8:39 a.m. ‘No party tonight’
The state’s containment efforts towards the radical coronavirus COVID-19 have now not solely reshaped the Election Day balloting revel in, they’ve additionally had a large have an effect on on how applicants campaigned in contemporary weeks, and on their plans after the polls shut Tuesday.
Late ultimate week, Sun-Times journalists Tina Sfondeles and Neal Earley spoke to marketing campaign workforce about how coronavirus fears had modified get-out-the-vote efforts within the run-up to the election.
Wary citizens aren’t answering doorways. And they don’t wish to be passed any literature.
Don’t shake palms, the Illinois Democratic Party is advising campaigns that experience reached out for recommendation.
That manner extra telephone calls, texts and staying out of citizens’ private house.
And fist bumps.
The Cook County state’s legal professional’s race is among the maximum high-profile number one campaigns this 12 months, however incumbent Kim Foxx nonetheless canceled a number of occasions ultimate week. A spokesperson stated her marketing campaign would as an alternative double down on social media messaging
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx releases Election Day message: ‘Now is the time to handle every different and apply all legitimate tips to forestall the unfold of COVID-19.” No party tonight and speech tonight limited to staff “to stay everybody protected, together with me.”
— Scott Fornek (@sfornek) March 17, 2020
Foxx is forgoing the standard Election Night birthday party Tuesday night time and can grasp a media-only information convention within the South Loop as an alternative.
Jacob Meister, a Democratic candidate for Clerk of the Circuit Court for Cook County, stated that during lieu of a giant birthday party on Election Night, his marketing campaign can have a smaller accumulating in its place of job.
Michael Cabonargi, who could also be working for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County as a Democrat, canceled his Election Night birthday party as neatly, a spokeswoman stated.
Read the entire record from Tina Sfondeles and Neal Earley.
7:37 a.m. The new standard: Scenes from Lincoln Lodge polling station
Voting starts in Chicago, Lincoln Lodge Polling station, 1st ward, Tuesday, March 17th, 2020. Voters ready in line stay their distance.James Foster/For the Sun-Times
Gov. J.B. Pritzker stated Monday that polling puts shall be blank, with hand sanitizer to be had, and election employees correctly socially distancing themselves from citizens. And he stated colleges nonetheless serving as polling puts, in lots of circumstances, “have actually done a deep cleaning.”
Sharon Trask and different citizens use hand sanitizer as they stand in line to vote, Lincoln Lodge Polling station, 1st ward, Tuesday, March 17th, 2020. | James Foster/For the Sun-TimesJames Foster/For the Sun-Times
The Chicago Board of Elections issued steering on social distancing ultimate night time:
7:24 a.m. Election board asks for ‘help,’ ‘patience’ amid pass judgement on scarcity
Despite Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana and Ohio transferring to delay their presidential number one elections after pointing out a state of emergency because of the unfold of the coronavirus, Gov. J.B. Pritzker stated Monday that he didn’t see that as an choice for Illinois.
Voting starts in Chicago, Lincoln Lodge Polling station, 1st ward, Tuesday, March 17th, 2020. James Foster/For the Sun-Times
“We have to have our elections continue, in my opinion. This is the right thing to do,” Pritzker stated at a Springfield information convention. “Our democracy needs to go on. If we cancel these elections, when would you have an election?”
One of the important thing causes to continue, in line with Matt Dietrich, spokesman for the Illinois electoral board, is that a lot of the balloting has already been performed. Illinois has noticed 504,000 early votes solid and 294,000 mail ballots despatched to citizens as of Monday afternoon.
The Chicago Board of Elections has been scrambling to workforce polling…