By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – McLean County’s Finance Committee met at Illinois State University’s Bone Student Center Tuesday to further discuss the long voter lines many students experienced on campus in March.

Board Member Erik Rankin believed the county can do better than a three hour wait time.

“I really do believe that. If that makes me wrong, then I’m wrong,” said Rankin. “What is a reasonable wait time? I believe that it’s not three hours.”

Board Member Carlo Robustelli said there is absolutely a lot the county can do better during the November election.

“It’s not just squarely the County Clerk’s office. It is their organizational responsibility, but they need to have the resources and there are ways that everybody on the County Board can help support them,” said Robustelli. “Whether it’s get out messages to the community, bring people together and have conversations.”

County Clerk Kathy Michael said they’re drawing up a plan to try and improve on the wait time. That plan – including a budget – will be presented in June.

“We’re gonna write it out, say we think we need this many touch screens, we think we need this many computers – we hope it’s enough for everybody – and we’re gonna do the best we can,” said Michael. “There’s no finite, exact number.”

Michael has put much of the blame for the long voting lines on the same-day voter registration law. She said part of their efforts over the next several months will involve encouraging students to register and/or vote early.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].