Election night preview: Be patient
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Scott Kennedy at Illinois Election Data has a very well-written and thoughtful piece on his website (click here) that he condensed for Twitter several hours ago about today’s election. Here’s the tweet thread…
Holding an election during a global pandemic is not optimal. Here’s an explainer on what’s known, what’s unknown and what to expect. I’ll tweet some key items below.
Without a pandemic, turnout could have been a record high, at least on the Democratic side. It’s very hard to predict what it will be now. 730,000 people (D & R) have already voted but that’s probably at most a third of potential likely voters.
As many as 165,000 vote by mail ballots could still be returned if they are postmarked by today. They can be counted if they arrive any time in the next two weeks.
Be patient. Only the results of large margin victories will be known tonight, if at all. More data may come in the next day or two, some data won’t be in until two weeks later. Far less will be known about election results tonight than in any Illinois election in the modern era.
Don’t automatically assume the first reported election results tonight include EV. Election authorities aren’t legally allowed to count early vote & already received vote by mail ballots until after the polls close at 7pm. They can organize them, they just can’t count them.
Some election authorities will count EV/VBM ballot first tonight, others will count them last once all of their other precincts are in and others won’t count them until tomorrow or Thursday. Some of that happens in Illinois even during normal elections.
Over the next few days you will be able to see the totals by county/election authority of the number of ballots that remain uncounted or outstanding on the State Board of Elections’ website.
In the days following today some election authorities will update their totals each day with newly received or counted data, others will wait all two weeks. It will vary by election authority but it may take the full two weeks before the results of close elections are known.
Finally, please be patient and lower your expectations. Conducting an election is challenging in the best of circumstances and these are extraordinary times. It will also be safe to assume that the remaining unknowns are larger than you probably expect.
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A glimpse into our future
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Haru Coryne at ProPublica Illinois…
Illinois hospitals face the possibility of widespread bed shortages if the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 continues to spread through the state, according to several scenarios analyzed by Harvard’s Global Health Institute.
Perhaps 1.7 million adults living in Illinois are projected to get the virus over the course of the pandemic, with thousands expected to become sick enough to need a hospital bed, the analysis found. Yet across the state, from metropolitan Chicago to southern Illinois, hospitals lack enough beds, including intensive care unit beds, to meet that rising need.
The model projects how different hospital systems around the country could handle a surge in patient admissions if 20%, 40% or 60% of the adult population becomes infected over 6, 12 or 18 months. The projections are based on 2018 hospital occupancy levels and bed counts, as well as the trajectory of the virus so far. According to the model, about a fifth of adults who are infected will need to be hospitalized.
How soon regions run out of hospital beds depends on how fast the novel coronavirus spreads and how many open beds they had to begin with. Here’s a look at the whole country. You can also search for your region.
In all but the best-case scenario, where the infection is held to 20% over 18 months, more than half of the hospital regions in Illinois would run out of beds.
If 40% of the adult population in Illinois becomes infected with the virus over the next 12 months — the moderate scenario considered by the Harvard team — there will be bed shortages in every part of the state, including places along the border, such as East St. Louis, where people may rely on hospitals in other states.
Click here for more. Half a decade ago, excess hospital beds were seen as a huge problem that had to be fixed.
* Meanwhile…
Expect this to happen in all crucial sectors.
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Late afternoon/evening precinct reports
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ah, Chicago…
The answer is: Yes.
…Adding… This has been getting a lot of play on Twitter…
By coincidence, my pal Chris Dudley voted at that precinct. Her story…
Rich,
I wanted to let you know about Andy and my experience voting in Chicago this morning. Our normal polling place is at a neighborhood nursing home. We were informed last week via mail that the polling place had been changed to a new location. When we arrived at the new location this morning, the delightful poll worker informed us that our particular precinct was not voting at this location— because they never received the materials. She informed us that we would need to vote at the Police HQ on Addison (which has been the location for early voting in the 44th ward). As we departed, hand written signs we noticed (which we missed) were posted on the doors to inform the voters of our precinct where to proceed.
