RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO MAKE CENTRAL VOTE CENTERS ON ELECTION DAY PERMANENT
WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the need for expanded voting options; and
WHEREAS, In the 2020 Primary and General Elections, the Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners received court approval to keep open early voting centers on election day where any city voter could go regardless of their precinct; and
WHEREAS, In June 2021, the Illinois General Assembly passed SB 825 which required every election authority to establish a Central Vote Center where all voters in a jurisdiction were allowed to vote regardless of their precinct; however, this provision only applied to the 2022 primary election; and
WHEREAS, In November 2021, the General Assembly passed SB 536 which extended this provision to the 2022 General Election; and
WHEREAS, Without further action from the General Assembly, the provision allowing Central Vote Centers will expire on January 1, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Central Vote Centers provide additional voting options and allow for an alternative if there is an issue with a local precinct, particularly in an election where the City is losing nearly 800 precincts from prior elections; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this twenty-sixth day of October, 2022 do hereby call upon the Illinois General Assembly to include a provision in future election related legislation to make central vote centers permanent.
PAT DOWELL Alderman, 3rd Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent to House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, Senate President Don Harmon, and Governor JB Pritzker.