[Peace-discuss] [OccupyCU] opposing anti-voting measures in Champaign County

[pat.simpson at comcast.net]

Here is the email I sent to Hulten's office. I cannot write a News Gazette piece as I am working on a letter re GEO negotiations. 


Pat 




Dear Gordy Hulten : 



I am writing to strongly protest a policy you have implemented with regard to the upcoming 2012 elections. As I understand it, alone among Illinois’ 102 counties, Champaign County is the only county where same-day voting is denied during Grace Period Registration and Voting (October 10 through November 3). Citizens may register, but must wait for an absentee ballot to be mailed to their address before voting. 



The extra step of sending an absentee ballot incurs extra costs to taxpayers, adds to staff workload, and, most importantly, increases the probability that the voter's ballot will not be counted. As your opponent in the upcoming election, Charlie Smyth , has noted, many residents utilizing Grace Period voting will not have their votes counted unless you immediately change your policy and permit Grace Period voters to vote as soon as they are registered. 



Voting is an essential feature of our democratic system. To deny any citizen who wishes to vote the capacity to do so is, quite frankly, a form of voter suppression. Requiring Grace Period voters to utilize an absentee ballot could potentially face legal challenges and given the trend in recent court decisions on voting rights, it is quite possible that the County Clerk ’s office could face court censure and penalties. 



I strongly urge you to immediately cease and desist in your current approach to Grace Period voting. 



Sincerely, 



Patricia Simpson, Ph . D. 
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Weissman " < mbwmbwmbw @ gmail .com> 
To: " occupycu " < OccupyCU @lists. chambana .net> 
Cc: peace-discuss at anti-war.net 
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 3:56:58 PM 
Subject: [ OccupyCU ] opposing anti-voting measures in Champaign County 

Regardless of how one feels about particular parties or candidates, I hope that everyone on this list wants to stop the various steps that have been used to prevent or discourage voting by minorities, students, etc. Gordy Hulten has started a very unusual, almost unique, new policy to discourage grace-period voting. Please circulate this widely so that: 


1. People who need to grace-period vote (late registration) may have a chance to deal with the current system. 


2. Maybe we can pressure Hulten to allow the same simple same-day system as almost all the rest of the state. 


Please circulate this to other lists. 



CANDIDATE CHARLIE SMYTH CALLS ON COUNTY CLERK TO 
ALLOW SAME-DAY VOTING DURING GRACE PERIOD 


Urbana , IL—Among Illinois’ 102 counties, Champaign County is the only county where same-day voting is denied during Grace Period Registration and Voting (October 10 through November 3). Citizens may register, but must wait for an absentee ballot to be mailed to their address before voting. Wayne Countyand McDonough County offer mixtures of absentee and same-day voting, depending on the closeness 
of the election and the staff’s workload, and the City of Bloomington ’s Election Commission has a policy similar to Champaign County, but the rest of McLean County and every other county in the state allows or requires same-day voting. 


Charlie Smyth , Democratic candidate for County Clerk, says he will allow same-day voting if he is elected: 


Voting is the bedrock of our democracy. During the Grace Period, citizens must go to the 
County Clerk’s office, present a current state or federally issued photo ID and proof of 
address. Having satisfied the lawful requirements, they ought to be able to vote right 
then and there, as is done in the vast majority of counties throughout Illinois. 


The extra step of sending an absentee ballot costs taxpayer funds, adds staff time, and 
creates the risk that the voter's ballot will not be counted. Many citizens who use Grace 
Period voting will not have their votes counted unless the County Clerk changes his 
policy now, to allow Grace Period voters to vote as soon as he registers them. 


The most pervasive voting problem is that too many citizens who are entitled to vote 
are unable to do so. I call on the Champaign County Clerk to make the needed change 
now to ensure that no registered voters are disenfranchised in this election. 


Smyth also notes that the voter guide published in the News-Gazette contains no information about Grace Period procedures. “If I am elected,” Smyth continues, “I will bring Grace Period Registration and Voting procedures in line with the rest of the state’s counties. I will make these and other improved instructions available in future voter guides, on the County Clerk’s web site, and other cost-effective venues. We need to do more to encourage broad participation in our democratic process. ” 


Charlie Smyth will be available for interviews today and will hold a press conference on this and other voter registration irregularities in the current Clark’s office Friday morning, Oct. 26, at 10:30 a.m. at the City of Urbana Council Chambers, Urbana City Building, 400 S. Vine St. 


-- 
Michael Weissman 

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