So off we went to the Police HQ. The line at 11:00 was very long wrapping around the building. Many candidates , including Margaret Croke, were working the line (at an appropriate distance). The poll workers were EXCELLENT. They were professional, patient and attentive to the social distancing necessary at this time. The voters in line were equally delightful. No complaining, seemed delighted to be out in the fresh air while they waited. It was encouraging to see so many folks lined up to vote. Adding, I have never stood in line to vote in all my years voting in Chicago…but was most happy to do so today.
Stay safe. Stay healthy.
…Adding… Oh, my…
* As I told subscribers this morning, I won’t have live election results here tonight, but I will have links to sites where you can see those results. I will have a ScribbleLive post for winners, however.
Now, on to the precinct reports. Tell us what you’re seeing, what you’re hearing and where you’re at. Thanks!
[Comments are now off. Please move to the live election coverage post.]
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* In all the chaos I forgot it was St. Patrick’s Day. So, how about let’s talk about our favorite St. Patrick’s Day political moments in days gone by?
…Adding… Musical interlude…
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* Gov. Pritzker said today at his daily news conference that a COVID-19 patient has died. Click here to watch or listen.
His announcement…
I’m deeply saddened to share news that I’ve dreaded since the earliest days of this outbreak. The first KOVID-19 related deaths in Illinois.
The patient, a woman in her 60s with an underlying condition resided in Chicago was not a nursing home resident, and was diagnosed with Cova 19 earlier this month.
I want to extend my deepest condolences to her family members. I want them to know that the entire state of Illinois mourns with them.
May her memory be a blessing.
Remember that I’m using Otter for transcription, so there will be typos.
* More bad news…
On Saturday I announced that one of our new cases was a woman residing at a private long term care facility in DuPage County. We acted immediately to send in an IDPH infectious control team to make sure that every precaution was being taken and to institute even more stringent procedures. They tested the home’s entire population, including all residents and all employees and tests so far have revealed 22 positive confirmed cases. 18 residents and four staff members. All of the individuals who have tested positive are now isolated at the facility or at a hospital and visitors have been restricted.
This situation reinforces just how critical it is especially for our vulnerable populations that we get approvals and supplies from the federal government, so that we can test large groups of vulnerable people earlier than we are able to now.
My team and I have been on the phone, day and night communicating with the medical testing supply chain. But the federal government is monopolizing supplies and not providing them to the States.
They set deadlines, and they blew through them. They told us capacity would increase and it hasn’t the powerhouse research institutions. Here in Illinois including universities, hospitals and national laboratories are lending their own world class resources to the fight against COVID-19, but they’re running into the same roadblocks that the state laboratories are. This is an incredible failure by the federal government and everyday that they continue to abdicate their responsibilities is another day that we fall behind. I’ve requested and now I’m demanding that the White House, the FDA and the CDC produce a rapid increase in test deployment nationwide, or get out of the way, and allow us to obtain them elsewhere ourselves
* Small business…
We’re also working expeditiously to mitigate the challenges that small businesses are facing. My Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has secured the necessary documentation to declare a statewide economic injury declaration, and the US Small Business Administration will receive it shortly. The SBA is offering coronavirus Disaster Assistance loans to help impacted companies get through this period of instability. And this will ensure that all of our counties qualify for assistance. Once approved by the SBA, you’ll be able to access this through our dceo website.
* Regarding the Chicago Board of Elections statement earlier today…
Last week the Chicago Board asked me to do something that is unquestionably not within my legal authority. According to their statement earlier today they wanted me unilaterally to cancel in person voting on March 17 convert Illinois to an all vote by mail state and extend vote by mail to May 12. Not surprisingly, they could not even begin to explain the legal basis for their request, nor could they explain how they believe that they at the election authorities across the state could effectively convert the election to all vote by mail, nor could they promise the people of Illinois that the state would be able to hold an election on the suggested date of May 12.
I will not use this moment, this moment to supersede my constitutional authority. I will not.
There are people out there today who want to say, ‘Oh, it’s a crisis bend the rules that overstep your authority.’ Let me tell you this. It is exactly in times like these. When the constitutional boundaries of our democracy should be respected, above all else, and if people want me want to criticize me for that if people want to criticize me for that. Well go ahead, I’ll wear it like a badge of honor.
Every step that we’ve taken during this crisis, my legal team has understood and laid out our legal authority to do it. Where we felt my authority didn’t extend to some action that we felt we needed to take to keep people safe. We have worked with the individuals or entities involved. To get to the right answer. All of them have stepped up to the plate. All except the Chicago Board of Elections.
