CPS Agrees to Expand Voter Access in LSC Elections
By Evelyn Field, Emory Legal Fellow
Chicago Public Schools' Local School Council elections – the most hyperlocal elections in the city – are taking place on November 18th and 19th. Last month, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee wrote a letter to CPS alongside the LSCs 4 All Coalition demanding important changes that would make the elections more fair and accessible. Amongst other things, we suggested that CPS extend the deadline for receipt of mail-in ballots in the upcoming election.
Thanks to this advocacy effort, CPS agreed to extend the deadline for receipt of mail-in ballots. Schools will now accept mail-in ballots that are postmarked by November 18th (for elementary schools) and November 19th (for high schools) as long as they are received by November 30th. With many ballots going out this week, voters will now have a more meaningful opportunity to vote by mail even despite widespread USPS delays. We’ve updated our infographic to reflect these new procedures.
In their response to our letter, CPS addressed some of our other concerns regarding the accessibility of the LSC election polls:
New Dates for Publication of Results, Post-Election Challenge Deadlines Forthcoming: As a result of this modification, the results of the elections will be published on December 1, 2020 following the Thanksgiving holiday. Information regarding post-election challenges is forthcoming and will be made available by school principles and on the OLSCR website.
Existing Extension of Deadline for Submission of Candidate Materials: On October 29, 2020, after receiving our letter, the OLSCR notified candidates and principals that the deadline for candidates to submit their flyers and literature would be extended to November 4, 2020. CPS has also stated that schools will continue to share information with their communities by posting information on their school marquees and updating their school websites to reflect pertinent election information.
Assurances Regarding the Security of Ballots: Regarding ballot security for dropped off mail-in ballots and in-person voting, we have been advised that principals are required to place all ballots in the school safe, where they will be stored and securely maintained until such time that they are processed by election judges.
We will continue to advocate for better procedures and expanded access to LSC elections, and will be monitoring these issues through the election dates. If you have questions or concerns about LSC election procedures, please contact us at 262-729-3082 or efield@clccrul.org.