Illinois’ sign is picture at the Democratic National Convention. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]

Illinois voters can begin casting ballots Thursday in an election year where much of voters’ focus is on the presidential contest at the top of ticket. At the Democratic Party of Illinois, the goal is also to ensure Democratic candidates further down the ballot find success amid noise generated by the presidential contest. 

The party launched the Organize Illinois 2024 campaign at the end of July as the Democratic Party of Illinois’ (DPI) plan for winning races in Congress, the General Assembly and local government in November. The party has their eyes set on expanding the record-sized super majority in the state legislature as well as protecting Democrat-held congressional seats in addition to putting more resources into campaigns for local offices.   

The campaign focuses on four goals: statewide engagement, targeted support, volunteer coordination and voter turnout. This includes an expected million-dollar advertising push across a variety of communications.   

There is also a regional aspect to the party’s strategy. Top races are identified by the party and regional groups are coordinated for regular check-ins with local party leaders, campaign officials and other stakeholders. Regions are coordinated based on geography, culture and the politics of an area to help ensure a consistent level of support for campaigns in the area.   

The party believes it is seeing success, according to data shared with The Daily Line. Twelve satellite DPI offices have opened around the state and 14 new staff members have been hired to head a coordinated organizing campaign.  

The party also has a busy events schedule. More than 50 events have been held throughout the state and “weekends of action” will be held in the middle of October. The party is also hosting regional meetings on a weekly and biweekly basis to directly assist candidates. 

The party is providing assistance to 115 down-ballot candidates, ranging from candidates for Congress to local government, with voter contact information, turnout data, and advertising. 

The party’s focus on down-ballot races at all levels of government follows a candidate recruitment campaign ahead of the 2024 primary where DPI collaborated with county Democratic parties to recruit new candidates to run for local offices. The program aimed to establish a bench of Democratic candidates interested in running for local offices or boost volunteer numbers, particularly in areas of the state where Democrats have not been competitive against Republicans in local government elections.   

“Organize Illinois is a continuation of our blueprint to help Democrats win at every level,” DPI Chair Lisa Hernandez said in a statement to The Daily Line. “And it doesn’t stop here — we’re already looking a municipal candidate recruitment to help Dems win in 2025.”  

With early voting beginning in most of Illinois on Thursday, DPI is also opening tools to provide voters assistance casting their ballots. The party is reopening a voter protection hotline accessible by phone and email that can help voters with any issues casting a ballot. Information on voter registration, absentee ballots and voting locations will also be available in English and Spanish.  

The Illinois Republican Party is also hoping Republican voters get a jump on voting. The party sent emails to supporters on Tuesday with an “invitation” to early voting. The party then followed up the email on Wednesday to supporters who hadn’t engaged with the “invitation” with a second reminder email encouraging people to vote early to drive “record-setting Republican turnout.” 

The Illinois Republican Party has embraced an early voting strategy led by the Republican National Committee to encourage Republicans to “bank” their vote. Party leaders say turning out committed Republican voters early in the voting window is a key strategy to saving costs and ensuring Republicans vote even if they’re unable to do so on Election Day.