Voter turnout in Tuesday’s primary may be low if voters are reluctant to stand in line due to concerns about the new coronavirus, and Chicago election officials on Sunday continued to encourage people to vote early.
Board of Election Commissioners Chair Marisel Hernandez said that promoting early voting has paid off so far, with totals outpacing the past three presidential primaries.
Chicago broke a World War II-era record for vote-by-mail applications, with 118,000 voters requesting ballots, she said. Those votes will count if envelopes are postmarked by Tuesday.
On Sunday evening, city election officials announced Chicago had broken the record for early voting in a primary election. Through Sunday, 145,905 people had voted early at one of the city’s more than 50 early voting locations, officials said. The previous record was the 140,000 or early votes in the March 2016 primary, which featured a top-of-the-ticket tussle on the Democratic side between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Those who applied to vote by mail but haven’t received ballots yet can go to early voting sites, and people who can’t get their mail-in envelope postmarked in time can drop it off at an early voting site or precinct, Hernandez said at a news conference at the Loop early voting super site.
Officials are encouraging voters to use early sites Sunday and Monday, saying they’re prepared to handle large numbers of early voters. But on Tuesday, they’re planning to use the early voting sites only as “a backstop,” with voters on Election Day asked to use precincts near their homes, elections board spokesman Jim Allen said.
Asked why Illinois hasn’t postponed its primary like some other states have, Allen said board officials last week contacted state and city leaders to consult about different scenarios.
“We are moving ahead full speed March 17 with this election,” said Allen, who later added that postponing would be a “horrible idea” that would risk disenfranchising voters.
The board also is seeking more election judges, as a slightly higher-than-normal number have canceled amid fears about the virus. Each polling place should have five judges, but Hernandez said they expect to have polling places on Election Day with fewer than that.
“At this time, we don’t know how many actually will show up,” Hernandez said. “If you are healthy and able-bodied and you haven’t traveled recently … you may offer to be sworn in to be a judge to help make this election work.”
Available government buildings are turning into polling places as nearly 10% of locations, including some senior living facilities, have withdrawn. Officials are asking voters to check the elections website before they go in case their location has changed.
The extent of polling places closing and election judges dropping out “are not really yet known and have placed enormous challenges on our board … the likes of which we have never seen before,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez cautioned voters to keep social distancing guidelines in mind if they need to wait in line. Months ago, the board stockpiled supplies such as sanitizing gels and wipes to protect voters from influenza, and they are now using those at every site, she said.
Board staff and volunteers can’t guarantee each touch screen is wiped down in between voters but will do so at a voter’s request, Allen said. However, most voters will use paper ballots, and some have been asking about bringing their own pens. Voters may use their own pen, provided it’s black or blue and is a Sharpie or felt tip, but not ballpoint, Allen said.
As soon as Lakeview’s Chase Cheviron voted at the Loop site Sunday, he reached for a pump of hand sanitizer. Cheviron and a couple of friends said they decided to go vote together after brunch, where they noticed employees wiping down surfaces and the usual bloody mary bar taking orders.
Courtney Milligan of the West Loop said she typically votes on Election Day but decided to go early this time because “so much stuff is getting shut down.”
“The whole experience was quick and easy,” Milligan said. “I’m glad we did it.”
hleone@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @HannahMLeone
