Inconsistency in Early Voting Delays
An erratic start to Early Voting is an unfortunate tradition in Illinois. In 2016, several counties delayed Early Voting due to questions about which candidates were eligible to appear on the ballot. However, most counties allowed Early Voting to begin as scheduled.Similarly, 2018 primary voters will have different voting experiences depending on where they live. In 11 of the 25 largest election jurisdictions in the state, Early Voting has been delayed at least one week, and up to two weeks or more. The other 14 largest jurisdictions are proceeding with Early Voting, despite ballot uncertainty. Even voters who live next to each other may have wildly different voting experiences in the next two weeks. Early Voting opened on Thursday for voters in suburban Winnebago County, despite Early Voting being delayed in Rockford, a major city within the county One of the main differences between 2016 and 2018 lies in a ballot challenge for just one person: Illinois Attorney General Candidate Scott Drury. Because Drury’s appeals process is ongoing, and he is running for a statewide office, each individual jurisdiction is left to choose for themselves whether to open their doors or delay the voting process. This has created mixed results in different areas of the state, which could shake voter confidence and lead to the disenfranchisement of voters who planned to take advantage of the Early Voting period. | 
