This summary is adapted from a February 25, 2021 News-Gazette article by Debra Pressey. Unofficial results in the February 23 Primary Election show a low turnout of about 7.5% of 68,189 registered voters in Urbana and City of Champaign Township. (The Primary was held only in Urbana and the City of Champaign Township.) Aaron Ammons noted that, as of February 24, another 1,300 mail ballots had yet to be returned and will still be counted as long as they were postmarked by Tuesday, so these numbers are unofficial. For more background and comments, see the News-Gazette article.
Information below was adapted from a tweet by Champaign County Clerk Aaron Amons. When does early voting start for the April 6 Local Election? It depends on where you live. Champaign-Urbana voters who were eligible to vote in the February 23 Primary will have to wait until March 12 to vote early. The reason is that it will take 2 weeks to certify the Primary Election results. Once the Primary results are certified, then voters from the City of Champaign precincts and the Cunningham precincts (City of Urbana) can vote early for the April 6 election. For other county voters - those living outside the incorporated areas of Champaign and Urbana - early voting starts Thursday, February 25 at the Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 E. Washington St., Urbana. For an overview of voting dates, view or download the Key Dates for April 6, 2021 Municipal Election on this site.
Taken from a News-Gazette article on February 19 by Debra Pressey. THE RACE IS ON: A look at the three candidates running for mayor of Urbana, courtesy of News-Gazette staff writer Debra Pressey. The candidates are incumbent mayor Diane Marlin, Urbana Council alderman Dennis Roberts and Yinxi (Andy) Ma. See the article for information on each candidate and how their goals differ.
If you have a completed mail ballot but haven't sent it in, it's getting late! Below is information from the County Clerk's office on returning mail ballots directly to their office in Urbana. This option might be safer than using the US Postal Service as election day approaches. 2) Drop (completed mail ballot) off at the Clerk's Office. You can drop your ballot off at the Clerk's Office from 8:30AM-4:30PM, Monday-Friday. You need to wear a mask to enter the Brookens building but this is an option if you prefer to hand deliver your ballot. This is the only place you can hand deliver your ballot. Please Note: You CANNOT return your ballot to any polling location. Although it seems logical to hand your ballot to an Election Judge at a polling place, that action is illegal under current Illinois election law. If you take your ballot to a polling location the judges will have no choice but to refuse your vote by mail ballot. We look forward to having another successful, fair, free, and accessible election. Thank you again for choosing a safe and secure way of voting. For more information on voting, see the County Clerk's website or visit the Vote by Mail section of this website.
Each year the Illinois League of Women Voters (LWVIL) provides briefings on key issues for community progress. This year's briefings, open to the public, will be held February 20 and 27, 8:45 am - 12:45 pm. The details below are taken from an email announcement from LWVIL. Register now for Issues Briefing, LWVIL's annual look at look at current issues and how to advocate for community progress on issues supported by LWVIL positions.
It's a virtual briefing! With six different sessions presented on two consecutive Saturdays you can Zoom in and learn about what is being done in the areas of ecojustice, affordable housing, immigration, redistricting, income inequality and funding alternatives for the state's social equity initiatives. The public is welcome! Invite friends, colleagues and students—use this opportunity to engage and activate with people from all over Illinois! In accordance with the League’s mission of providing equitable access to information, registration is only $10 for each Saturday, and scholarships are available by contacting [email protected]. For details about sessions, speakers and registration, click the link below. Issues Briefing Information and Registration The following was taken from a February 16 article in the News Gazette by Debra Pressey. For full details, consult the article directly. The April 6 General Election will have include a referendum question asking Savoy voters if they want to adopt the home-rule form of government.
A local group - Savoy Citizens for Home Rule - has launched a new website at savoyhomerule. org with answers to questions about what home rule is and what it would mean for Savoy. Organizer Joe Pisula says the group will also begin leaving informational doorhangers at Savory homes soon. Early voting for the April 6 election begins February 25, two day after the Primary. The article describes home rule in this way: "Home rule — the form of government already in effect in such communities as Champaign, Urbana, Rantoul, Tuscola and Danville — broadens a community’s powers to self-govern and respond to local issues. Homerule communities can take actions that aren’t specifically forbidden under state law, while non-home-rule communities can only take actions state law specifically allows, according to the Illinois Municipal League." This post was taken from an email from the LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase One hundred and one years ago, on February 14, the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) met to strategize about their 19th Amendment ratification plan. But they also had an eye toward the future. A constitutional right to vote for women was within reach, but the suffragists knew their work would not end there. In fact, it was just the beginning. NAWSA suffragists voted to form a League of Women Voters to advance the legislative priorities of women and help inform and educate the millions of newly enfranchised voters to fully participate in American democracy.
VIDEO: League of Women Voters at 100 Today, we commemorate the founding of our organization. But we must do so humbly, knowing that many women of color were unable to exercise their legal right to vote because of racist policies and barriers that were developed with the explicit intent of silencing their voices. Our organization did not use its newly found power to prevent that from happening. In reflecting on the long history of our organization, the words of poet laureate Amanda Gorman ring especially true: “Being American is more than a pride we inherit. It's the past we step into and how we repair it.” There is so much to be proud of on the anniversary of our founding. There is equally much to learn from and repair. An anniversary is an opportunity to do both. We will never forget our failures, and we will never stop working to be an organization that is inclusive, has diverse representation in our leadership, and uplifts the voices of those who are marginalized in our country. BLOG: Remaining Nonpartisan in Hyper-partisan Times The League of Women Voters has evolved from a mighty political experiment designed to help 20 million newly enfranchised women vote in 1920, to what it is today: a unique, nonpartisan organization that is a recognized force in molding political leaders, shaping public policy, and promoting informed citizen participation at all levels of government. The League of Women Voters takes pride in what we have accomplished over the past 101 years, and we humbly rededicate ourselves to the mission of empowering voters and defending democracy for another 100. In solidarity, Virginia Kase Chief Executive Officer, LWVUS This announcement originally appeared in a February 6 News Gazette article by Bob Asmussen. It was later updated (changed from February 12 to February 16) by an email from the County Clerk's office. Public notice is hereby given that at 12:00 pm Tuesday, February 16, 2021 the County Clerk's office will conduct a public test of the election tabulating equipment. This to demonstrate that the equipment will correctly count the votes cast for all candidates and measures for the Primary Election to be held on February 23, 2021. The location where the test will take
place will be at the Election Supply Building 500 Art Bartell Rd., Urbana, IL 61802. Notice is further given that this test is open to the representatives of the political parties, press, and the public. Due to COVID-19, space is limited, masks are required, and social distancing guidelines apply. Aaron Ammons, Champaign County Clerk |
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