The Sentinel: Illinois Politics

It is official: JB Pritzker announces run for a third term leading Illinois

If Pritzker decide to run for president, an announcement would likely come at some point in 2027 during what would be the first year of his third term if he’s reelected.

by Ben Szalinski
Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - Gov. JB Pritzker began his third campaign for governor on last week, but much of the buzz around his 2026 campaign announcement focused on 2028.

Pritzker made four stops around the state to launch his campaign, fielding questions about any future interest in the presidency and what is driving him to run for what would be a historic third term. In his final stop in Springfield on Thursday evening, he was toasting personally branded “JBeers” – his own craft beer product he unveiled at last year’s Democratic National Convention – with a group of about 100 people at a small event venue just outside the Capitol and talking about his motivations.

News from around Illinois “Every day I’m going to wake up going forward thinking about what I am going to do that’s going to help the people of Illinois,” Pritzker told reporters in Springfield when asked how many years of a third term he would serve. “So that’s the reason I’m running for reelection, it’s why I announced today, it’s what I’m going to do every day going forward no matter what decision I make.”

The 60-year-old Democrat’s national profile has grown significantly over the last year. He was a finalist to be former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate last July, and weeks later, introduced himself to the country on the stage of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. In the months since President Donald Trump took office, Pritzker has emerged as one of his most vocal critics.

Gov. JB Pritzker takes a picture with Mike Lopez, mayor of nearby Jerome, after announcing his reelection campaign in Springfield on Thursday, June 26.

At news conferences throughout the state, Pritzker did not directly commit to serving a full four-year term if he is reelected and sidestepped questions about his rumored White House ambitions.

But while staying tight-lipped about what he thinks about his prospects in the 2028 presidential election, he said any decision he makes about his future would be Illinois-centric.

Speculation shows Pritzker ‘capable and competent’

In the meantime, Pritzker said he believed his inclusion in the national conversation is good for Illinois.

“When I ran for governor in the first place in 2017 and 2018, never, never could I have imagined that anybody would talk about me as the potential vice-presidential nominee or as a candidate for president of the United States,” Pritzker said.

While Republicans have frequently criticized the governor for his tendencies to criticize Trump rather than work with him to Illinois’ benefit, the governor spun his rising national profile as a positive.

“Having the state of Illinois’ leaders viewed as capable and competent and potentially able to run the entire country and being talked about in that way, allows us, I think, to get more for the people of Illinois because there’s an understanding that, you know, maybe in Illinois we’re doing the right things,” he said. “Maybe in Illinois we have leaders that can competently execute on what states really need.”

Pritzker said his experience last summer being vetted for the vice presidency has not played any role in the decisions he has made about his political career.

Should Pritzker decide to run for president, an announcement would likely come at some point in 2027 during what would be the first year of his third term if he’s reelected.

Pritzker’s goal: ‘Protect’ Illinois and his legacy

Pritzker said at his announcement Thursday that his goal in 2026 is to preserve his legacy and “protect” the story of Illinois that’s been written under his leadership. Pritzker didn’t outline a bold vision for his third term but rather pledged to build off what he has already accomplished.

He said his third term would focus on grappling with artificial intelligence, addressing the rising cost of living, continued spending on infrastructure and growing the state’s economy.

Pritzker reflected on his decision to seek reelection despite growing challenges facing the state.

“I don’t shy away from a fight, and we’re going to have to protect the people of Illinois,” Pritzker told reporters in Springfield. “And I feel like we’re in a moment when backing away from public service when things are hard doesn’t feel right. So that’s one of the reasons I chose to run for reelection.”

Pritzker was asked whether he would have run had Trump not been elected last year.

“I think I would, but I have to say that in this moment, it feels like walking away is the wrong thing to do given who is in the White House and given how this administration is attacking people all across this country,” Pritzker said.

The governor must also choose a new running mate as Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has decided to run for U.S. Senate. Pritzker said he will choose one by the end of July so his campaign can start circulating nominating petitions in early August. Pritzker said in Chicago that he is looking for someone with enough experience to take over as governor if required.

Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, may be an early front-runner for the job. Pritzker specifically referred to Gordon-Booth as qualified at a stop in East Peoria on Thursday when asked about potential running mates, WGLT reported. The assistant House majority leader has been in the General Assembly since 2009.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

State Rep to hold satellite office hours for St. Joseph, stops in Vermilion County also set

Satellite Office Hours Set for St. Joseph, Homer, Fairmount & Georgetown

ST. JOSEPH - State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) is ready to hear from his constituents. Earlier this week, Niemerg announced "Satellite Office Hours" for St. Joseph, Homer, Fairmount and Georgetown on Tuesday, June 10.

This popular program provides opportunities for constituents to meet with legislative staff to receive help and discuss state issues and concerns.

Niemerg, who champions homeschool freedom, protecting the Second Amendment and retaining the state’s original flag, will spend an hour at the St. Joseph Township-Swearingen Memorial Library.

“My satellite office hours provide convenient locations for constituents to get help closer to their home without having to travel to my district office,” said Niemerg. “My legislative staff will be on hand to meet with constituents to help with state programs and concerns.”

Residents are encouraged to schedule an appointment but can stop by if they have a last-minute issue or concern. Constituents may contact Niemerg’s office at (217) 712-2126 or visit RepNiemerg.com.

Mobile satellite office hours

9:30 to 10:30 AM
St. Joseph Township-Swearingen Memorial Library
201 N. Third Street, St. Joseph

11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Homer Village Hall
500 E. Second Street, Homer

12:30 to 1:30 PM
Fairmount Fire Station
403 S. High Street, Fairmount

2:30 to 3:30 PM
Georgetown Senior Center
102 W. West Street, Georgetown

Illinois lawmakers pass bill to raise age of senior driving tests

New bill would allow a spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling or child of any Illinois driver to submit medical information about the driver to the secretary of state if they think the person’s medical condition interferes with their driving abilities.

Older driver on the road during a light rain — Drivers 87 and older will have to take an annual driver’s test says new bill waiting for the Illinois governor's signature.

by Jade Aubrey
Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - A bill unanimously passed by the Senate on Thursday and on its way to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk will increase the age that senior drivers in Illinois are required to take an annual driver’s test.

Currently, if a driver renews their driver’s license between the ages of 79 and 80, they are required to take a driving test. Drivers between 81 and 86 are required to take a driving test every two years, and drivers 87 and older have to take the test annually.

If Pritzker signs House Bill 1226, sponsored by Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, only drivers 87 and older will have to take an annual driver’s test. Illinois drivers between 79 and 86 won’t be required to take a driver’s test to renew their license; instead, they’ll only have to take a vision test, and if they have a driving violation, a written test.

The bill would also allow a spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling or child of any Illinois driver to submit medical information about the driver to the secretary of state if they think the person’s medical condition interferes with their driving abilities. Currently, only medical officials, police officers and state’s attorneys can submit such information.

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HB 1226, also called the Road Safety and Fairness Act, has garnered bipartisan support. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced his support for the bill in January alongside lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. The bill was conceived by a constituent of Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, last year.

The bill has 86 cosponsors in the House and 35 in the Senate.

Illinois is the only state that requires seniors to pass a driving test solely due to their age. But state data indicates that older drivers tend to have lower crash rates.

In 2023, the crash rate for drivers aged 75 and older was 24.61 per 1,000 drivers, which was lower than any other age group, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. The low crash rate has been consistent since at least 2018, according to the Secretary of State’s Office’s 2023 Study on Age-Related Driving Abilities.

The crash rate is more than double for many of the other age groups.

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly enters upcoming Democratic primary to fill Durbin’s Senate seat

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly joins Democratic primary to fill Durbin’s Senate seat. Former state party chair once again challenging a Pritzker-backed candidate.

by Ben Szalinski
Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly is the second Democrat to step into the 2026 primary race to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. Kelly, a resident of south suburban Matteson, has represented Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District since 2013 and recently served a short stint as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

“This moment requires proven leaders who have the experience to take on the toughest battles,” Kelly said in a statement. “I’ve never backed down – not from gun lobbyists, not from MAGA extremists, and certainly not from a fight for what’s right.”

Kelly won a crowded 16-person primary in a 2013 special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, who resigned while under investigation for misuse of campaign funds and eventually went to prison. Kelly received more than half the primary vote before easily winning the special election.

Kelly currently represents one of Illinois’ most geographically diverse congressional districts. The 2nd District stretches from the South Side of Chicago more than 100 miles south to Danville.

Kelly also served two terms in the Illinois House and unsuccessfully ran for state treasurer in 2010.

