Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Gov. J.B. Pritzker look on as Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle spoke during a press conference at Union Station in 2023. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has contributed $250,000 to the Cook County Democratic Party to help boost voter turnout in November’s elections.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is doling out $250,000 to the Cook County Democratic Party to bolster voter turnout in November’s general election after the city saw one of the lowest primary turnouts since 1944.
Pritzker’s contribution was received by the Illinois State Board of Elections on March 21, two days after the March 19 primary. But a Pritzker campaign spokeswoman said the contribution was always intended to come after the election, regardless of results in the primary.
Still, the funds will help target a big problem for a city opening its doors to President Joe Biden and the DNC in August.
Just 17.94% of registered voters in suburban Cook County and 25.7% of registered voters in Chicago voted in person or by mail in the March 19 primary. That percentage narrowly beat out 2012 for the lowest turnout for any Chicago presidential primary since 1944, when just 24.6% of votes were cast.
There are similarities in the two primary elections. Both featured a Democratic presidential incumbent at the top of the ticket and just a few hotly contested races. And in last week’s primary, Biden and former President Donald Trump had already secured the votes needed to earn their nominations this summer.
Still, a top Democratic pollster last week told the Sun-Times low city turnout in Chicago is a warning sign for Biden in key Democratic cities.
Cook County Democratic Party spokesman Jacob Kaplan said Pritzker’s latest contribution will be used to support efforts “to turn out voters in November,” and bolster general party-building efforts.
Pritzker’s campaign has been downplaying the significance of the city’s low voter primary turnout in a presidential primary race that was already predetermined. But campaign spokeswoman Christina Amestoy said voter turnout in Cook County will be crucial in the November race.
“I think the funds will be used for voter turnout, like making sure that Cook County continues to drive turnout,” Amestoy said. “A strong turnout year is going to help Democrats up and down the ballot in Illinois, if we can drive Cook County turnout.”
Pritzker is in California this week on an economic development mission to promote Illinois to business and film industry leaders. He’s also raising funds for the convention at a private reception in Los Angeles and for abortion rights ballot initiatives in Arizona and Nevada.
Democratic leaders in the state, city and county will have to try to drum up support for a November race in which candidates in most local races will not face a serious challenger, and one in which many are less enthused about the top of the ticket options. Pritzker, a surrogate for Biden’s re-election campaign, and Cook County Democratic Party Chair Toni Preckwinkle are tasked with finding a way to energize voters.
Pritzker’s campaign last week said the Democratic Party of Illinois is working on a coordinated field program and vote-by-mail program aimed at maximizing turnout. Pritzker will also be on the road in his capacity as a surrogate, making sure voters know the stakes of the election.
Democratic National Convention Committee officials have also said voters across the country have shown motivation when the race is cast as a head-to-head battle between Biden and Trump.