Sometimes in Illinois, we are left with an unsavory crop of candidates to choose from at the polls. Pair that with Chicago's unpredictable November weather, and voter turnout can be pretty pathetic--especially during the midterms. This year, however, the state made some changes to its early voting law, allowing Illinois citizens to vote early. And sometimes, vote naked.
The Equality Illinois Education Project teamed up with Rock the Vote and Roosevelt University for an eye-catching campaign that aims to get out the vote. "Vote Naked Illinois" wants to make people aware of the fact that this year, they don't need pants to make a difference in state government.
This summer, Gov. Pat Quinn signed a law that required early voting in the "high traffic" areas near Illinois universities, Illinois Statehouse News reports. This means registered voters can submit absentee ballots as early as Sept. 23, and turn in their ballots at early voting locations between Oct. 11 and Oct. 28.
The move is seemingly an effort to attract more young voters.
"Political parties and some voter groups are gearing up for a heavy early-vote drive, a get-out-the-vote effort," Larry Reinhardt, Jackson County clerk in southern Illinois, told the Illinois Statehouse News. "So it'll be interesting to see which one is more effective and whether any of them are effective."
One effective campaign tool? Nudity. The "Vote Naked Illinois" folks made this informative video about the changes to the state's early voting law: (Hat tip to Gapers Block for bringing this gem to our attention!)