As a member of Congress, Kelly has focused much of her time on health care and gun violence issues. In a video launching her campaign, Kelly reflected on the time she refused to stand for a moment of silence in the U.S. House following a mass shooting.

“And the next time, someone else sat down with me,” Kelly said. “And then another, until a moment of silence felt more like an echo of inaction.”

Kelly joins Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the race. Stratton has already received endorsements from Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth.

Her entrance into the race also sets up another battle with Pritzker.

With Durbin’s support, Kelly was elected chair of the state Democratic Party in 2021 to replace Mike Madigan after the long-time party head bowed out of politics amid a then-ongoing federal investigation. Kelly beat Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris for the party leadership job, but her success was short-lived.

Kelly ended her bid for reelection as party chair in 2022 after it became clear she would not have enough support to beat State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero, for party leadership. Pritzker supported Hernandez while Kelly continued to have Durbin’s support.

In the 2026 primary, however, Durbin told reporters last month he likely won’t endorse any candidate for his Senate seat in the primary. Durbin announced last month he will retire when his term ends in 2027 following 44 years in Congress.

Kelly enters the primary with $2 million in her campaign account, according to federal election records.

“You could say I’ve been an underdog my whole life,” Kelly said in the video.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood and Raja Krishnamoorthi are still contemplating entering the race for Senate, but Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs announced Monday he will not join the fray.

State Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, posted on social media Tuesday he is considering next steps in his career and possibly running for Kelly’s congressional seat in 2026.

League of Women Voters speak out on concerns at Illinois state capitol

The League of Women Voters of Illinois meets with lawmakers on Lobby Day to address key social and environmental issues.

League of Women Voters of Illinois members in Springfield

Photo courtesy League of Women Voters of Illinois

League of Women Voters of Illinois members gather in Springfield for their annual Lobby Day on Wednesday. Experienced League members and members of the new Volunteer Lobby Corps met face-to-face with state legislators.

SPRINGFIELD - The League of Women Voters of Illinois (LWVIL) returned to the Illinois State Capitol on Wednesday, May 8, for its annual Lobby Day, engaging with lawmakers across the political spectrum to advocate for a range of policy issues.

This year’s event marked the debut of the organization’s newly established Volunteer Lobby Corps, a group of trained advocates who joined experienced League members in meeting face-to-face with legislators. Prior to their Capitol meetings, the volunteers underwent orientation led by seasoned members to prepare for discussions with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan group, bases its advocacy on positions it has thoroughly studied and reached consensus on. According to LWVIL President Becky Simon, the group continues to press for voting rights protections and initiatives aimed at building a more equitable democratic system.

“LWVIL advocates to protect voting rights and advance a more equitable democracy,” Simon stated. “The League stands up for social justice issues because systemic inequities prohibit people from participating equally in our democracy.”

This year’s lobbying priorities included the defense of Constitutional rights and efforts to ensure equity in both education and housing. Local chapters of the League were also encouraged to raise district-specific issues with their representatives. These included managing environmental waste and safeguarding aquifers from potential contaminants.

The organization’s Capitol visit is part of a broader effort to maintain a visible presence in public policy discussions and to empower volunteers to take active roles in civic engagement.

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Advocates push for mandatory minimum nurse staffing ratios at Illinois hospitals

The Illinois Health and Hospital Association, the Association of Safety Net Community Hospitals and the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network issued a statement saying they strongly oppose HB 3512.

by Grace Friedman
Medill Illinois News Bureau, Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD — Health care unions continue to rally for legislation to address understaffing they say strains hospitals and threatens both patient safety and staff well-being.

Lawmakers are considering the Hospital Worker Staff and Safety bill, which would establish mandatory nurse-to-patient staffing ratios and increase support for underfunded hospitals.

The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 21 and House Bill 3512, aims to establish minimum staffing ratios in hospitals and fund critical safety-net hospitals across the state. Advocates with health care worker unions have been holding a series of rallies at the Capitol in support of the legislation in recent weeks.

“Our hospitals are staffed unsafely,” Kawana Gant, a certified nursing assistant at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, said at a recent Statehouse rally. “I have worked short shifts where there are 30 patients and only one CNA on the floor. How can you give quality care? It is not safe.”

Gant, who has worked at Ingalls Hospital for nearly 30 years, says she has watched many of her colleagues quit due to the mental and physical toll the short staffing has had on their bodies.

