South Cook News

Cook County Board of Commissioners Rules and Administration Committee met Sept. 22.

Here is the agenda provided by the committee:

PUBLIC HEARING AND COMMITTEE NOTICE AND AGENDA

There will be a meeting of the Committee or Subcommittee of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County at the date, time and location listed above to consider the following:

PUBLIC TESTIMONY

Due to the current health crisis, there is no in-person participation for the County Board meetings. The President and Commissioners will participate remotely. The public can observe the livestream https://www.cookcountyil.gov/service/watch-live-board-proceedings

The public can still testify to the Committee Meetings. Only written comment will be accepted for those wishing to provide Public Testimony. Written comments provided prior to the start of the meeting will be read aloud at the meeting. Three minutes per comment will be allowed, though every effort will be made to read statements in their entirety. If you have additional material for the Board to consider, please email testimony to cookcounty.board@cookcountyil.gov and indicate a desire that your testimony be entered into the record. All written comment which complies with County Board Rules will be posted online.

20-2906

Sponsored by: SCOTT R. BRITTON, LARRY SUFFREDIN, KEVIN B. MORRISON, BRIDGET DEGNEN, DONNA MILLER, STANLEY MOORE, PETER N. SILVESTRI, JOHN P. DALEY, DEBORAH SIMS and SEAN M. MORRISON, Cook County Board of Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION REQUESTING A HEARING OF THE COOK COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE ON VOTING EQUITY

WHEREAS, the Cook County Clerk's Office is responsible for administering and reporting on all suburban Cook County elections; and

WHEREAS, this March the Cook County Clerk's Office translated ballots into Korean and Tagalog along with traditionally included languages of English, Spanish, Chinese and Hindi; and

WHEREAS, in November the Cook County Clerk's Office will be mandated to again increase the number of languages, to also include Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic, Urdu, and Gujarati; and

WHEREAS, the Cook County Clerk's Office generally releases post-election reports for gubernatorial and presidential elections; and

WHEREAS, the COVID-19pandemic is placing a greater strain on voting both at polling locations and by mail; and

WHEREAS, recent elections, such as in Washington D.C. and Georgia, have shown how the pandemic can cause issues with mail-in ballot delivery, polling place operability, and extremely long waits; and

WHEREAS, pandemic-related voting challenges can be compounded by new voting machines; and

WHEREAS, pandemic-related voting challenges were found to disproportionately impact Black communities; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Cook County Board does hereby request a hearing with the Cook County Clerk’s Office during the July Board week to learn how the language expansion mandated in the VOTE Ordinance proceeded in March, including on judge recruitment, computer-learning and human translations, translated printed and audio voting materials; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the hearing will allow Commissioners to learn what preparations are being made for November and how the Board of Commissioners may be able to assist; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the hearing will also provide the Cook County Clerk’s Office the opportunity to expound on plans to ensure sufficient polling places will be able to open, troubleshoot any equipment issues, and mitigate long lines.

https://cook-county.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=804909&GUID=9FE9862E-F05B-4567-9029-A9670A18963F&Search=