With Election Day just eight days away, the Chicago Board of Elections is urging voters to submit their mail-in ballots to help expedite the counting process.
According to the latest figures from the board, less than 4% of mail-in ballots have been returned so far, with 7,520 ballots turned in to the election authority with just eight days remaining until the runoff.
“If you can, we urge vote-by-mail voters to return their ballots back at any one of 52 secure dropboxes at any early voting site across the city by Monday, April 3. Returning your ballot in a dropbox ensures that the board will pick up your ballot that evening so it can be processed and counted by Election Day, Tuesday, April 4,” said Chairwoman Marisel Hernandez in a statement. “If you are planning on returning your ballot back through the mail, we urge you to make sure that your ballot is properly postmarked by April 4to make sure it is counted in the run-off election.”
A total of 198,665 mail-in ballots were requested, officials said.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Voters have until April 3 to return their ballots if they want them to be counted prior to Election Day. Voters have until April 4 to have their ballots postmarked. Ballots turned in by that date will be counted as long as they are received by April 18.
According to officials, if a voter decides not to return their ballot, they may submit it to an official at an early voting site or their assigned precinct polling place on Election Day. Election judges would then spoil the ballot, and the voter would be allowed to cast a ballot in-person.
If a vote-by-mail ballot is not received, a voter is asked to sign an affidavit and cast a ballot in person on Election Day.
