Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Question of the day

Posted in:

Illinois

* Press release…

DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek announces that DuPage County voters have the option to cast their ballot at any of the county’s 269 polling places on Election Day, rather than being limited to their local precinct polling place or a single vote center. DuPage County is the first and only county in the state of Illinois to offer voters the opportunity to “Vote Anywhere” on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th.

“Now voters may cast their ballot conveniently at a polling place near their job or school, instead of rushing to or from their home precinct,” DuPage County Clerk Kaczmarek says. “Best of all, DuPage voters will no longer be turned away on Election Day for being in the wrong polling place in the county.”

The “Vote Anywhere” program was successfully implemented for the first time in the June 28, 2022 Primary Election, with approximately 13.5% of Election Day voters choosing to vote outside of their home precinct polling place. Ballots are printed on-demand at the polling place for each voter after check-in using the county’s brand-new all-paper ballot voting system.

The number of precincts remains unchanged from 2020. No voter will be deprived of their local polling place in order to fulfill “Vote Anywhere” Election Day voting. As always, strict security measures will be in place to ensure one person, one vote.

“There is not a jurisdiction in the state of Illinois making it easier to vote than DuPage County,” Kaczmarek says. “I encourage all DuPage County voters to take advantage of the opportunity to exercise their fundamental right to vote.”

To find the Election Day polling places nearest you, visit: www.dupagecounty.gov/election

* The Question: Should all election authorities in Illinois be mandated to offer a similar “vote anywhere” program? Explain.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:18 pm

Comments

Probably not mandated. So no.

But it is a great idea that everyone should emulate.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:19 pm
Yes, if there is support for the infrastructure. This is where we are headed; the sooner the better.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:22 pm
Does not sound like a bad idea. Sure will turn GOTV programs on thier ear, but the goal is to make voting easier so why not make it avaialble.

Comment by La La Land Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:22 pm
not mandated but given tools to see how it could be implemented. in Chicago maybe they could do it by ward as generally people know their ward and wards are each bout 50 k of people.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:22 pm
Yep.

Easy answer.

When you restrict voting, voting opportunities, voting access… that’s curtailing democracy.

Yep. All day. Yes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:26 pm
No. Just adding to more confusion.

Comment by Steve Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:27 pm
===more confusion===

Explain how it’s confusing

Others are already doing it. They’re not confused

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:28 pm
What an incredible thing to do. Make is easy to vote in person at the nearest place. It is so obvious the way to go. It makes in person voting better and takes away the hardships. Please do.

Comment by clec dcn Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:29 pm
What is the reconciliation process that prevents a person from voting 269 times?

Of course its illegal to do that, but that doesn’t stop some people.

Comment by 40,000 ft Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:43 pm
===person from voting 269 times===

Maybe that you can’t cite anyone doing such a thing previously, and like most dorm room silly, you decided to have a ridiculous example here without using the Google Key, because it’s about the political want and not that actual facts.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:45 pm
In Chicago this year the Early Voting sites are open to all on Election Day as they were during Early Voting. If they could get all the election judges trained for election day, vote everywhere would be great, but I’m doubtful.

Comment by Chicago J Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:46 pm
I want to say yes, but I’m concerned that it could add to the workload of election officials and volunteers. Given the fact that these folks are leaving, or considering leaving, their jobs due to threats and harassment, I hesitate to ask anything more of them until sanity returns.

Comment by Sir Reel Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:48 pm
Yes. Seems to me we ought to have the technology to do it securely. Encouraging more voter participation should be a goal.

Comment by Siualum Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:53 pm
No one can vote even twice, not to mention 269 times, because every polling location is connected to every other polling location electronically (no, not over the internet) and once your ballot is printed in West Chicago, election judges will see that if you ask for a ballot in Willowbrook.

Similar technology is how banks prevent people from mobile depositing the same check multiple times.

Comment by DuPage Dem Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 1:55 pm
===No one can vote even twice, not to mention 269 times, because===

Thank you. I appreciate you answering.

===concerned that it could add to the workload of election officials and volunteers===

This is a good point. Strong infrastructure first to go fully “mandated”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:00 pm
This seems to be such an obvious improvement. Since you can essentially cast an early ballot at any location during early voting within your election jurisdiction, it is puzzling why it would be so difficult on election day.

