Illinois officials undecided on Trump's request for voter information
An Illinois State Board of Elections spokesman says the board will decide next month whether to provide some information about voters to President Donald Trump's voting commission.
But Ken Menzel said Wednesday state law prohibits certain information from being released, such as voters' Social Security and driver's license numbers.
Meanwhile, Cook County Clerk David Orr called the president's commission "inauthentic" and recommended state authorities not comply with the voting commission's request they turn over voters' names, party affiliations, birth dates, felony conviction records, voting histories for the past decade and the last four digits of voters' Social Security numbers.
"I strongly encourage the Illinois Board of Elections, as well as my fellow elections administrators, to be cautious of the motives of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Voter Integrity and not comply with this dangerous request," Orr said. He said the Trump administration instead should bring every state into the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a network of states including Illinois "that securely shares voter registration data."
The voting commission, which was formed to investigate allegations of voter fraud in the 2016 elections, has asked every state for voter information.
Trump, on Twitter, lashed out at states refusing to comply and added, "What are they trying to hide?"
Illinois election officials don't maintain some information the commission is seeking, such as party affiliation. State law also limits the type of entities that may receive voter data.
The board will consider the request Aug. 22.
• Daily Herald staff contributed.