“This is an opportunity for legislators to hear us, to know that these hospitals are not safe.” Gant said.

But similar versions of the proposed legislation have been introduced at the Statehouse for recent years and have failed to gain traction. Generally backed by unions representing nurses, such as the Service Employees International Union, previous staffing ratio measures have run into opposition from hospital groups that say they’re unworkable.

The proposed legislation filed this year has yet to receive a hearing in a substantive committee, meaning it will be an uphill battle for it to move by the time the legislature adjourns at the end of the month.

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Like previous versions, it would mandate that hospitals “employ and schedule sufficient staff to ensure quality patient care and safety.” In addition, hospitals would have to share annual staffing metrics with the Illinois Department of Public Health to help ensure they are at proper staffing levels.

“This bill gives you a real voice,” Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, said to rallygoers. “It gives you a way to speak up when things are unsafe for you and the people who you care for.”

However, not all lawmakers are convinced that now is the right time to implement staffing ratios.

“You can mandate the staffing ratios, but if those professionals don’t exist, what have you really done?” said Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb. “We’ve been trying for years to get more people into the health care field, especially after COVID, and we’re just not there yet.”

Hammond expressed concern that enforcing strict staffing requirements without enough qualified workers in the pipeline could place unrealistic burdens on hospitals. She warned that such mandates might unintentionally strain facilities already struggling with labor shortages and lead to adverse financial consequences, especially for smaller or rural hospitals.

Hospital trade groups echo those concerns, calling the legislation unworkable, burdensome and an ineffective way to solve a problem that should be addressed by the specific needs of each hospital or care center. The Illinois Health and Hospital Association, the Association of Safety Net Community Hospitals and the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network issued a statement saying they strongly oppose HB 3512.

They said it was introduced “as a backdoor effort pushed by organized labor to impose unworkable, government-imposed health care staffing ratios in Illinois.”

“This proposal would relegate the essential, complex and nuanced protocols established to safely and efficiently staff a hospital 24/7/365, to a series of burdensome forms and onerous paperwork that hospitals would be required to submit to the (IDPH) to establish minimum staffing standards for every hospital worker, in each hospital unit,” the groups said in the statement.

Still, according to a recent Service Employees International Union survey of Chicago area hospital workers, 70% of respondents reported understaffing, and over 25% reported unsafe or unmanageable workloads. Additionally, in the same survey, 47% of the respondents stated an intent to leave their jobs soon.

To help enforce safety standards, the legislation introduces “assignment despite objection forms” that give hospital workers the opportunity to document and report any assignments that they believe are unsafe. Hospitals are then required to provide this information to IDPH, which would have to publish an annual report on all these staffing metrics. The legislation would also require IDPH to “make recommendations for minimum staffing standards for hospital workers in each hospital unit.”

In addition to protecting staff, advocates said this bill would allocate proper essential resources to underfunded hospitals around the state, including Mount Sinai Hospital on Chicago's West Side, a Level 1 trauma center that helps underserved and violence-impacted communities.

“Mount Sinai saved my son's life,” said Sonya Brown, who traveled from Chicago to Springfield recently to advocate for the safety-net hospital that treated her son after he was shot seven times in 2020.

“He was shot in the head, he was shot in the neck, he was shot in the chest, the abdomen and shoulder, and the arm,” Brown said. “If they wouldn't have gotten to him in time, he would have died.”

Mount Sinai serves as a health care provider for communities on both the South and West sides of Chicago, areas that experience some of Chicago's highest rates of gun violence. If the hospitals are not protected by measures in this legislation, advocates said, the victims in these neighborhoods risk longer travel times to alternative trauma centers.

They said the bills would help allocate essential resources and enforce staffing standards at safety-net hospitals to continue effectively serving vulnerable communities.

“All of our staff is overworked,” said Jessica Mendoza, a nursing assistant at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines. “A lot of our veterans are coming into the VA to get help with their health, but we do not have the staff to provide it.”

Mendoza, who has worked at the Hines VA Hospital for nearly two years, said that due to the low number of staff, they rarely get a break. She noted that the lack of sufficient staffing makes it difficult to provide the level of care that the veterans need.

The health care workers and advocates gathering in Springfield at the recent rally emphasized that without sufficient staffing and resources, the quality of patient care throughout Illinois hospitals will continue declining, and worker burnout will escalate.