The governor’s office provided the opportunity to use the National Guard to help staff the election. And we also worked to recruit volunteers, 2000, young people from the Mikva Challenge were turned away from volunteering, because the board wouldn’t reduce red tape.
So instead of accepting help or offering any solutions of their own, the Chicago Board of Elections decided to wait until Election Day to call the press and attempt to shift the blame for their failings. […]
If you were on Twitter one minute claiming Donald Trump is making dictatorial grabs, and the next minute screaming that the governor needs to overturn state statutes and constitutional law to deny people their right to vote, you need to get your priorities straight.
I have a responsibility to the people of the state of Illinois to make sure that democracy survives through everything that through everything democracy will be preserved. That through everything democracy will be venerated. And I have a responsibility to the life and safety of the people of my state to their well being and to their health.
Whew.
* From a press release…
Currently, IDPH is reporting 160 cases in 15 counties in Illinois. Cases have occurred in ages 9 to 91.
* Updated graph…
* On to questions. The governor was asked about the federal recommendation to limit crowd sizes to 10 and if he would do that here…
I’m continuing to consult with medical doctors and the scientists about this, as you’ve seen guidance that has come forward from the CDC and others has changed really from day to day. There’s been an increasing concern about the numbers of people who gather and the potential for passing coronavirus from one person to another. And so we’re going to continue to evaluate that every day and consider what options we may need to take going forward.
The governor said he offered to send National Guard members in “plain clothes” to help with Chicago’s polling place issues and that was rejected.
* Asked again about preschool and daycare…
Yeah, at the moment our belief is that providing daycare in small groups, providing preschool, again, in small groups - remember preschool got closed if it was in a K 12 facility to many people in that location. But in small groups, we wanted to make sure that we kept at least an opportunity for there to be daycare. We’re continuing to evaluate that, but right now I think that’s where we’ll stay.
Presser has ended.
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* Press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today warned businesses to maintain fair prices on goods and announced that the Attorney General’s office will take action to stop unfair pricing on items that are crucial to stopping the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Raoul’s office has received more than 100 complaints over the last few days from individuals about what they believe is price gouging on items tied to the epidemic, such as hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, face masks and disinfectant sprays. Attorney General Raoul is directing businesses to maintain fair pricing, particularly on items public health agencies are recommending people use to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The Attorney General’s office is collaborating with state’s attorneys throughout Illinois to combat price gouging within communities. In addition, Gov. Pritzker issued an executive order Monday that prohibits price gouging and give the Attorney General enforcement authority. Raoul’s office is currently prioritizing enforcement action for price gouging on essential medical supplies, such as protective gear, and other items identified in the governor’s executive order.
“Now more than ever, it is crucial to put people before profits, and I will not hesitate to use my office’s authority to take decisive action against those that deliberately raise the prices of items that are crucial to stopping the spread of the coronavirus. I am committed to collaborating with partners in law enforcement and retail to ensure that businesses do not seize upon this crisis to make money,” Raoul said. “Price gouging will not be tolerated, and I will use all tools at my office’s disposal to hold accountable anyone whose pricing prevents Illinois residents from purchasing necessities that can save the lives of our most vulnerable residents by stopping the spread of the coronavirus.”
The Attorney General’s office is responsible for enforcing the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, which provides consumer protections against fraudulent and deceptive business practices. Raoul’s office has contacted state’s attorneys and law enforcement agencies, as well as the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, to ensure that businesses do not inhibit efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus by exorbitantly raising prices on items people need in order to avoid contracting COVID-19.
In addition to encouraging individuals to file complaints related to unfair pricing, Raoul’s office is monitoring products on websites including Amazon, eBay and Facebook, and contacting companies regarding ads or offers that may be problematic. The Attorney General’s office will continue to investigate and attempt to mediate allegations of unfair pricing.
Raoul’s office is also encouraging people to limit purchases to only items they need and to avoid “hoarding” items that are in high demand as more residents make plans to remain at home to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
* Meanwhile, Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) is either unclear on the concept or he’s pouting…
My only concern is some of that stuff just doesn’t make sense. Why not close grocery stores also? Why only restaurants and bars?
