Letter: We need to have a plan for voting

To the Editor:

We know we need to have a plan for voting this year. The reasons are obvious. We're in the middle of a pandemic and this is the most important election in our lifetimes. The stakes are high.

But there’s another reason. This year, Dekalb County Clerk Doug Johnson is making voting more difficult for people in DeKalb County than are election officials in many other communities.

Here are the facts. Less than three weeks before the election, the County Clerk abruptly withdrew the NIU Holmes Student Center as an election day same-day voter registration site. This move affects NIU students, faculty, staff, and the DeKalb community, and was announced after its availability on election day had been publicized.

Despite receiving a large grant for polling place safety protocols, the County Clerk has said he does not plan to provide plexiglass shields for judges or a separate waiting area for unmasked voters at election day polling places. Both measures are recommended by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The County Clerk has refused to provide any secure drop boxes that are accessible seven days a week, 24 hours a day. These would provide an option for those who want to mail their ballots and are concerned about the reliability of the Post Office.

These are all forms of voter suppression and they are happening all over the country. But determined voters are not waiting for Nov. 3 and are flocking to the polls and mailing their ballots now.

Find information about the dates, times, and locations of early polling sites at http://dekalb.il.clerkserve.com.

And, when the county clerk is next up for election in two years, remember Election 2020.

Deborah Booth

DeKalb