By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Several advocacy groups are going door-to-door this month in an effort to sign up more people to vote and in many cases dispel myths about why people don’t bother to vote.

One of the groups taking part in the voter outreach effort is the Bloomington-Normal NAACP. The group’s political action chairman Jerry James said many who sit out on election feel their vote won’t make a difference.

“The media that concentrates on polls gives the illusion that someone has won a race when the (election) hasn’t even been held.

Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed a measure last month that would have set up automatic voter registration citing concerns about voter fraud. James considered that an overreaction to something that’s not really an issue.

“In you can find three cases out of 27 million votes cast why would you enact a process that disenfranchises 500,000 people?, ” James asked.

Not In Our Town, YWCA, the Bloomington Housing Association and West Bloomington Revitalization Project are among the groups taking part in the voter registrations.

There are many reasons why people don’t vote, but in some cases they don’t realize they can. James said felons don’t think they can’t vote.

“They assume that because in so many other states and It’s one of those urban myths like the ‘Blair Witch Project,’ ” James said.

Illinois is one of 14 states that allow felons to vote as soon as they get out of prison. In Maine and Vermont, felons can vote absentee while in prison.

The NAACP will be joined in the registration effort by Not In Our Town, YMCA McLean County, Bloomington Housing Authority, West Bloomington Revitalization Project, CHARM (Community Humanitarianism Assistance Revitalization Mentorship) and others.

A national registration voter drive is planned for Sept. 27.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].