Yeah, close the grocery stores. Right. We need grocery stores, Senator. Bars and Applebee’s? Not so much.
* Highlights from the WBEZ live blog…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has postponed the monthly City Council meeting scheduled tomorrow, citing new guidance on COVID-19 precautions from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s office. […]
The Chicago Transit Authority says the coronavirus appears to be having an effect on ridership. The agency says that, Wednesday through Friday, train ridership was down 19% and bus ridership dropped 6%. The CTA says those were the latest preliminary ridership statistics available.
* From the Tribune’s live blog…
Some Illinois liquor stores expect spike in demand in wake of coronavirus bar closures […]
Highland Park paramedics under quarantine after treating patient with possible exposure to COVID-19
The prospect of losing our first responders to quarantine (or worse) is something that truly alarms me about the next several weeks.
…Adding… Another one…
A Chicago Fire Department paramedic has tested positive for coronavirus and has now been quarantined, City Hall disclosed Tuesday.
The first confirmed case to any of the city’s first-responders was disclosed by Dr. Allison Arwady, the city’s health commissioner, during a conference call with reporters that include Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
“CDPH has already done an investigation [to] ensure the safety of fellow employees. There’s no indication that the member contracted the virus during a service call. The case is doing well in isolation at home,” Arwady said.
* From the WUIS live blog…
Lincoln Library Closes, Public Encouraged Not To Attend Tuesday City Council Meeting, Springfield Fire Department Offers Phone Line To Self-Report COVID-19 […]
Sangamon County Declared “Disaster Area”
* Meanwhile…
Illinois is allowing marijuana dispensaries to provide curbside sales to medical patients to protect them from potential coronavirus infection.
A memo from the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation sent to dispensaries on Monday provided guidelines. “The exchange of cash and product must take place on the dispensary’s property or on a public walkway or at the curb of the street adjacent to the dispensary.”
Home delivery is not allowed. Dispensaries must scan the ID cards of patients or caregivers, but they don’t have to hand over the IDs.
They should have drive-through windows.
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Early afternoon precinct reports
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hannah Meisel…
12th House
Though there had already been tension in the 12th District as newcomers began lining up in the summer to fight longtime House member Sara Feigenholtz, after former Senate President John Cullerton announced he was planning on retiring in November, even more Democrats got into the race to replace Feigenholtz, who almost immediately announced her intention to seek Cullerton’s empty Senate seat. […]
The campaigns got heated over the weekend over protections for Coronavirus, with Pizer’s campaign throwing arrows accusing Croke’s campaign of putting lives at risk for still engaging in limited in-person get-out-the-vote activity at early voting locations.
Tensions also bubbled on Monday when Pizer’s campaign accused Croke’s campaign of covering up signs that included a message regarding why the campaign was not engaging in in-person canvassing during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Croke spokesman Hugo Jacobo said Pizer’s campaign “ha[d] no proof” it was done by a Croke campaign member.
“No one on our team did that or would do that,” Jacobo said. “100 percent of our efforts are on communicating with voters.”
At least they weren’t actually stealing the signs. /s
* Latest updates…
* Sun-Times: City elections board spars with governor’s office over decision not to postpone primary
* SJ-R: ‘Interest is starting to grow’
* Tribune: DuPage Co. restocking polling places with hand sanitizer, other supplies as votes trickle in
* NBC 5: DuPage County Clerk announces that more than 9,800 votes had been cast as of 8 a.m. No additional polling places were closed in the county Tuesday, but 17 closures were previously announced, all of which were relocated to the DuPage County Fairgrounds.
* Daily Herald: Seven Lake County polling places to change due to pandemic
* What’s going on in your neck of the woods? Make sure to tell us where you’re at. And, please, don’t engage in policy and campaign debates. We have other threads for that. People read these threads to get an idea about what’s going on. So, enlighten us. Thank you kindly.
[Comments are now closed, so click here for a fresh post.]
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DoIT implementing “new security feature”
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hannah Meisel yesterday…
State agencies are currently implementing plans for “a temporary reduction of government functions and workforce while maintaining core functions and essential operations,” the governor’s office said, but those plans will not be available for a few days.
