Voters Missing 2nd Page of Ballot at Some Chicago, Cook County Polling Places

Some voters in Chicago and suburban Cook County weren't able to turn in complete ballots Tuesday because volunteers at polling places forgot to hand out a second page before entering the voting booth. The problem wasn't widespread, and voting sites have reported few problems, according to the state elections board.

Voters sending in tips to Pro Publica's Electionland project reported not receiving the second page of the ballot after they had finished voting:

"This morning when I went to vote, I got through my whole ballot before wondering, 'Where's this constitutional amendment I keep hearing about?' The guy who originally gave it to me looked totally blank when I asked. It took a second poll worker to point out that there was a second ballot page, and the first man (who had been giving the ballots away to everyone!) genuinely hadn't known."

The Illinois State Board of Elections received a few calls about missing second pages to ballots early Tuesday morning, Assistant Executive Director Jim Tenuto said. When the agency contacted the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners and the Cook County Clerk, those officials said emails would be sent reminding volunteers to hand out the ballot's second page, he added.

Tenuto attributed the missing page to human error and not malicious intent. He also didn't think the problem was an "epidemic." But he added that "even one or two reports is too much."

Unfortunately, voters who turned in a ballot and realized they were missing a page could not re-vote or simply turn in the second page, Tenuto said. The incomplete ballot had to remain their official vote, he added.

"Once the ballot is cast, that's it," he said. "And when it's explained to voters, they understand. It's disappointing."

Although he wasn't sure of all the voting categories on the missing page in each case, he did say calls his agency fielded specifically mentioned not being able to vote on items such as the Safe Roads Amendment and other referenda.

Despite the missing ballot pages — and despite a large early turnout that resulted in long lines and waits — Tenuto said there had not been a rash of problems at polling places reported to the agency through Tuesday morning and afternoon. And the issues he was aware of had been minor and the kind that usually pop up during elections, such as malfunctioning voting machines and cases of electioneering, he added

The huge number of voters who participated in early voting could be the reason for so few problems, providing a dry run of sorts for election judges and volunteers before Tuesday's big day, Tenuto said. Illinois saw about 1.4 million people vote in person ahead of the official Election Day, he said, adding that 20 percent of the state's registered voters cast an early ballot through early voting at a polling place, absentee ballots and other available methods.

Tenuto realizes, however, that after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump warned about election fraud weeks before Tuesday, any snafu or misstep in the voting process can appear to be evidence of a conspiracy to sway the outcome in favor of a specific candidate.

"I think it's magnified in voters' mind," he said. "They feel like something wrong is going to take place, and if it does that's their proof."

Did you experience problems at the polls in town? Long lines? Trouble finding your polling place? Whatever it is, we want to know. So text us your experiences by signing up for the Electionland Project. Just text ELECTIONLAND to 69866 to participate and tell us about your experience voting. We’ll find out what, if anything, went wrong in your district.

photo via Patch archive

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