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So far, more than a million Illinoisans have requested VBM ballots for fall election

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Illinois

* Illinois State Board of Elections…

More than 1 million Illinois voters have requested vote-by-mail ballots for the November election, as voters respond to a statewide push for mail voting amid concerns over COVID-19.

The number of requests puts Illinois on pace to substantially exceed the record it set for voting by mail in the 2018 general election, when 430,000 votes were cast by mail, accounting for 9.3 percent of all ballots. In the 2016 general election, 370,000 votes – 6.5 percent of all ballots — were cast by mail.

This summer, the state’s 108 local election authorities sent mail ballot applications to 6.4 million Illinoisans who had voted in the 2018 general, 2019 consolidated or 2020 primary elections. The mailings were required under a series of special election laws passed by the Illinois General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 1,111,387 mail ballot applications received to date likely is lower than the true total, as 28 Illinois election authorities have not yet reported their totals.

“We are encouraged by the strong response to the ongoing vote-by-mail effort,” said State Board of Elections Executive Director Steve Sandvoss. “Voting by mail provides a safe, secure and convenient voting option for those concerned about COVID-19. It also will help ease congestion at in-person polling places during early voting and on Election Day.”

Man, that’s a lot. Ballots won’t even be mailed to voters until September 24th.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 10:19 am

Comments

Sent mine in a couple of weeks ago. Want the option of VBM or early in-person. VBM have option of USPS or using drop box at county court house.

Just hope county is prepared for the huge influx of mail in ballots.

Comment by Huh? Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 10:34 am
The Chicago Brd of Elections and Cook County Clerk have indicated that they were going to have dropbox at early voting locations so voters don’t have to rely on the mail to send in ballots. All election authorities would be really smart to use this approach as much as possible and expand on it. Set up drive thru drop off locations at libraries, schools, etc.

Comment by Roman Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 10:48 am
I will comfortably complete my ballot at my kitchen table, and put it in the mail within 48 hours of receipt.

There are few contested races available to me. So I will probably just be adding to the margin of victory in one case, and casting a protest vote against the prohibitive favorite in others.

Comment by Langhorne Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 10:48 am
Thought the lesson was learned in 18. Pritzker did a statewide vbm program Rauner didn’t. Dems destroyed. Batinick was only gop candidate did his own vbm program barely hung on..

Not sure how many times a train can hit you but looks like it’s coming down the tracks again.

Comment by Frank talks Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 10:50 am
Sent my vbm request weeks ago. My primary motivation was because Trump is opposed. I am just tired of his mouth.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 11:23 am
=== Thought the lesson was learned in 18===

There’s nothing to be learned, relearned, unlearned.

These are voters. These are folks worried about the pandemic, wanting to make sure their vote counts, making clear they are not going to miss this cycle. Pick any of those, and probably a dozen more reasons this is happening.

Targeted, precision VBM programs by campaigns, be they statewide or “state rep”, the real challenge now is the campaigns from now until that September 24th date to make sure *their* pluses are part of that (Dr. Evil imitation) one MILLION ballots.

Arguably, if your campaign, any of them, including the Fair Tax folks, (but I digress) aren’t understanding campaigns aren’t driving this VBM, but need to ride it and get in the wave, it won’t matter, they won’t have a lick of control or knowledge of this voting universe.

In 21st century campaign apparatuses, the real campaign calendar goes backwards from the *first* day a voter and possible plus can request an absentee, as the most important day isn’t election day. The most important day is the first day voters can vote early, in person.

It’s exciting, for me, even during this horribly tragic pandemic, to see the evolving of this election calendar, through the past, say 8-10 years.

The crews that understand this evolution, let alone app walk sheets, texts (I despise campaigns using texts, “be better”) and the virtual organizing outside the useless use of “social media”

One million ballots.

Either catch up where your pluses are now, or realize ad accept your control is lost already.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 11:28 am
My husband was able to request a vote by mail ballot for me. All he needed was my name, birthdate and zip code. Then when you request your vote by mail ballot, you can change the address that it goes to. So, it could just be me, but doesn’t it seem kind of easy for someone to change addresses of people and obtain their vote by mail ballots?

Comment by Nadine Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 11:48 am
Nadine - Even if a person could request a ballot in another person’s name, the signature on the ballot application has to match the signature on file. Later, the ballot envelope signature will have to match the signature on file in order for the ballot to be verified. If a ballot is not verified, it will not be counted. Election judges are employed to verify and open mail ballots, same as they are used at polls.

Comment by Teacher Lady Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 1:17 pm
Teacher Lady- Thank you so much for answering my question. That makes me feel better that the Board of Elections thinks of these scenarios!

Comment by Nadine Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 1:34 pm
@Nadine
In DuPage County, when I requested my mail-in ballot through the website, it asked me for my drivers license number or last four numbers of my SSN. Hopefully all Illinois counties are doing that.

If you make a request for a mail-in ballot through the mail, they will check your signature on the ballot request form.

Comment by Nathan Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 1:48 pm
Mailed mine in this week so probably not in count yet. Our swingy neighbors WI and MI send out ballots in couple of weeks . Have you heard about theirs? I saw Wisconsin was going to have a lot of drop boxes.It was on Milwaukee TV.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 2:23 pm
As an election judge, all I would like to say is PLEASE VOTE BY MAIL. Make our lives incredibly boring. Right now, I am still planning on being a judge (including early voting.) I am under pressure not to. I know may election judges have stepped down. I am old, fat and have high blood pressure. I should not work this election. Please make it easier for people like me.

Comment by George Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 3:09 pm
==All election authorities would be really smart to use this approach as much as possible and expand on it. Set up drive thru drop off locations at libraries, schools, etc.==

Library drop boxes would have been a huge boon.
The problem is there was a last minute change to the legislation that prohibited non-election personnel from being able to access the dropbox.

Comment by God's Country Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 3:40 pm
==As an election judge, all I would like to say is PLEASE VOTE BY MAIL. Make our lives incredibly boring. Right now, I am still planning on being a judge (including early voting.) I am under pressure not to. I know may election judges have stepped down. I am old, fat and have high blood pressure. I should not work this election. Please make it easier for people like me.==

George, thank you for your service. Bless you, and stay safe.

Comment by God's Country Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 3:41 pm