Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough paid tribute Monday to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and said the life and legacy of the iconic Justice and voting rights advocate should be an inspiration for all to get out and vote in the upcoming November 3 election.
“We mourn her loss, but we also praise the life and career of the legendary Justice Ginsburg, who was a champion for equality, inclusion, and a fierce advocate for voting rights,” said Yarbrough. “Her staunch support of voting rights is something that should inspire all of us to make our voices heard through the voting process.”
Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, authored one of her most powerful dissenting opinions in 2013 in attempting to protect oversights in the nation’s Voting Rights Act of 1965, which intended to prevent discrimination and voter suppression. Eliminating oversight, Ginsburg wrote at the time, “is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”
Yarbrough, who administers elections across suburban Cook County, is reminding voters that her office is expanding its services and increasing safety practices and precautions to ensure that voters can cast their ballots in the manner of their choice, whether it is by mail, Early Voting, or voting on Election Day.
“The Cook County Clerk’s Office has been hard at work instituting extensive Covid-19 precautionary measures that will provide voters the opportunity to cast their ballots safely and in the manner in which they feel most comfortable,” said Yarbrough, who noted that voters can contact her office through October 27 to receive a vote by mail ballot.
For voters who opt not to Vote By Mail, Grace Period Registration and Voting as well as Early Voting will begin October 7 at all suburban Cook County courthouses and at the Cook County Administration Building in Chicago. On October 19, both programs will be expanded and available at more than 50 locations across suburban Cook County.
To request a mail ballot or to obtain any additional information about voting options and details go to www.cookcountyclerk.com
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