Marjani Williams, a spokesperson for the Department of Central Management Services, which handles some human resources functions for every state agency, told The Daily Line last week that CMS is “in the process” of finalizing updates to the state’s work-from-home policy and would soon have concrete changes to respond to COVID-19. […]
Meanwhile, the state’s Department of Innovation and Technology is implementing new security measures for state employees who access state data “while away from the office,” according to an internal memo to some state employees obtained by The Daily Line on Friday.
State employees who received the memo have until Monday to complete enrollment in multi-factor authentication, which will allow remote access to state Outlook email.
“Strengthening our state cybersecurity is a top priority for both DoIT and Governor Pritzker,” the memo said. “As our workforce becomes more accustomed to accessing state data when away from the office, the risk of a security breach increases. To reduce this risk, the Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) with support from the Governor’s office, is implementing a new security feature to help ensure our state accounts are better protected from external threats.”
Oh, I’m sure this is all going to come off without a hitch. /s
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* WBEZ…
School assignments given during the mandatory school closure should not count toward student grades because most school districts are not ready for e-learning, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
All K-12 schools in the state will be closed from March 17 until at least March 30 under an order from Gov. JB Pritzker.
While some school districts are able to move to e-learning to continue class remotely, the state board says most districts don’t have the capability. Of the 614 districts that responded to a survey sent by ISBE over the weekend, 71% said they had obstacles to moving to e-learning. The biggest challenge was student access to broadband, followed by access to digital devices.
The board said it’s a matter of equity not to have assignments impact grades during this time. The state is exploring options to move districts to e-learning if closures go beyond March 30, but that is at the exploratory stage.
Chicago Public Schools instructed teachers to hand out learning packets Monday to be completed by students during the shutdown. CPS CEO Janice Jackson said this work should be seen primarily as enrichment, but she also suggested teachers could find ways to get students to do it.
We are now paying the price for years of inaction on this front. Hopefully, this will finally break the logjam.
* And the school closures could last longer than two weeks. President Trump said yesterday it was possible the pandemic would be with us through July or August. Sun-Times…
For the second time this school year, Chicago families face an uncertain future as all schools close Tuesday — but this time it’s because of the coronavirus outbreak that has taken over life in the United States.
City and schools officials are making efforts to ease the burden on families in need, but Mayor Lori Lightfoot acknowledged Monday that it’s not yet clear whether school can resume at the end of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mandated two-week closure March 31.
“This is an incredibly fluid situation, which is an understatement,” Lightfoot told reporters after touring the district’s coronavirus command center. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself and predict what may be happening in April because as a matter of fact it’s hard for us to predict what’s going to happen one or two days in advance.”
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Today the Office of Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Education Association (IEA), the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA), Illinois Principals Association (IPA), and Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released the following statement:
These are unprecedented times, but we are all together with the goal of caring for students. Our organizations are truly inspired by the phenomenal cooperation shown across the state and encourage all of our members to be reasonable, creative, and generous while determining what’s best for our students in Illinois. ISBE has announced that these will be Act of God Days. To assist our members during this time, the leadership of the IEA, IFT, IASA, and IPA have prepared this joint guidance with the Office of Governor JB Pritzker and ISBE to be effective through March 30, 2020. As this is a rapidly evolving situation, subsequent guidance may be released.
From March 17 through March 30, all school district employees on the district’s payroll will get paid as if the schools were functioning normally, regardless of the district plans developed during this time. These school days will not be made up. All employees will get paid as if they did all the normal work they would have done if schools were functioning normally. Normal pay includes salary, hourly and stipend pay, benefits, and employees will receive full and normal service credit in their pension systems.
From March 17 through March 30, the employer can expect school district employees to participate in work activities in some form. The concrete details of the work, including stipend work, that will occur during this timeframe must be worked out through mutual agreement, but negotiations should focus on ensuring (1) continuity of education, (2) provision of meals, and (3) other student support measures as appropriate for each district. Public health and safety of students and staff are paramount, and to the extent work can be done remotely, it should be. Illinois Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations on social distancing and group gatherings should be adhered to. Employers should not require any more employees than absolutely necessary to come to school.
No school district can unilaterally change the use of benefit days. We encourage local collaboration on the use of benefit days and encourage ways to support anyone who is sick or is caring for a sick family member.
