Businessman and Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson on Wednesday blasted the recent decision by Chicago election officials to cut voting precincts by nearly 40%, saying the move will lead to fewer polling places and hurt voter turnout this November and in February for the city’s municipal election.
Standing in front of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners’ offices downtown, Wilson said he hadn’t heard about the precinct reduction until earlier this week and that precinct closures will inevitably lead to closures of polling places, especially in majority Black and Latino neighborhoods. In a release to announce the news conference, Wilson’s campaign accused the board of “using Jim Crow South Voter Suppression Tactics.”
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“If I didn’t know about it, and I’m running for office, what about people that are trying to get gasoline or food to eat or to get to work — (people who have) other things on their mind?” Wilson asked.
The Tribune on Monday detailed that the Chicago Board of Elections recently implemented a map designed to cut the number of precincts by nearly 40%, without yet stating which or how many polling places will be affected. The reduction followed a state law that raised the number of voters allowed per precinct and comes as more voters are deciding to cast their ballots early or via mail.
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Officials with the board said the move will require them to hire fewer judges on Election Days and save about $2 million.
“Everybody has a right to vote, a lot of people have died for this right to vote,” Wilson said. “$2 million is no money. You can find it in some other place.”
Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Max Bever said Wednesday in a statement that, while the total number of precincts are being cut, the “overall number of polling locations in Chicago will not be greatly affected.” He said the average number of precincts per ward is 26, and the average number of registered voters per precinct is 1,165.
Board officials have said a decision about the final list of polling places will be announced in early October.
But even if the total number of polling places isn’t significantly reduced, the new map will mean changes for some voters on where they will be able to cast their ballots on Election Day. And because those changes will be implemented just weeks before the Nov. 8 general election, advocates have raised concerns that voters will be unaware their polling place has been closed or that it has been switched to a different locale.
Wilson earlier this year announced he was running for mayor and has criticized Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s leadership during her first term. Lightfoot is running for reelection but is facing several challengers.
A wealthy businessman who has contributed more than $5 million to his campaign fund, Wilson is making his third bid for Chicago mayor. In previous runs, he’s done well with older Black voters. After he lost in the first round of voting in 2019, Wilson backed Lightfoot against Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Wilson’s endorsement of Lightfoot helped her soundly defeat Preckwinkle.
“This is not what I would call a political stunt at all,” Wilson said. “Even if I was not running for office I would be out here saying the same thing.”
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On Wednesday, Wilson was joined at the news conference by attorney Andrew Finko and former Chicago politician Rickey “Hollywood” Hendon, who said Black voters will likely be most affected by any cuts.
“Many Black people in Chicago prefer to vote in person,” Hendon said. “They don’t trust their vote not being stolen if it isn’t in person. We have trouble getting our mail.”
Finko said concerns over the rushed timeline of the change is one reason Wilson and others may file a lawsuit trying to prevent the new map from being implemented.
Bever said racial identity is not required on voter registration. He also added that the Chicago Board of Elections worked with all City Council members throughout this process and incorporated their feedback, wherever feasible, in developing the map.