“They expect you to do the job of five or six people but pay you for one.” Sen. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, said at the rally. Prior to joining the General Assembly, Collins was a CNA in nursing homes.

As the legislation stagnates at the Capitol, hospital workers and advocates said they plan to keep organizing and sharing their stories. They said they're calling on lawmakers to prioritize frontline health care workers and the patients who depend on them.

Grace Friedman is a student in the Medill Illinois News Bureau, a program at the Medill School of Journalism that provides local news outlets with state legislature and government coverage. She can be reached at gracefriedman2025@u.northwestern.edu.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

This article first appeared on Capitol News Illinois and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

SAVE Act faces scrutiny as advocates warn of voter suppression risks

A new voting bill could make name changes a voting hurdle for many women. Illinois leaders are speaking out.

URBANA - A newly revived federal voting bill is drawing renewed scrutiny, especially in Illinois, where voting rights advocates warn it could create significant barriers to ballot access.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the U.S. House last week with unanimous Republican support and four Democratic votes, would require all voters to present proof of U.S. citizenship — such as a passport or birth certificate — when registering or updating their registration. The bill now awaits consideration in the Senate, though no vote has been scheduled.

This is not the first time the legislation has surfaced. A previous version passed the House during the last session of Congress but stalled in the then-Democratic-controlled Senate.

Proponents of the SAVE Act argue it is essential for protecting the integrity of elections by ensuring that only American citizens can cast ballots. However, critics see it as a thinly veiled attempt to suppress voter participation under the guise of security. The League of Women Voters of Illinois (LWVIL) delivered that message directly to lawmakers during a subject matter hearing before the Illinois House Ethics and Elections Committee on April 22 in Springfield.

Kathy Cortez, LWVIL’s Vice President for Issues and Advocacy, testified that the legislation risks disenfranchising large swaths of the voting population by introducing new hurdles that disproportionately affect low-income individuals, women, and others who may have difficulty assembling documentation.

No citizen should have to make the choice between meeting their basic needs and exercising the right to vote

“We believe every citizen should be protected in the right to vote, and that electoral systems should encourage participation and enhance representation for all voters,” Cortez said. “The League of Women Voters opposes the SAVE Act because, by imposing inequitable economic and administrative requirements, the bill would create unnecessary barriers to voting participation.”

A major point of concern raised during the hearing was the bill’s disproportionate impact on women. Cortez explained that because many women in Illinois changed their names after marriage, the SAVE Act would require them — and not men — to produce documentation of name changes through marriage, divorce, or remarriage in order to vote.

The League also highlighted the financial implications of the legislation. For many residents living paycheck to paycheck, obtaining official documents like certified birth certificates or divorce decrees could present a real hardship.

“No citizen should have to make the choice between meeting their basic needs and exercising the right to vote,” Cortez said. “We believe that even one individual losing their ability to vote because they could not afford to comply with the requirements of the SAVE Act is one voter too many.”

Despite their opposition to the measure, LWVIL expressed a willingness to support voters if the bill becomes law. With a statewide network and long-standing relationships with Illinois' 108 election authorities, the League says it is prepared to help residents navigate any new requirements.

As the debate continues, Illinois remains a microcosm of a broader national conversation — one that pits concerns over election integrity against the practical realities of access and participation.

Letter to the Editor |
Pritzker can't call the kettle black

Dear Editor,

During his recent budget address, Gov. JB Pritzker pretentiously proclaimed, "We don’t have kings in America – and I don’t intend to bend the knee to one," referring to President Trump. '

Ironic when you consider it was Pritzker who issued at least 41 consecutive disaster proclamations related to COVID-19 between 2020 and 2023, and over 100 specific executive orders tied to the pandemic. These orders included stay-at-home mandates, school and business closures, mask requirements, and vaccination mandates for certain workers.

Pritzker’s unilateral rule in Illinois disqualifies him from making public complaints about kings, fascists, and tyrants in America.

Moreover, his repeated attempts to redefine and paint political opponents as “Nazis” is getting very old.

Pritzker and his allies want the public to believe that “Nazis” are on the right side of the political spectrum. They are being deceitful. The National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazi) was organized to advance socialism. They advocated big government policies, putting them on the left side of the political spectrum. Think "Medicare for all," "universal Pre-K," and "universal free college," among others. Sound familiar?