Comment by Gravitas Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:04 pm
Mandated? No. Encouraged to do so and given technical assistance? Absolutely.

My experience has been that polling places have a few rush periods but are quiet for hours on end on Election Day. If you’re having trouble recruiting volunteer judges of election, it makes sense to encourage voting by mail and early voting and have fewer polling places to staff on Election Day. But if you offer fewer places to vote in person, you can make up for the added hassle by allowing voters to use any polling place. It adds convenience and saves money and time in the long run.

I’m hesitant about the mandate only because I worry some rural counties wouldn’t have the resources to get their acts together in the required time period. That’s why I’d also suggest state-level technical assistance.

Comment by Benjamin Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:05 pm
We have this in my county (Ramsey MN) which is a fairly populace place (Saint Paul) and it works great. I do think smaller offices might need state assistance both technical and funding, but there is no reason to not do it anymore.

Comment by ArchPundit Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:06 pm
I can understand why the idea of a precinct made sense in the past (paper ballots that were unique to their locations), but with the move to digital systems, that need goes away. I think a mandate with an several year timeframe would be excellent. Eliminating barriers to voting should always be the end goal.

Comment by Chris Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:07 pm
I think this is super. I’ve worked nearly empty precincts a block away from an hours long line precinct at ISU. If you could point people to the empty voting location, that would be wonderful.

Comment by Rayne of Terror Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:10 pm
Conceptually I have no problem with this approach. However, I can see great difficulty for the county clerk in staffing election day polling places appropriately and efficiently since they will not know what voters to expect or where. I also foresee problems in some voters thinking that now they can vote anywhere it’s convenient and may miss the nuance of where the county lines are actually drawn. I hope we will learn much from both DuPage voters and election officials with respect to how this works in real life on Tuesday.

Comment by Responsa Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:10 pm
Sure. The easier it is to vote the better.

Personally, it’s early voting for me from here on out.

“Just adding to more confusion.”

Ah, the old “confusion” angle anytime democracy is made more available to the masses. Steve, don’t put your limited ability to understand something new on everyone. It’s rude.

Comment by Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:11 pm
Speaking from an administrative point, I wonder if this is actually easier than the traditional method assuming you have the technical abilities.

Comment by Not It Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:13 pm
===the nuance of where the county lines are actually drawn===

Is this snark?

County lines aren’t nuanced, they actually exist.

It’s like saying “folks who need to pay county property taxes are faced with the idea of where to pay those taxes because of the nuance of county lines”?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:16 pm
Yes. Anything that makes it easier to vote is always the best route. Early voting, vote by mail, in-person voting at any polling place in your county. Glad DuPage County is taking the lead.

Comment by Baloneymous Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:17 pm
In my voting district all four precincts are in the same building so we’re kinda already doing it.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:18 pm
Champaigb Co. Clerk Aaron Ammongs announced a while ago that he was doing this, so DuPagae is not the only one.
Yes, seems like a good idea

Comment by Watchdog Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:20 pm
I think voting by mail and drop boxes is more convenient if applied statewide.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:22 pm
Sorry for the typo. It is clerk Aaron Ammons

Comment by Watchdog Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:22 pm
In a healthy, properly functioning democracy, improving access to voting is essential. We should do everything in our power to ensure this. Anything short of that is voter suppression.

Comment by Pundent Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:22 pm
Not sure how you reconcile it with same day registration. If you can same-day register in a different precinct from your home precinct, that will at some point be a mess to untangle. The upside of voting in a home precinct is that, in theory, your election judges are more likely to know the person voting, which cuts down on the risk of fraud.

Comment by Mary Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:23 pm
==Is this snark?==

No. Anyone who has been an election judge knows this is not snark.

Comment by Responsa Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:24 pm
===your election judges are more likely to know the person voting, which cuts down on the risk of fraud.===

I have served as an election judge multiple times.

Not one time was that precinct my home precinct.

While that is a hope, volunteers aren’t necessarily judges in home precincts

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:26 pm
===Anyone who has been an election judge knows this is not snark.===

I have. Multiple times.

