For the past several years I have been going to the same place to vote, both in the primary and general elections. Now all of a sudden it changed and the scary thing is that my wife and I might have missed the notice that came in the mail - it was an unremarkable postcard that looks just like the postcard we get to confirm registration status each cycle. Why did they change my polling location? Especially between the Primary and the General election?
The answer is simple.
In my Heavily republican Dupage County I see a lot of Obama Signs, in fact I would say it was almost equal to McCain signs. Now in this County all the county officials are republicans; from the County Board Chairman to the Coroner. A lot of people have been working hard to elect democrats to the county such as Richard Dunn (Yes, he is in my district), and the people currently in power are scared of Barack Obama's effect on the down ticket races as you can see in this article from from the Daily Herald here.
So, they worry and they should; but since they control all the appointed positions in our county government - like say the election commission - they think they have an out: They changed the location of my polling place.
Just me you ask? Well I asked that question to the other member of the Dupage County Democratic Party Letter Writers Group of which I am a member and guess what I found? It was more that just me. In Milton Township alone here is the list of precincts that were changed:
Milton 003
Milton 010
Milton 012
Milton 013
Milton 016
Milton 018
Milton 021
Milton 022
Milton 024
Milton 025
Milton 026
Milton 028
Milton 029
Milton 030
Milton 031
Milton 035
Milton 036
Milton 037
Milton 039
Milton 040
Milton 041
Milton 042
Milton 045
Milton 055
Milton 056
Milton 059
Milton 065
Milton 068
Milton 070
Milton 071
Milton 072
Milton 078
Milton 084
Milton 085
Milton 087
Milton 089
Milton 090
Milton 091
Milton 093
Milton 095
Milton 096
Milton 099
Milton 102
Milton 107
Milton 108
Milton 109
Sorry, I know the list is long, but I wanted you all to grasp the seriousness of this issue - the Republicans know they are in trouble in Dupage County and they are trying to suppress voter turn out - Plain and Simple. And yes, we are checking the other Townships in Dupage County to see if this pattern continues.
I went to the Dupage County Election Commission web page and there is no listing or press release or special notice ANYWHERE on the site about the change.
Now we are not a swing state, all our electoral votes are going to the next President of the United States Barack Obama. But they are not trying to change that outcome they are trying to protect themselves and hold on to power that does not belong to them and is NOT THEIRS BY RIGHT! If I sound angry I am, the republicans around here think they are entitled to hold office, and they mix and match an move up the food chain like princes ascending to the throne.
I already help local candidates get elected, but I must ask you all to help us. Please visit the Dupage County Democrats web site and check the links for our local candidates for donation pages.
And if you are in a safe blue state - Take Nothing for Granted!, keep fighting to elect democrats and look out for these kinds of tricks.
Stay Vigilant - Peace!