With coronavirus, a continuing concern as the 2020 general election approaches, Election Director Lisa Watson encourages voters to consider voting by mail as a safe, secure and convenient option to in-person voting.
The Illinois General Assembly this year passed an election bill that provides many safeguards against the spread of coronavirus in the voting process for the Nov. 3 general election. Chief among them are provisions to increase voting by mail throughout the state.
Lisa Watson said, “Since 2010, more than 5,000 Galesburg residents have successfully voted by mail. It is a well-tested method of voting locally. It minimizes contact between our wonderful voters and our fantastic election judges at this time. Based on the higher expected voter turnout, social distancing guideline of six feet between voters, the size of polling place lobbies, and unknown weather, voting by mail is encouraged. Try it. You might like it.”
Among the special vote-by-mail provisions for the 2020 general election are:
· All voters who voted in either the March 2020 primary, April 2019 consolidated or November 2018 general election will receive by mail an application for a vote-by-mail ballot by Aug. 1st.
· Those who registered to vote or updated their registration between March 18 and July 31 will be mailed an application for a vote-by-mail ballot by August 1st.
· The state’s online voter registration site now allows users to request a mail ballot when they register
§ The Galesburg Election Office’s online application for a mail-in ballot is available at www.ci.galesburg.il.us (under Quicklinks).
§ For those who prefer email, you can scan a copy or photo of your signed application to vote@ci.galesburg.il.us
Ballots will be mailed to applicants beginning Sept. 24, which is also the first day of early voting. The deadline for applying for a mail ballot is 5:00 PM on Oct. 29. After Oct. 29, voters can still receive a mail ballot by applying in person at the Galesburg Election Office located in City Hall, 55 W. Tompkins Street. Ballots must be postmarked no later than Nov. 3 to be accepted, and properly postmarked ballots will be accepted through Nov. 17.
Beginning in late September, a secure drop-box will be located on the City Hall front sidewalk, 55 W. Tompkins St., so voters may submit their Ballot Return Envelopes.
The new law also establishes protocols to ensure proper verification of ballots before they are accepted and to inform voters in a timely manner if their ballot is rejected. This begins with a review of the voter’s signature by a panel of three election judges within two days of receipt of the ballot. A ballot may be rejected for an invalid signature only by the unanimous decision of the judges.
The ballot may be rejected if two of the three judges agree that:
· The ballot envelope was delivered opened
· The certification envelope contains no signature
· The voter has already cast a ballot
· The voter voted in person on Election Day
· The voter is not a duly registered voter
If a ballot is rejected based on a signature or lack of signature or because the ballot envelope was delivered opened, the voter must be notified within two days or within one day if the rejection occurs after Election Day. The new law contains provisions for the voter to address these problems.
***Report Courtesy of the Galesburg Board of Elections***
