Common Cause Directs Poll Watching To 5th District After Vote-Buying Allegations

    Media Contact
  • Brian Gladstein

CHICAGO, (March 7, 2016) – In light of the recent allegations of vote-buying in the 5th State House District, combined with reports that show this is the most expensive primary in state history, Common Cause Illinois has decided to deploy their poll watching apparatus exclusively in the 5th District.

“These serious allegations call into question whether the process can be conducted in a fair and transparent manner,” said Brian Gladstein, Executive Director of Common Cause Illinois. “That is why we will be deploying our poll watchers to locations across the 5th District in order to ensure that the voices of Illinois voters are not drowned out by the unprecedented spending and allegations of wrongdoing.”

More than $2,000,000 has already been funneled into this race, making it more than twice as expensive as any other primary race in state history. In the last five weeks alone, the Illinois Opportunity Project has funneled $800,000 into the 5th District.

This is the fourth year that Common Cause has led a poll watching effort in Illinois, but the first time they have been targeted to just the 5th House District. In previous years Common Cause volunteers have poll watched in Joliet, Cicero, Waukegan, Schaumburg, and Chicago. 

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