Can’t think of a soul that got the county wrong.

Township/ward… yep…. Precinct, always a yes

County? C’mon, lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:27 pm
It’s a great concept, but most jurisdictions would not be able to afford it. And many polling locations in remote areas lack the internet access to implement it. There’s a tremendous amount of cost (at least 2 laptops and 2 ballot-on-demand duplex laser printers) per polling place. And all those laptops have to have internet access to the county’s voter registration system. But it’s a great goal. St. Louis County, MO started using the same program about 3 years ago.

Comment by Reliable Sources Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:31 pm
===Should all election authorities in Illinois be mandated to offer a similar “vote anywhere”===

Yes. If it comes to voting we should be making it easier to vote. The logistics could be complicated.

Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:34 pm
Yes.

Will County recently rolled out some central early voting locations which can take voters from anywhere.

It’s always been concerning that I had no other choice before but to go to a church to vote. I was ‘mandated’ to go to a church if I want to vote. A church with some rather despicable and documented behavior.

The new at-large voting locations are instead placed in government building(libraries, park district, etc). I’ve used those locations instead in the past two elections.

From what I can see, it does appear Will County will be taking the same approach as DuPage in the near future, allowing any voting anywhere.

–they will not know what voters to expect or where–

They do not have to know. That’s what computers are for. You tell the election judge your name, they confirm your address, and that you haven’t voted yet. The computer then prints off a ballot specifically for you. It’s pretty efficient.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:34 pm
Not mandated, but it should definitely be a trend. If the second-largest county in the state can figure this out, maybe they can spread the knowledge / training to others who are interested.

Comment by Tony DeKalb Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:37 pm
It’s certainly worth a look. My kid voted by mail two weeks before the last election. He made sure to before he left for a trip. Ballot was never counted as he was not on the report for having voted in 2020. I’m all for the multi site opportunity for early voting in a county besides the county building.

Comment by NorthsideNoMore Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 2:56 pm
Yes.

As we have more and more early voting and vote by mail, I would assume that the number of voting places will decrease over time. Allowing voters to go to the most convenient polling place on voting day will help get more out to vote, and may even help alleviate some long lines at others.

On a personal note, I’d love to go the voting place right next door during my lunch time. Verses having to rush home go wait in a long line and hope to get out in time to get my kids.

Comment by Person 8 Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 3:09 pm
@Mary: voter registration is centralized. One cannot register multiple times, and the ballots aren’t counted until the registration is verified.

Comment by Socially DIstant watcher Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 3:17 pm
Yes, but with plenty of time to implement the program, and the state kicking in some dollars to do so.

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 3:39 pm
Having worked as an election judge (and doing so tomorrow), I can see some issues with the way Illinois does the signature comparisons. Currently, each precinct has a printed copy of all valid voter registrations for THAT precinct. To implement vote anywhere, it would likely be prohibitive to print copies of everyone in the county for every precinct. Plus each precinct has preprinted ballots specifically for each precinct, which you have to keep track of.

I can see having an online method to verify. Right now, in Sangamon County, there is a registrar in each place that can access the voter database. So it is technically doable. What I don’t know is how streamlined that could be since I don’t know the volume that would be involved, plus you would have either have copies of all ballot variations on hand in every precinct or be able to print blank ballots on demand.

Having worked decades in the computer industry, the more complicated you make it, the more likely a piece of equipment will break. And I won’t even branch off into the challenges involved in changing to touchscreen / fully digital voting with no (or the same computer generated) paper trail.

I have no doubt such a system could be built, but I’m not sure the public would completely accept it. The other problem would be if Illinois were to change from signature matching to some other form of ID, the current State laws would need to be changed and you would have to careful to not run afoul of various Federal voting ID requirements and court decisions.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 3:54 pm
I like the idea, but, not mandated unless the state puts up the $$ to implement and train the election judges.
My small country uses paper voter rolls, and to implement anywhere voting would require quite an investment to computerize the polling places.

