Prosecutors: Waukegan alderperson cast dead mother’s primary ballot

A Waukegan alderperson faces up to three years in prison amid allegations she cast a mail-in ballot this spring in her dead mother’s name.

Sylvia Sims Bolton is charged with one count of mutilation of election material, a Class 4 felony, alleging she knowingly falsified election material, the Lake County state’s attorney’s office announced Wednesday. She also faces a misdemeanor charge of disregarding election code, authorities said.

Bolton, 67, serves as an elected alderperson for Waukegan’s First Ward, which encompasses the southeast side of the city. An investigation did not uncover any facts linking the allegations to her city duties, and she is not charged with official misconduct, county prosecutors said.

Authorities said their investigation followed the March 17 primary election, after the Lake County Clerk’s Office flagged a vote-by-mail ballot that was associated with a deceased voter.

According to election records, a ballot for Mary Sims was issued by the clerk’s office Feb. 5, the first day primary ballots could legally be mailed, officials said. On Feb. 12, the clerk’s office processed the cancellation of Sims’ voter registration after receiving notification of her death from the Illinois Department of Public Health, through the state’s voter registration system, according to prosecutors.

But two weeks later, on Feb. 26, Sims’ completed mail ballot was left in a drop box outside the clerk’s office, authorities say. After being run through the intake process, the ballot was flagged, voided and segregated from valid votes, officials said.

During a subsequent review March 27, election officials identified the voter’s death record had been processed prior to the return of the ballot, prosecutors said, leading to an investigation by the Lake County sheriff’s office.

Authorities allege that investigation showed that Bolton received her mother’s mail ballot, filled it out and signed her mother’s name to it before leaving it in the drop box.

Bolton surrendered Wednesday and is scheduled to appear in court later today.

“The safeguards and verification procedures in place within our election system worked exactly as intended,” county Clerk Anthony Vega said in the announcement of Bolton’s arrest Wednesday. “Our staff followed established protocols, identified the irregularity, and immediately coordinated with law enforcement to ensure this matter is thoroughly investigated.”

Officials said they are unaware of any other instances of someone using the vote-by-mail system to vote on behalf of a dead person in Lake County.

“While Lake County’s internal protocols and automated systems are effective, any attempt at voter fraud undermines democracy and must be prosecuted,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said.