SPRINGFIELD (ILLINOIS CAPITOL BUREAU) -- The Illinois Senate voted 37-19 to pass a voting expansion plan for the November 3 election. The聽 heading to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk for approval will greatly expand Illinois' vote-by-mail system following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senate Bill 1863 will give voters the opportunity to cast their ballots without going out in public, as there could potentially be a second round of COVID-19 spread this fall.
"Overdue step toward modern convenience and safety"
4.8 million registered voters will automatically receive an application for vote by mail. More specifically, applications would go to anyone who voted over the last two years or recently registered to vote at a new address. The plan also gives local clerks the option to expand early voting and provide drop off boxes.
鈥淭his is an overdue step toward modern convenience and safety in our elections,鈥� said Senate President Don Harmon.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unfortunate it took a global pandemic to convince people of its value, but expanding vote by mail is a needed election reform that I hope voters will utilize.鈥�
However, traditional voting at polling places will still be allowed. The bill makes election day a holiday for schools this year. Lawmakers say more schools can be used as polling places.
Senate Sponsor Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) is also asking younger Illinoisans, 16 years old and up, to become elections judges. "So many of our older, retired friends who have traditionally been election judges now have a lot of hesitation to be in these kinds of settings."
Republicans feel this will open the door for election fraud and "ballot stuffing." The Senate passed a separate plan, also sponsored by Morrison, to address security for ballots.聽聽would require all ballot collection boxes to be locked by and observed by local election authorities. It also calls for security guidance from the Illinois State Board of Elections.
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