Comment by Bruce( no not him) Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 3:58 pm
== voter registration is centralized. One cannot register multiple times, and the ballots aren’t counted until the registration is verified. ==

Technically, all that is verified before you are given a ballot to vote is that the signature matches the one on file with the County Clerk. And, unless a Provisional Ballot that is set aside for additional verification, the ballot is immediately counted in the precinct when inserted into the tabulating machine

It is presumed that the County Clerk has done proper verification prior to election day.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 4:01 pm
I will be an election judge in DuPage County for the first time tomorrow. After taking the training, I am very impressed with the system and the ease of use.

Comment by Nathan H Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 4:04 pm
I am with RNUG. Experienced advice needs to be listened to.

Comment by flea Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 4:24 pm
Ok, does we need to put all of signs at every polling place.

Comment by snarkie from Schaumburg Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 4:37 pm
==County? C’mon, lol==

There are municipalities in Illinois that occupy multiple counties. So yes, getting the county wrong can happen.

Answer to question: Yes to mandating “vote anywhere,” with the stipulation that funding help comes with. Not all counties have tabulators that can be programmed to handle more than a handful of ballot styles, and most would need to purchase additional printers as well.

Comment by yinn Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 4:59 pm
No. I get a ballot automatically from Cook County as I signed up and get a notice on receipt of my ballot.this is the system needed in Il

Comment by Bear3 Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 4:59 pm
I’m not sure one primary is enough to find the bugs. Let’s see how it operates in DuPage tomorrow and the next cycle to let them see if there are stress points that need addressing before it gets taken statewide. My election judges at the polling place didn’t seem to be too tech savvy this last primary. An overly complicated process for them could be counterproductive.

Comment by Jaguar Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 5:01 pm
Getting a chance to see the new equipment that DuPage County has, I do like the ability to vote anywhere in the county. I understand the complaints many committeemen have had over not having people vote in the precincts, but in all honesty, it’s the same argument with people who complain they can only walk doors with a printed sheet rather than use an app. People don’t like change. This is a much better system than that old scantron reader that would only scan a ballot for one precint

And do we all remember why the number of precincts has not changed since 2020? Our clerk screwed up the precinct redistricting maps and we had to revert back to the 2010 maps.

Comment by West Coast Stan Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 5:06 pm
===There are municipalities in Illinois that occupy multiple counties. So yes, getting the county wrong can happen.===

So… you just don’t send a voter on their way to their right county?

Sincerely.

You’re way overthinking this “accidental county” mishap

Aurora as a good example has multiple (more than 2) counties and there’s never this wholesale “voters from wring counties…”

It’s an excuse. A lazy excuse.

Especially if they own a home.

What I pay taxes in Kane but I think I can vote in DuPage?

I say again, “c’mon”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 5:20 pm
The biggest thing I point out is that voters need to be explicitly told that this isn’t a statewide thing. Its vote anywhere [within your county], not vote anywhere, period. So many folks see the headline “Vote anywhere” and take it too broadly. I don’t know that it has cost anyone the ability to vote, but it can be a bit embarrassing for the voter.

Comment by Just Another Anon Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 5:56 pm
Early voting in person is just like voting at any precint in your county. I live in DuPage and have early voted in last 3 or 4 elections at one of the several places set up in the county for votingt.

Voting on election day at any precinct is great, as for the last 5 elections, on 4 I been sent a postcard which has stated my polling place is different.

And as I think OW stated, as an Election Judge ( which I have been on 5 occasions ) I have only once been placed in my precinct.

Comment by Product of the '60's Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 6:31 pm
I am a fan of voter convenience!

I do wonder how much this will cost in infrastructure.

My county still uses paper poll books, making this impractical for us.

Comment by Twitter cat lady Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 6:41 pm
I’m an election judge in DuPage.

It shouldn’t be mandated for all counties (not all systems will accommodate it). But it works quite well in DuPage and should be encouraged elsewhere.

Comment by Titan Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 8:06 pm
Good in theory. Let’s see how it goes if all the bugs are worked out.

Comment by DuPage Monday, Nov 7, 22 @ 9:30 pm
Late the the party and yes this is a good idea. Also, the idea of counties is very old and really needs to go away. We need a local government that isn’t tied to counties/townships/cities/random districts(park/library/fire).

Comment by Publius Tuesday, Nov 8, 22 @ 10:00 am