The governor doth protest too much, methinks.

David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute

Got something you want to get off your chest? Send us your letter to the editor today. Here is how: Read this.

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State Representative says Illinois needs to focus on its citizens

Dieterich – State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) says it is time for state leaders to prioritize the needs of Illinois citizens. In Niemerg's opinion, Governor Pritzker's presentation of a "balanced budget" is nothing more than the usual, deceptive schemes.

"It is baffling to me that we cannot have bipartisan support for managing our resources better and preventing these constant gaping budget holes that are a staple for all of these so-called 'balanced' budgets," he stated, criticizing how Illinois budgets are determined. "For years, the state has been using creative accounting gimmicks to create the illusion of a 'balanced' budget."

Niemerg says the state needs to do a better job of managing Illinois finances. Calling for an Illinois version of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he said state budgets usually show increased income and lower spending projections. However, when the bills are presented to the state, the payment cycle "is stretched out longer and longer and, in the end, taxpayers take it on the chin because there is a monthly penalty for delayed state payments."

"High taxes, poor state leadership, and rising crime are the culprits for the outbound migration."

"Not once did the Governor mention property tax relief. Not once did he mention pension reform. Not once did he mention public safety concerns in Chicagoland," Niemerg said in a statement on Wednesday. "He did, however, mention Donald Trump at least six times in his speech. Instead of focusing on President Trump, the Governor should focus on the issues Illinois residents actually care about."

Niemerg stressed that Governor Pritzker's remarks about President Trump during the State of the State Address do nothing to solve the very real problems facing our state.

He points out that Illinois had the second-highest outbound moves in 2024 – second only to New Jersey. He said the combination of high taxes, poor state leadership, and rising crime are the culprits for the outbound migration. He also noted the Governor did not address the issue of illegal immigration and the amount of money being spent on programs and services for people not legally supposed to be here. A recent Pew Research poll showed 59% of Americans approve of President Trump's immigration policies.

"The vast majority of Americans support President Trump's efforts to secure our borders and deport criminals here illegally," Niemerg said, who believes the Governor and the Democratic majority in the House are out of touch with the majority of American people. "Instead of prioritizing the needs of our own citizens, they are continuing to pour money into programs for illegal immigrants. We have a responsibility to address the concerns of our own citizens. It is not the job of the state of Illinois to solve the immigration crisis."

Voting in Illinois is easy with various options provided by the state

by Terri Dee
Illinois News Connection

CHICAGO - Illinois voters have several ways to cast their ballot in the upcoming election, whether by mail, in person or early voting.

The Illinois Policy Institute, a political watchdog, reported 2022's general election produced the second-highest voter turnout in a midterm year in 25 years.

Matt Dietrich, public information officer for the Illinois State Board of Elections, wants voters to observe important deadlines for registering to vote. For unregistered voters, he advised there is still time to change their status.

"Voter registration never closes until the polls close on Election Day," Dietrich pointed out. "You can get registered from now right up through and even on November 5th. The online voter registration stays open until 11:59 pm, October 20th."

Voter inquiries can be answered through an online portal on the board's website, elections.il.gov.

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Beginning Oct. 9, unregistered voters wanting in-person voting can do so at any early voting location. Dietrich added they will have to cast their early vote ballot at the time of registration.

Two forms of verifiable identification are needed, one which reflects who you are and the other, your voting residence. If you have recently moved to Illinois from another state, an unexpired out-of-state driver's license is accepted. A piece of government mail sent to your residence, a bank statement, or a pay stub with your voting residence is also sufficient.

Another popular choice among Illinoisans is to vote by mail. There was a "slight uptick of 10%," Dietrich reported, even before the pandemic in 2020. He added 2 million people tried it for the first time and deemed the process as safe, convenient and trackable.

"We and all the local election authorities really pushed voting by mail for safety reasons," Dietrich explained. "In the end, we had one-third of the total votes in 2020, cast by mail, about one-third cast early in person and one-third cast on Election Day in person."

Dietrich said in 2022, voting by mail slightly exceeded the number of voters who were voting early in person. He recommends residents wanting to cast mail-in ballots request their ballot far before the Oct. 31 deadline.

Keywords: Illinois early voting locations, Register to vote in Illinois, Illinois mail-in ballot process Illinois voter registration deadlines, Voting by mail in Illinois, Illinois State Board of Elections voter portal