Board of Commissioners of Cook County - File #: 20-2906

• File #: 20-2906
• Version: 1
• Name: REQUESTING A HEARING OF THE COOK COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE ON VOTING EQUITY
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Approved
• File created: 6/17/2020
• In control: Rules and Administration Committee
• On agenda: 6/18/2020
• Final action: 7/30/2020
• Title: 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-19 pandemic 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, polli...
• Sponsors: SCOTT R. BRITTON, LARRY SUFFREDIN, KEVIN B. MORRISON, BRIDGET DEGNEN, DONNA MILLER, STANLEY MOORE, PETER N. SILVESTRI, JOHN P. DALEY, DEBORAH SIMS, SEAN M. MORRISON

Date	Ver.	Action By	Motion	Result
9/22/2020	1	Rules and Administration Committee
7/30/2020	1	Board of Commissioners	suspend the rules	Pass
7/30/2020	1	Board of Commissioners	approve	Pass
6/18/2020	1	Board of Commissioners	refer	Pass

title
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-19 pandemic 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 eq...