With less than one week to go to the primary election, Illinois may see increased voter turnout because of new legislation that allows voters to request a mail-in ballot permanently and receive it for every local, state and national election.
PRESS RELEASE from the
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
CONTACT: Micky Horstman (312) 607-4977
CHICAGO (June 22, 2022) — With less than one week to go to the primary election, Illinois may see increased voter turnout because of new legislation that allows voters to request a mail-in ballot permanently and receive it for every local, state and national election.
Research by the Illinois Policy Institute showed Illinois could see over 200,000 more votes in the Nov. 8 general election as a result of expanded vote-by-mail services.
Other states that automatically send eligible voters mail-in ballots, while still providing in-person voting centers, have seen an increase in voter turnout of over 2 percentage points. That could increase Illinois’ voter turnout by 206,000 to 216,000 votes in November.
“Voting is the most important action a citizen can take to ensure his or her voice is heard in government. And expanding voting options can help less-likely voters access the ballot,” said Adam Schuster, vice president of policy for the Illinois Policy Institute. “Plus voting by mail allows voters to do more research and take their time reviewing candidates before casting a vote, leading to more, better-informed votes.”
Research also shows there is no evidence mail-in ballots increase electoral fraud.
To read more about Illinois’ permanent vote-by-mail option, visit illin.is/vbm.
For bookings or interviews, contact media@illinoispolicy.