my ballot.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 1:10 pm:
“I empty it out when it gets full.”
Have to empty every day. Keeps getting filled up with campaign mailers.
- Anonish - Tuesday, Oct 30, 18 @ 2:23 pm:
I’ve been surprised by the number of my friends (including whiny, lazy Millennials) who have voted by mail this year.