Congress passed a bill last month that provides aid to states for reforming ballots and voting procedures. President Bush has said he plans to sign the bill, but funds have not been approved and are too late for this year’s election.
Although the 2000 presidential election caused little controversy in Illinois, a study done by voting reform organization Electionline.org revealed that Illinois experienced more punch-card ballot problems than any other state — including Florida. The study said about 6 percent of ballots cast in Cook County recorded no vote for president. Electionline.org director Doug Chapin said the national media paid little attention to Illinois election problems because the race was not nearly as close as in other states.
But apathy did not prevent election-reform legislation from passing in Illinois, Chapin said. Instead, reform was discussed, but legislators could not agree on a bill.
“People cared about it enough to disagree,” he said.
But inaction at the state level did not deter Cook County officials from attempting some election reform. A 2001 court ruling allowed counties in Illinois to use new vote-confirmation technology, even if officials cannot alter the ballot.
Cook County officials introduced such technology in elections last year, said Melissa Baker, a clerk’s office spokeswoman. After a voter has submitted his or her ballot, a machine checks to see if the ballot contains any overvotes (voting for more than one candidate) or undervotes (not voting at all). Voters also are prompted to check ballots for hanging chads before they leave the booth.
Voters will be coached outside the voting booth as well. Election judges will wear stickers in English and Spanish explaining they are available to help. Test ballots also will be available, Baker said.
“We want people before they go to the voting booth to practice making a punch,” she said. “We encourage every voter to do it.”
The county also has launched a public relations campaign to encourage people to familiarize themselves with the ballot and be prepared before they go to the polls. The campaign features two cartoon paper punchouts, Chad and Dimple.
Chapin said although ballot reform will not happen in this year’s election, there are still things voters can do to make elections more fair. He said young people should volunteer to be poll workers because they are prepared to deal with diversity and technology problems.
The 2000 elections also raised voter awareness, Chapin said. More people are prepared at the polls, and just about everyone is watching for hanging chads. He said that in a recent Los Angeles election, hundreds of styluses were broken because people pressed down so hard to punch chads.
Cook County made another change this year to specifically serve Northwestern students. The polling place closest to South Campus for students to vote used to be the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave. This year, those students should vote on campus at Parkes Hall.
North Campus students are zoned in different precinct and have an on-campus polling location at Patten Gym.
The South Campus polling place was moved after requests by University President Henry Bienen and many students, Baker said.
Gretchen Neve, 44, of southwest Evanston, said those who usually vote at the library might have trouble finding Parkes, but she hopes more students vote because of the on-campus location.
Music senior Ashley Garritson said she had to wait about an hour to vote at the library because of lines. The move would make voting more convenient for her.
“For me, it’s right across the street,” she said.
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any states and the federal government passed new election laws in reaction to controversy at polls across the country in the 2000 election. Thirty-seven states passed some sort of law to upgrade or review their ballots and election procedures. Of the 13 state legislatures that did not, seven did not meet this year.
Illinois, which uses the same punch-card ballot system made infamous in Florida, made no changes despite meeting. Now, with little help from the state, Cook County is doing what it can to make sure voters know how they voted.
