URBANA – In Illinois, Election Day is a state holiday to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot. And state officials say you should be able to do it safely.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul says more than 170 teams of investigators and assistant attorneys general will monitor elections throughout Illinois. If you witness any illegal activity, you are asked to call the Attorney General’s office at 866.559.6812.
Matt Dietrich is a spokesperson for the Illinois State Board of Elections. On Monday, he told The 21st Show that you should feel confident in voting safely in person on election day.
“County clerks are in close contact with law enforcement,” said Dietrich. “A lot of times they work out of the same building that the sheriff’s department works in. And law enforcement is aware every election day that potential problems could happen at polling places.”
Dietrich says he has not heard about any attempts to intimidate voters at ballot drop-off mailboxes, which has happened in Arizona and other states.
Meanwhile, Dietrich says Illinoisans are voting by mail in larger numbers. He says 875,000 Illinoisans applied to permanently receive vote-by-mail ballots.
Dietrich told The 21st Show on Monday those voters have already set a record.
“We’ve already got about 20 percent more votes cast by mail as of today than we did in the entire 2018 Midterm,” said Dietrich.
To be counted, your mail ballot must be postmarked by Tuesday and arrive within the next 14 days.
According to the Associated Press, nearly 1.2 million Illinoisans have either voted early by mail or in person.
After the polls close Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., get up to the minute results on our website, IllinoisNewsroom.org.
Listen for updates on AM 580 and FM 90.9 at 7:15, 8:15, 9:15, 10:15 p.m., and 11:15 p.m. during NPR special coverage.
And watch for updates on WILL-TV at 7:57, 8:57, 9:57, and 10:57 p.m. during PBS special coverage.
