Marter alleges fraud in U.S. elections, but Underwood insists they’re secure

Democratic U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood of Naperville and the Republican challenger for her 14th District seat, James Marter of Oswego, strongly disagree about whether American elections are secure.

In a recent joint candidate interview, Marter claimed election fraud is rampant and “comes in many forms.”

Underwood, who has served the 14th District since 2018 and is seeking a fourth term, insisted elections in the U.S. are secure “without a doubt.” But she also said voters remain vulnerable to election misinformation spread electronically by adversarial nations.

Marter — a library board member and software consultant who also ran for Congress in 2018 and 2020 and for U.S. Senate in 2016 — wrote in a Daily Herald questionnaire that cheating by Democrats “is historically rampant.” Members of both political parties have been charged with election fraud, however.

In the joint interview, Marter alleged people living in the U.S. illegally and other noncitizens are registering to vote through programs that allow people to sign up when getting driver's licenses. When asked for evidence, Marter said the process “is set up to allow it.”

Citing his experience with computers, Marter said he could write a program that would allow him to cheat in an election.

Marter went on to object to letting people vote early, saying it creates opportunities for people to collect and alter ballots, citing cases in Michigan and Wisconsin. He has said Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election through widespread election fraud, even though no evidence has been uncovered.

To prevent election fraud, voters should be required to provide identification and proof of citizenship, Marter said.

Underwood said Congress has invested billions of dollars to strengthen election security since Russian hackers accessed voter files in Illinois and other states 2016. Russia, Iran, North Korea and China and criminal organizations continue trying to undermine confidence in the government and elections, she said.

“These things remain serious threats to our election system because of the misinformation that they spread,” she said.

Underwood accused Marter of sowing distrust in government with “vague allegations of fraud, vague allegations of schemes.”

“All it does is weaken people’s trust that when they cast their vote it will be counted,” she said.

In her questionnaire, Underwood called for the “swift passage” of the stalled John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and Freedom to Vote Act to restore and strengthen voting rights established under previous legislation.

The 14th District includes parts of Kane, Will and five other counties. Tuesday is the last day to vote.