Suburban Cook County residents line up to register on last day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Cook County Clerk David Orr announced Wednesday that hundreds of suburban Cook County residents took advantage of the state’s new grace-period registration law.
Orr said that 375 people registered to vote during the two-week period which ran from Oct. 10 to Oct. 24. On Tuesday, the last day to register, more than 100 people arrived at the clerk’s main office to register.
“I’m thrilled that so many people took advantage of this new, unique law,” said Orr, a major proponent of the grace-period bill, which was passed by state lawmakers in 2005. “It’s one more way to increase voter participation and give qualified citizens a chance to take part in the electoral process.”
Prior to the March primary, 151 people registered during the grace period, Orr said.
Grace-period registration extends the regular registration deadline by two weeks. However, grace-period registrants could only register in person at the downtown office. The law also requires people to vote either immediately after they register, or to receive an absentee ballot by mail.
Grace-period registrants are not allowed to vote at the polls on Election Day or vote at any early voting site.