Oct 29 2008
Specimen Ballot Can Speed Up Voting
We’re finding that it’s taking people a little longer than usual to cast their ballots this year.
First, we have thousands of first time voters. Thousands more that are voting on the optical scan ballot for the first time.
But another reason for the lengthy time are the lenghthy ballot questions. All but 31 voters in the County have three ballot questions dealing with the Forest Preserve District, the County sales tax for schools, and the Constitutional Convention. Voters in City of Champaign Township have a tax increase as well as an advisory referendum. Voters in Cunningham Township have three advisory questions. The Mahomet and Gifford areas also have referenda.
If you aren’t aware of these questions when you go to vote, just reading them will take awhile. The best solution to that is to actually view and print out your specimen before you vote. Commit your choices to memory, or even fill it out before hand. Bring the specimen into the booth with you already filled out and a five to seven minute voting procedure turns into two minutes.
To check your voter registration status and find your specimen ballot, go to the Check Your Registration Status page on our website.
If you’re a first time voter, look at our informational brochure about casting a ballot as well as our voting instructions.
[...] please please, get your specimen and become informed and show up [...]
Great idea.