Millions of Illinois Ballots Could be Mailed This Fall
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Illinois voters have already requested more than one million ballots by mail with at least tens of thousands more likely before the first ballots are mailed to voters September 24. Add DC politics over postal service funding, staffing, and questions about the security have left postal service officials attempting to make it clear that all mailed ballots will arrive to an election authority on time.
The State Board of Elections reports around 1.3 million ballots have been requested by mail already. In 2018, a total of about 427,000 total ballots were cast by mail, up from around 371,000 in 2016. Four years ago, mail in ballots made up about 6.5% of the total vote. That number was closer to 10% in 2018, but mail in ballots are sure to make up a much higher percentage of the vote in 2020.
A ballot drop box is installed outside the McHenry County Courthouse in Woodstock. (Photo: Daily Herald)
The dramatic increase is seen in all areas of the state—north and south as well as in traditionally Republican and Democrat counties. In McHenry County, there is a more than three-fold increase in mail in ballot requests, from about 8,000 in 2018 to about 38,000 as of August 31. Madison County in the Metro East area of the state has already more than doubled the total mail in ballots from 2018. About 11,000 were requested two years ago, and about 24,000 have already been requested in that county as of September 2. Sangamon County has about triple the number of requests over the whole general election two years ago, and Macon County has already more than doubled the 2018 total.
Even in heavily Republican counties, as President Donald Trump has criticized the postal service and called into question the security of mail-in voting, ballot requests are up. In tiny Iroquois County, along the Indiana border about two hours south of Chicago, mail-in ballot requests are up about four-fold from two years ago. Trump won 74% of the vote in Iroquois County in 2016.
What about all that additional mail? Amid reports that postal leaders nationwide were cutting down staff and removing sorting machines, Chicago-based United States Postal Service spokesman Tim Norman says there is no cause for concern.
“In Illinois and nationally, the Postal Service is committed to delivering Election Mail in a timely manner. We employ a robust and proven process to ensure proper handling of all Election Mail, including ballots,” he says.”
Norman points to a recent study that shows the postal service delivers about 433 million pieces of mail each day and predicts election mail will make up about 2% of all mail between mid-September and Election Day.
Even if concern remains among some voters, many election authorities have placed drop boxes in public places, like in front of county courthouses. In the case of suburban Cook County, drop boxes will be placed in front of nearly 50 public buildings like village halls and libraries, though those boxes will not be in place until sometime in October.