We acknowledge that the current law on teacher evaluation and Reduction in Force (honorable dismissal and layoff) remains in full force including all timelines and existing statutory language. If necessary, meetings and evaluation conferences associated with these statutes will occur remotely.
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* AP…
In Illinois, Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to encourage poll workers to mark space on the floor at polling sites to keep voters a safe distance apart and avoid spreading the virus. The tweet included a photo of a roll of blue tape, a piece of string and a tape measure along with a note that concludes: “THIS PICTURE CAN SAVE LIVES.”
Yarbrough said shortly after the polls opened, however, that she had heard of no problems at the county’s polling sites and expected “things to go well” on Tuesday.
“I’m just hopeful that we’ll have a good day voting for the people,” she said.
Not since New York City postponed its mayoral primary on the day of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has an election been pushed off in such a high-profile, far-reaching way. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine initially asked a court to delay the vote, and when a judge refused to do so the state’s health director declared a health emergency that would prevent the polls from opening.
* DuPage County Clerk…
Voting is proceeding in DuPage County.
By 8:00 AM, 9,894 voters had cast ballots today, for an overall turnout of 8% of 49,745 cast. DuPage County has 613,430 registered voters.
No additional polling places have been closed today. […]
This morning, the DuPage County Division of Transportation delivered additional stocks of hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies to every polling place in DuPage County. A team of 25 field representatives will be deployed across the County throughout the day to keep polling places restocked with supplies.
* Daily Herald…
The continuing spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the closure of seven Lake County polling places for Tuesday’s primary election — but alternate sites have been established.
* SJ-R…
It’s 7:15 a.m. and Sangamon County clerk Don Gray is pleased.
“We opened every poll on time and everyone is staffed,” Gray said. “I’m proud of how the election judges have stepped up and done their civic duty.”
There are 79 polling stations for 180 precincts. And Gray says those polls are safe. Voters will have hand sanitizer and election judges will be wiping down every surface at the polls with disinfectant wipes.
* But Chicago (surprise!) is a freaking mess. And to cover themselves, election officials are shifting blame…
Chicago Board of Election Commissioners spokesman Jim Allen said city election officials asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker to call off in-person voting but the governor declined.
Allen said board of election officials spoke with the Governor’s staff last week hours after health authorities declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.
“We were urging the postponement of the election, the abandonment of the polling place model of voting and a conversion to vote by mail for the safety of the voting public,” Allen said.
“They’ve been trying to get away from in-precinct [voting] for years and we always say no,” explained one top Dem about Chicago election authorities. “It’s insane,” the person added. “They are government officials. They should be doing their jobs not making it worse simply to cover their own [behinds].”
* This was my question during the conference call…
Having a plan is one thing, executing it is quite another.
* They simply did not do their jobs and now want to blame others when nobody else is complaining like this…
He was also unaware of an offer by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to provide the city with hand sanitizer and dodged a question about the state’s offer to supply 2,000 high school kids in a state program which was apparently denied when city elections officials refused to waive polling place training requirements.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Jordan Abudayyeh…
Our nation and our state are facing a crisis at the moment. Over the last week, so many leaders have stepped up to the plate to offer innovative solutions to our challenges and, unfortunately, there are those who have shirked their responsibility.
Last week, the Chicago Board of Elections held a call with the Governor’s office, the House Speaker and the Senate President where they voiced concern about having enough election judges. The Governor’s Office offered to provide the National Guard to help staff the election and we also worked to recruit volunteers. 2000 young people from the Mikva Challenge were turned away from volunteering because the board wouldn’t reduce red tape. So instead of accepting help or offering any solutions of their own, the Chicago Board of Elections decided to wait until Election Day to get on a call with press and make politically charged accusations.
The Governor cannot unilaterally cancel or delay an election. Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and we could not risk confusion and disenfranchisement in the courts. No one is saying this is a perfect solution. We have no perfect solutions at the moment. We only have least bad solutions.
What’s concerning is that the board has time to play politics instead of doing their job. Instead of hosting a press call to pass on the blame for their failures, we would urge the Chicago Board of Elections to focus on ensuring our democracy can continue as uninterrupted as possible by troubleshooting the issues at the polls.
