Peoria County Election Commission Observer Report

 The Board of Election Commissioners held their April 14, 2020, meeting using audio conferencing.  Regular observers were given the phone number and code to call in.  All five commissioners participated.  The final report on the general primary was sent to the State today (4/14/20).  Hopefully, the County will be reimbursed by the State for various expenses due to the corona virus.  Everything has been cleaned and put away.  Numbers for the election: 62% of those eligible voted; 12 ½% voted by mail (a record high); 25% voted early.
A discussion was held on what to do for those voters who could not ask for a ballot on line because they had registered before the office became computerized.  This is just 4% of registered voters.  They can receive a ballot if they phone or write the office, but the County does not have a Social Security number or driver's license on file for them.  It was decided that the website will explain what the voter is to do.  This cannot be done until 90 days before the next election.
If the State chooses to go to all vote-by-mail, Peoria County could not handle all ballots being done this way.  The State would have to help out.
The meeting ended with the Commission going into executive session to discuss a recommended settlement with a current law suit.
 Irene Pritzker, Observer