Voter Engagement: 2012Chicago Board of Election

Commissioners

Launch Meeting

August 10, 2011

Goals for Today

1. Share Information2. Lay the Groundwork for September 15th

Community Forum3. Build a Community-Based Agenda

Which among these jurisdictions had the highest and lowest turnouts in their most recent mayoral elections?

Chicago MilwaukeeDes Moines Minneapolis Houston New York City Indianapolis St. Louis Kansas City Springfield, IL Los Angeles Suburban Cook County

Mayoral Election Voter Turnouts

19%

34%

42%

27%26%26%

22%22%21%20%20%

15%

6%

Chicago

Springfie

ld

Milwaukee

New York City

Indianapolis

Kansas

City

Miami

Sub. Cook County*

St. Louis

Minneapolis

Houston

Los Angeles

Des M

oines

Sources: New York City Board of Elections, New York State Board of Elections, Illinois State Board of Elections, Chicago Board of Elections, Cook County Clerk’s Office, various other Election Jurisdictions and State Boards of Election.* Suburban Cook County is a composite of more than 100 suburbs. Some did not have contested mayoral, village board or school board elections.

2008 Chicago Last-Minute Registration Rush

Sources: Illinios State Board of Elections, Chicago Board of Elections

1983Municipal

2008Primary

2008General

31,258

95,300

25,485

Previous Record

2008 ChicagoEarly Voting Participation

2006General

2008Primary

2008General

Sources: Illinois State Board of Elections, Chicago Board of Elections

81,690

260,378

24,811Previous Record

Photo: Courtesy of Chicago Tribune

2008 Voter Turnout

2008 Primary 2008 General

38%

53%

72%74%

Sources: Illinois State Board of Elections, Chicago Board of Elections

Illin

ois

(sta

tew

ide)

Chi

cago

Chi

cago

Illin

ois

(sta

tew

ide)

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Can we do better?

Based on Census data, how many U.S. citizens of voting age are not

registered to vote in Chicago?

a) 70,425 c) 486,145b) 231,812 d) 614,193

(See next slide)

Can we do better?

Census data indicatethe answer is:

c) An estimated 486,145 citizens of voting age in Chicago are not

registered to vote.

The two central questions for “Voter Engagement: 2012”

(1) How might we improve the electoral process or do things differently?

(2) How can we grow registrations and turnouts in 2012 – and beyond?

What changes are coming?

• March 20 Primary Election (changing from the early February schedule)

• Clean-up of the voter rolls• New district maps: Local, State, Federal• Precinct consolidations: About 500 fewer • Website reformatting

Overseas Voters

Military Voters

Voters with Disabilities

Other changes?

For Military/Overseas Voters?For Voters with Disabilities?

Image: digitalart/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Online Voting? Telephone Voting? Facsimile Voting?

Image: digitalart/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net Image: Microsoft ClipArt

Smaller ElectionsAll Absentee: No Polling Places

Drop-box (Oregon)

Vote by mail

Image: digitalart/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Images: About.com, Oregon

Mid-Sized ElectionsCentral Voting Centers Where Any Voters May

Cast Ballots Similar to Early Voting?

Image: The New York Times, Chicago

All Elections• Real-time electronic poll

books in the precincts?• Create on-line launch for

voter registration?• Election Day registration?• Require voter ID?• Communication with voters?• Grade school civics

education?

Image: The Garden City Telegram, Kansas

• More ideas? Use the blue form!

Where do we go from here?

• Launch meeting folders give concepts and their “pros” and “cons”

• Documents also at chicagoelections.com • Board to launch Facebook information &

discussion pages• September 15th Community Forum• Who else should be at the Forum?

Use the yellow form!

Draft Timeline

September 2011: Voter Engagement 2012 Community Forum: Develop consensus on a community-based agenda

Draft Timeline

October 2011: Develop and announce an agenda of recommendations for lawmakers

Draft Timeline

November 2011: Deliver the first newsletter of important dates for the 2012 Primary Election

Draft Timeline

December 2011: Begin outreach efforts on voter information, voter registration and voter engagement for the 2012 Primary

Draft Timeline

January 2012: Coordinate final voter registration efforts ahead of the February 20th registration deadline

Draft Timeline

February 2012: Coordinate the launches of Early and Absentee Voting

Draft Timeline

March 2012: Focus on voter turn-out and administering the 2012 General Primary Election

Draft Timeline

April 2012: Evaluate successes and areas where improvements are needed

Draft Timeline

May 2012: Reconvene “Voter Engagement: 2012” for follow-up sessions

Draft Timeline

August 2012: Deliver the second newsletter of important dates for the 2012 General Election

Draft Timeline

September 2012: Begin outreach efforts on voter information, voter registration and voter engagement for the 2012 General Election

Draft Timeline

October 2012: Coordinate launches of Early and Absentee Voting for the General Election

Draft Timeline

November 2012: Focus on voter turn-out and administration of the 2012 General Election

Draft Timeline

December 2012: Re-evaluate successes and areas where improvements are needed. Set agenda for 2013 and beyond

September 15, 2011UIC Forum

Image: uicforum.uic.edu

Image: AmericaSpeaks.org