Hollow threats on fake voter registration

In an article that appeared in the Daily Herald on Monday, July 27, (Illinois election officials say checks in place to prevent noncitizen voting), Illinois State Board of Elections spokesperson Matt Dietrich cited 10 prosecutions of noncitizens voting in 44 years. The inference is that this small number of prosecutions indicates that the safeguards in place are preventing noncitizens from “inadvertently becoming registered to vote.”

But, if the Illinois election officials were completely honest, they would admit that they have no idea how many noncitizens are registered to vote, inadvertently or intentionally.

Any person who wants to register to vote in Illinois can download a one-page Illinois Voter Registration Application from the Illinois State Board of Elections website or from their county clerk’s website. The registrant is required to provide a copy of a photo ID or other documents that prove residency (not citizenship). There is a single question on the application pertaining to citizenship: “Are you a citizen of the United States of America?” with check boxes for yes and no.

If the registrant provides the required evidence of residency, checks the “yes” box on the citizenship question, and mails the application, they will be registered to vote and will receive a voter registration card. Neither the counties nor the state has any way of verifying citizenship. Even if they wanted to, there is no single, consolidated database of U.S. citizens at the federal level.

We’re left to assume that the “safeguards in place” are the threats of perjury, fines, imprisonment, or deportation printed on the application. But, with no way to prove that a registrant is not a citizen, these threats seem hollow.

Randy Harris

Campton Hills