By Willard Helander -
With voting by mail open to all voters, Illinois permits any campaign to create their version of an “official request” for a ballot by mail. The newest change to election laws is virtual, real-time tracking legislatively attached to every voter who asks for a ballot by mail.
When the forms are turned in to elections officials, Illinois law requires this information be pulled to a statewide Intranet site where all political groups can see. When ballots are mailed to the signer, the political eyes are watching. When the ballot is not voted nor returned for a few days, the political eyes are still watching. And knocking and calling again.
Beginning in June, door-to-door “vote by mail shoppers” have gathered thousands of signatures on forms. Even when voters explain they want to vote in person, voters indicate they were urged to sign the form “to make sure their vote counts.” Sounds so helpful, doesn’t it?
People apparently will sign anything to get a door knocker to go away.
In the current election, a significant number of voters claim they never signed a form asking for a mail ballot. Some signatures on the form are perfect matches. Others are not. Others merit investigation. Vote by mail requests also come via the Internet. That’s because another new law eliminated voter signature requirements, apparently as fair trade when the voter is tricked into giving the political eye a coveted email address.
Many who signed a ballot by mail request have come to vote early. Others will come on Election Day. They cannot vote twice, so a provisional ballot is issued to wait and see if the mail ballot arrives. The provisional ballot process requires extra steps. Some voters accuse the election judges of being wrong. Sometimes the campaigns that created the situation send poll watchers to the voting site to shout voter suppression.
A voter is verified by a signature, whether voting early, Election Day or by mail. Voters can register on the Internet without supplying a signature. Ballots can be requested over the Internet without a signature. Currently, 13,000+ unreturned ballots are all over the county. The political eyes know where the unreturned ballots are. And it’s perfectly legal to confront the voter who hasn’t returned the ballot. The political eyes know who you are.
And exactly what is the value of the missing ballots? Priceless, some would say. The darker side of the elections world comes to light.
Willard Helander is Lake County Clerk. She'll be retiring after this term.
