Election integrity efforts underway as IL early voting begins in two months

With early voting for the Nov. 5 election beginning in just over two months in Illinois, the political parties are putting out their election integrity teams.

Early voting in Illinois begins 40 days before the November election in Illinois, or around Sept. 26. Former Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy said Illinois voting needs reforms.

“You know it used to be we had election day, now we have election season,” Tracy said last week outside of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. “It used to be that we didn’t have same day registration and now we do and that creates chaos for the county clerks in Illinois who administer the election.”

New Illinois GOP Chair Kathy Salvi said Republicans plan to drive voters to the polls under the state’s rules.

“We don’t have voter ID in Illinois. We do have signature verification, so we work within the rules that we have in order to ensure that every legitimate vote is counted and every cheat is discovered,” Salvi said.

Republicans are training election judges across the state to monitor the process, she said.

“We have a very aggressive effort of training poll workers and election judges to some of the tricks,” Salvi said.

The Democratic Party of Illinois said on its website the party’s voter protection manager will work with staff, volunteers, community organizations and legal partners to “ensure the integrity of the electoral process and protect voters’ rights.”

Last week in Milwaukee, Pastor David Lowery stood with Republicans and said he had problems with what he experienced in Chicago in 2020.

“If the polling places were straight, Black people would have the opportunity to vote for who they chose, not who they’re told to,” Lowery said.

Any election fraud allegations can be reported to local law enforcement and county and state elections officials.

“If available, documentary evidence, (including photographs) should be included with the filing as well as contact information for any witnesses,” the Illinois State Board of Elections said on its website. “Complainants alleging election-day violations should be brought to the attention of the Election Authority of the jurisdiction in which the alleged violation occurred.”