New laws ease voting by mail
Pritzker says option is critical to assure right to vote in midst of COVID-19 pandemic
Voters line up in Milwaukee for the Wisconsin primary in April. (Shutterstock)
By Ted Cox
The governor has signed into law a pair of bills expanding mail-in voting ahead of the November general election and making the process more secure.
Gov. Pritzker said it was critical to deal with concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and to assure that all state residents can freely exercise their right to vote.
“In the face of a pandemic, massive economic upheaval, and renewed calls for racial justice, it's more important than ever that Illinoisans can hold accountable a truly representative and transparent government — and that means ensuring all eligible residents can wield their right to vote in a way that doesn't risk their personal health,” Pritzker said in a statement accompanying a news release on the signing.
The main provision of Senate Bill 1863 calls for applications for mail-in ballots to be sent to all Illinois voters who’ve taken part in any state election since the 2018 midterm general election. According to the Governor’s Office, voters who return those applications by Oct. 1 will receive a ballot within a week. Newly registered voters using the state’s online system will also be able to apply immediately for a mail-in ballot, and the Illinois State Board of Elections website will also include an application.
Pritzker had supported sending mail-in ballots directly, but the General Assembly pulled up short of that — while clearly expanding and streamlining the process for voting by mail.
“Sending vote-by-mail applications to residents who have participated in recent elections will allow more people to exercise that right from the safety of their own homes and help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” Pritzker added.
The Illinois primary went off relatively smoothly in March in spite of concerns about the pandemic, eased by early voting and the existing procedures for voting by mail. But the Wisconsin primary a month later saw long lines in Milwaukee and other areas without sufficient election judges to man polling places, and more recently Georgia saw voters standing in line for hours in Atlanta for its primary.
The Illinois Senate bill also expands hours for early voting across the state to 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 to 5 on the weekends and holidays, and allows local election officials to expand those hours if they feel it necessary in the pandemic come fall. The legislation also permits curbside voting, in which voters can fill out the ballot outside of the polling place.
The laws take effect immediately, and the Senate bill “makes Election Day a holiday for all government offices, except election authorities, k-12 schools, and post-secondary institutions governed by the State Universities Civil Service Act.” Election Day is already a holiday for other state employees.
With the pandemic hitting people 60 and older especially hard, the legislation was cheered by senior-citizen groups like the AARP. “On behalf of our 1.7 million members, AARP IL commends Gov. Pritzker for ensuring that all eligible voters can cast their ballots safely," said State Director Bob Gallo. "The bill signed today offers innovative solutions and timely measures that allow older Illinois residents to choose the option that best keeps them safe and healthy during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.”
“With our current public health situation, many people feel uncertain about the prospect of having to vote in person," said Sen. Linda Holmes of Aurora, assistant majority leader and chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Women's Caucus. "We just marked the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, which boosted participation in elections. Now if we can provide safety and comfort to anyone with an at-risk condition to be able to vote by mail, it will be another step forward in increasing voter turnout so everyone can make their voice heard.”
“If you're eligible to vote, you should be able to do so safely and securely. No one should have to worry about jeopardizing their health to practice their civil duty," said Sen. Julie Morrison of Deerfield. "It is vital that no eligible voter — regardless of age or health — end up disenfranchised by the current health crisis. More voters will be able to participate in a very important aspect of their citizenry — their right to vote — because we have a plan in place to allow them to do so safely. We must be prepared, because we don't know how safe it will be for people to be this fall.”
To increase security and the integrity of the election, the bill sets up local agencies to “appoint a bipartisan panel of three election judges to verify voters' signature and the validity of the ballot,” according to the release, instead of the current system in which one person rules. “The trailer bill, House Bill 2238, would require collection boxes to be locked and opened only by election authorities. It also requires ISBE to establish additional guidelines for the security of these sites.”
“Ensuring voters in Illinois can safely participate in elections is a cornerstone of our Democracy," said Gretchen DeJaynes, chairwoman of the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders Legislative Committee. "Expanding vote by mail will allow more people to vote safely, and county clerks and election authorities across the state are working to implement this important legislation.”