PEORIA, Ill. – Early voting starts Thursday across Illinois, but not in Peoria County.
In an announcement on Wednesday, Election Commission Executive Director Elizabeth Gannon announced that early voting will be delayed in the county.
The reasoning is an objection by Republican gubernatorial candidate Joseph Severino, regarding his status on the ballot. Severino is appealing a decision by the Illinois State Board of Elections to not certify his candidacy over a lack of valid petition signatures, and is seeking a stay on a circuit court’s decision to remove his name.
If the stay is successful, Severino’s name would have been reinstated on the ballot.
Gannon says that creates a “dilemma” for her office.
“If this decision is made to put his name back on the ballot, I have to recreate all those ballots,” Gannon said. “There are 529 unique ballots in Peoria County alone for this decision.”
Gannon says she is hopeful that a ruling would come soon, and that early voting could get underway by the end of the week.
Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman says early voting will start on Thursday, no matter what happens.
“While there is a court hearing concerning the potential of another name being added to the ballot, that is only a possibility,” Ackerman said. “The State Statute is finite that we will offer early voting for 40 days before the election. We can’t make up those 40 days anywhere.”
Ackerman says the county also consulted with its State’s Attorney on the decision.
Severino’s name is currently off the ballot in Tazewell County. If he were to be added to the ballot, Ackerman says those ballots would be recalled, even if they have already been used in a vote. He says those who had a recalled ballot would be informed of the decision and given a chance to vote again.
Woodford County Elections Deputy Holly Gerdes says her county will proceed with early voting on Thursday, and already has Severino’s name on the ballot.
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