With early voting for the Nov. 5 election starting soon in Illinois, political parties are gearing up to ensure election integrity. Early voting in Illinois begins 40 days before the election, around Sept. 26.
Former Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy highlighted the need for election reforms in Illinois. “You know it used to be we had election day, now we have election season,” Tracy said last week outside the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. “It used to be that we didn’t have same-day registration, and now we do. That creates chaos for the county clerks in Illinois who administer the election.”
Both the Illinois Republican and Democratic parties are actively working on election integrity efforts two months before early voting begins.
New Illinois GOP Chair Kathy Salvi explained that Republicans plan to encourage voter turnout while adhering to the state’s current rules. “We don’t have voter ID in Illinois. We do have signature verification, so we work within the rules that we have to ensure every legitimate vote is counted and every cheat is discovered,” Salvi said.
Salvi also mentioned that Republicans are training election judges across the state to monitor the election process. “We have a very aggressive effort of training poll workers and election judges to some of the tricks,” she said.
The Democratic Party of Illinois has also been proactive. According to their website, the party’s voter protection manager will collaborate with staff, volunteers, community organizations, and legal partners to “ensure the integrity of the electoral process and protect voters’ rights.”
Last week in Milwaukee, Pastor David Lowery stood with Republicans and shared his concerns about the 2020 election in Chicago. “If the polling places were straight, Black people would have the opportunity to vote for who they chose, not who they’re told to,” Lowery said.
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Any allegations of election fraud can be reported to local law enforcement and county and state election officials. The Illinois State Board of Elections advises that “if available, documentary evidence (including photographs) should be included with the filing, as well as contact information for any witnesses. Complainants alleging election-day violations should bring these to the attention of the Election Authority of the jurisdiction where the alleged violation occurred.”
