Lake County Clerk Apparently Clueless
Progress Illinois covers Lake County incompetence.
I’m not sure why checking IDs for everyone is even a concern in this case:
Starting in mid-August, Helander’s staff began flagging questionable mail-in voter registration applications — over 1,000 in total by the time the October 7 registration deadline passed. All told, those cards make up a fairly small fraction of the 28,020 new registrations fielded by the clerk since the summer. They’ve since been set aside for investigation by the county’s state’s attorney and sheriff offices.
Even though the “compromised” registrations have not been added to the voter rolls, Helander has asked the state’s attorney whether she could legally require voters to present some form of identification in the precincts where most of the problematic forms originated. Incidentally, those areas — Waukegan, North Chicago, and Zion — tend to lean Democratic. As such, this proposal raises questions about whether the Republican official is simply intent on overseeing a fair election or using broad concerns about “voter fraud” to suppress Democratic votes in the county, which will play a pivotal role in the tight race for the 10th Congressional District.
If you do not have a driver’s license, State Identification Card or
social security number, and this form is submitted by mail, and
you have never registered to vote in the jurisdiction you are now
registering in, then you must send, with this application, either (i)
a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or (ii) a copy of a
current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck,
or other government document that shows the name and address
of the voter. If you do not provide the information required above,
then you will be required to provide election officials with either (i)
or (ii) described above the first time you vote at a voting place or
by absentee ballot
Everyone in Illinois has had to prove their identity or they do so when they first vote. There’s no point in checking everyone when anyone who is a new registrant by mail has to provide proof of identity already.
Fail.
October 21st, 2008 at
One word, “fail” LOL
You make the point so easily. Thank you, Arch
So Willard wants to check EVERYONE in conveniently selected precincts, even though she already knows which registrations are problematic?
Hmmmmm. Perhaps public uncovering will cause Willard to re-read the law.
Again, thank you.
October 21st, 2008 at
Maybe she’s hoping to catch all those dead goldfish in the act of fraudulently voting.
October 22nd, 2008 at
I have to say you may want to cut her a bit of slack here. We have had some strange things going on, not to say that I think anyone is engaged in wholesale vote fraud (or even retail vote fraud) just little strange things that are making this election interesting….
Brain surgeons wearing campaign materials to early voting…
Different people calling election authorities asking for yard signs.
People voting (and it turns out you can) using out of date non-Illinois drivers licenses.
It is getting entertaining enough here we may have a democratic and republican party official at our election authority over the weekend during early voting to help deal with stuff.
October 22nd, 2008 at
And no one ever showed up to an election with a button on. Tell them to take if off. No one ever showed up with an old drivers license before? They could have just forgotten to get their update or perhaps they are really driving on a ticket and not wanting to deal with getting an AAA card to get the license back. Send them to the Secretary of State for a new license and if they cannot get it, be done with them.
October 22nd, 2008 at
OneMan,
Given the number of newly registered voters this year one would expect those folks to perhaps not exactly be as knowledgeable as yourself about the process.
No reason call it strange. Besides — Dan Curry and Pat Bond and Willy Helander are hot on the case to make as many oceans out of goldfish ponds as they can to boost Party First propaganda!!
(The quip about getting calls at the election office for yard signs cracks me up. Who better to call for a yard sign request than the people running the election!)
October 23rd, 2008 at
Ellen, Rob_N
Drivers license guy had an outdated Alabama DL, it wasn’t even from IL. When challenged on it he started spinning a host of theories as to why they were asking the questions.
The difference is this time when you tell someone to take something off or turn it inside out now they think you are trying to keep them down and trample on their rights, before they just did it.
Again the fact we are seriously considering putting someone from each party at early voting to talk people down is a sign.
Sorry but the strange has been turned up to 11 in my opinion.
October 23rd, 2008 at
I’ll vouch for it being a crazy cycle. I’m not sympathetic to the clerk so much, but election workers in general I’m very sympathetic too. Everyone is pretty wound up.