This administration and the Governor are focused on our critical health needs around the state today. The Chicago Board of Elections should find a way to do their job.
…Adding… Agreed…
*** UPDATE 2 *** Jim Allen has stepped into a buzzsaw…
*** UPDATE 3 *** Walkback…
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Mid-morning precinct reports
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Chicago Elections Board is reporting extremely low turnout, just 10,000 in the first hour.
Here’s a list of news media campaign update pages with the latest headlines. Click the links throughout the day to stay updated…
* Sun-Times: Election judges report sanitizer shortages: ‘I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do’
* WBEZ: Virus doesn’t stop Illinois election
* SJ-R: Primary Election Day updates: Polls are open, all are staffed
* Tribune: https://www.sj-r.com/news/20200317/primary-election-day-updates-polls-are-open-all-are-staffed
* NBC 5: DuPage County Clerk announces that more than 9,800 votes had been cast as of 8 a.m. No additional polling places were closed in the county Tuesday, but 17 closures were previously announced, all of which were relocated to the DuPage County Fairgrounds.
* Daily Herald: Seven Lake County polling places to change due to pandemic
If you run across any other such links, please let me know.
* How are things looking like by you? Tell us what you see and where you are. Thanks.
[Comments are closed. Fresh thread is here.]
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* He’s right, of course…
As the United States continues to struggle to ramp up basic testing for COVID-19, experts at the World Health Organization on Monday emphasized that countries should prioritize such testing—and that social-distancing measures are not enough.
“We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (aka Dr. Tedros) said in a press briefing March 16. […]
“The most effective way to prevent infections and save lives is breaking the chains of transmission,” he went on. “And to do that, you must test and isolate. You cannot fight a fire blindfolded. And we cannot stop this pandemic if we don’t know who is infected.””
But we don’t have nearly enough tests. Not even close. And that’s having serious consequences.
* Sun-Times…
Laura Koch was enjoying a show at the Chicago Theater earlier this month when a cough that started earlier in the day got worse and she developed a fever.
She left at intermission, and by the following day she developed more symptoms consistent with the coronavirus, including shortness of breath and vomiting.
Though she’s tried repeatedly to get tested for COVID-19, her efforts have proved fruitless.
For nearly 10 days, city and state officials, emergency room doctors and even her personal physician have rebuffed her requests. Despite being diagnosed with pneumonia — which can be caused by the novel coronavirus — Koch didn’t meet the state’s threshold for testing because she hadn’t come into contact with a person that tested positive or traveled to a hotbed for the disease, like China or Italy.
“I’m really frustrated with our whole system,” said Koch, a sales trainer for a food service company who remains self-quarantined in her Uptown apartment. “We hear that all these tests are available, but they’re obviously not.” […]
Dr. Robert Murphy, director of the Global Institute for Public Health at Northwestern University, said anyone that’s even exhibiting “minor symptoms” should already be getting tested — but mistakes at the federal level in not ramping up testing sooner have limited capacity, leading to the severe restrictions. Now, to make more tests available, it’s not as easy as simply “flipping a switch,” he said.
This is just maddening.
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Early morning precinct reports
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Village of Barrington…
As of this morning, Tuesday, March 17 at 6:15 a.m., there is currently NO VOTING at Village Hall, and likely other Village of Barrington polling places, due to a lack of election judge volunteers reporting for duty. Unfortunately we do not have any further information for our residents as to where or how to vote at this time.
Cook County Elections Department “leases” space for elections; Village Hall is one of those spaces. We provide the building, but do not provide judges, nor do we have any authority to do so.
Before you head to your polling place today, please contact your election board for further information
Oh, man.
What’s it looking like where you vote? How are the crowds? What’s the mood? Please tell us what you’re seeing and where you’re at. Thanks.
…Adding… Daily Line…
Chicago Board of Election Commissioners Chair Marisel Hernandez told reporters Monday that the election would be the “most difficult in 100 years.”
Hernandez pleaded with “young, healthy” Chicagoans to serve as election judges by simply showing up to a polling place Tuesday.
There has been a “tsunami” of resignations of election judges, Hernandez said.
“We are in an untenable position,” Hernandez said.
But even if polling places open as scheduled, it is not clear how many voters will show up amid fears that they could get sick, or unwittingly spread the virus.
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