Parties will choose nominees June 28, Hinsdale now in 4th Congressional District
Winter coats are common attire for Illinois residents when they head to the polls for the primary election. They won’t be necessary this year.
The Illinois primary, which typically takes place March 15, was moved to June 28 when Senate Bill 825 became law last year.
This isn’t the first time the primary date has changed. In 2008, it was moved to early February to help bolster the chances of then-Sen. Barack Obama is his bid for the presidency. It was held again in February in 2010 and moved back to March in 2012.
The primary might move back to February in two years if the Democratic National Committee grants a pending request from state’s Democratic party for Illinois to become one of the first five states to hold a presidential primary in 2024.
Hinsdale resident Kari Galassi, who is running uncontested in the Republican primary to represent 3rd District residents on the DuPage County Board, said she worries the June 28 date will mean even fewer voters show up at the polls.
“I’m just concerned that instead of keeping it at a consistent time of year, so people have it at top of mind, to push it to the end of June, when people’s minds are more on summer vacations, it’s just going to further decrease the voter turnout, which is not what we’re looking for,” Galassi said. “We’re trying to get more people engaged and aware.”
State lawmakers moved the date this year in part because they were waiting for late 2020 Census data to finish revisions on new district boundaries.
The congressional redistricting maps Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law in November shift Hinsdale from the 5th and 6th Congressional Districts to the 4th. Democrats Mike Quigley and Sean Casten had been the village’s representatives in Congress. This fall residents will choose between Democratic incumbent Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and Republican challenger James Falakos. Both are running unopposed in the primary.
In addition to moving the date of the primary, Senate Bill 825 designates Election Day a state holiday, meaning schools will be closed. It also makes curbside voting permanent and opens voting centers to all voters regardless of their precinct of residence. DuPage County will offer “Vote Anywhere” on Election Day. The county is the first in Illinois to allow voters to cast a ballot in any one of 263 polling places, according to the county clerk’s office.
“Now voters may cast their ballot conveniently at a polling place near their job or school, instead of rushing to or from their home precinct,” County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek stated in a press release. “Best of all, DuPage voters will no longer be turned away on Election Day for being in the wrong polling place in the county.”
Early in-person voting already is underway at the DuPage County fairgrounds. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Saturday, June 11.
Other early voting locations throughout DuPage will be available starting Monday, June 13. The closest is Hinsdale Village Hall, 19 E. Chicago Ave. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
For a full list of early voting locations, visit https://www.dupagecounty.gov/earlyvoting.
Residents who have not yet registered to vote and want to do so online have until June 12.
Primary winners will appear on the ballot as the party’s nominee in the Tuesday, Nov. 8, general election.
