Citizenship key to voter registration

The Illinois voter registration application asks, "I swear or affirm that: I am a citizen of the United States." This registration is based on the honor system, since if you have no driver's license or Secretary of State ID or last four digits of Social Security Number, you can check "I have none of the above-listed identification numbers." Of course, it's a "felony" should a person falsely affirm as a citizen, but who is the wiser than the applicant?

In Chicago, the mayor has issued the CityKey photo ID card available to all Chicago residents regardless of immigration status, criminal record or gender identity and no retention of information submitted by the applicant for a verification. The CityKey will then be used by a person to register with the State Board of Elections to vote in local and federal elections without being a citizen of the United States.

A state board of Elections spokesperson says the CityKey, designed primarily for "illegal immigrants," will be accepted in Chicago as a valid form of identification to register to vote.

Before 1950, the official Census form asked: "Person's place of birth … If foreign born, is the person a citizen?" The Constitution provides for proportional representation in the U.S. House of Representatives and the seats in the House are apportioned based on state population according to the constitutionally mandated Census.

Trust, but verify. However, local or state or federal governments have no "checks and balances" on the actual number of United States citizens if the Census forms don't ask "If foreign born, is the person a citizen?"

Robert Meale

Crystal Lake