COOK COUNTY –(ENEWSPF)—March 20, 2018
Contact: Illinois Green Party
Within the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, which covers nearly all of Cook County, the Illinois Green Party is an “established party” by law, meaning it’s supposed to participate in the same primary system as the Democrat and Republican Parties.
This Election Day, however, voters from all over Cook County are contacting the Illinois Green Party and reporting that, when they asked for a Green Party ballot, they were told that it was not an option and asked whether they wanted Republican or Democrat instead. (Or, in some cases, handed the Democrat printed ballot, which features a green bar across the top.)
At the time of this release, the Illinois Green Party has received reports of voters being denied Green Party ballots from at least five suburban townships. The party continues to take names, numbers, and polling locations from voters willing to share their information.
Green Party ballots are not available anywhere in the City of Chicago, due to a decision made by the City of Chicago Board of Election Commissioners as a separate election authority, but the Cook County Clerk’s office is officially holding a Green Party primary, and voters in suburban Cook County are supposed to have the option of voting Green.
Voter turnout is critical for the Green Party this year because of a special, write-in-only “Vacancy of Bradford” election announced in mid-January for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners. The Green Party candidate requires a minimum of 1,720 write-in votes to be placed on November general election ballots.
For additional information, visit www.ilgp.org
Source: www.ilgp.org