Illinois

Voter roll purges are ‘not going to happen’ in Illinois, a state election official says – Illinois Newsroom

Published

2 years ago

September 14, 2022

Voter roll purges are ‘not going to happen’ in Illinois, a state election official says – Illinois Newsroom

Election season is across the nook, and so are renewed conversations round voter fraud and election integrity.

States like Wisconsin and Georgia have not too long ago eliminated a whole bunch of hundreds of names off their voter lists, in what critics are calling “voter purges.” And in preparation for the 2020 election, the Ohio secretary of state eliminated practically half one million names, hundreds erroneously.

Election officers in these states say they’re cleansing up their voter lists, deleting voters who’re inactive, have moved or handed away. However voting rights teams say voter purges are sometimes flawed and states ought to as a substitute implement same-day voter registration.

So the place does Illinois fall in all of this? In line with Matt Dietrich with the Illinois Board of Elections, it’s very onerous for eligible voters to get kicked off the lists right here. Even when voters are eliminated, eligible Illinois voters nonetheless have some ways to make sure that their poll is solid.

Mawa Iqbal not too long ago talked to Dietrich about how Illinois officers guarantee voter rolls are correct and the way eligible voters can ensure that they’re counted.

This interview has been edited for brevity and readability. How does an election authority confirm that an individual is eligible to vote?

We have now loads of instruments by way of our Illinois voter registration system, which is a proprietary on-line device that’s accessible to our native election authorities for them to validate new registrants, and likewise to make it possible for individuals are nonetheless residing the place they are saying they’re residing — by way of social safety numbers, for instance.

They do even have entry to demise data, for instance, from the Illinois Division of Public Well being, from the Social Safety Administration. ERIC additionally references these.

Who’s ERIC?

Digital Registration Info Middle. It’s a consortium of 33 states plus the District of Columbia, and Illinois is one member. It hyperlinks these 33 member states in order that we are able to change info on voters who could have moved out of state and at the moment are registered in a special state. And that info can come again to the unique election authority in Illinois, who can then take away that voter as soon as their id is validated.

ERIC has entry to driver’s license info from all of our member states, which additionally inherently would give it social safety quantity entry, so you’ll be able to cross reference loads of these issues.

ERIC might be the perfect device that any state can have for sustaining correct voter rolls.

Does the state board of elections take away names?

We don’t take away anybody from the voter rolls. That’s all of the duty of the 108 native election authorities in Illinois. Voter lists upkeep is a course of that occurs daily all year long.

How do native election authorities go about eradicating names?

Earlier than each election, the native election authority mails you a voter card. That card can solely be delivered to the handle that the voter has on file. So if the particular person now not lives at that residence, then that voter card bounces again to the election authority, and that begins a course of the place they try and contact the voter by different means.

Right here’s a breakdown of the voter removing course of:

Election officers ship a chunk of mail that may be forwarded in case a voter left a forwarding handle.
If the voter will get that new mail, they will change their handle to the brand new handle and stay an energetic voter.
If the voter doesn’t get that mail, they’re listed as “inactive” for that election cycle, or two years.
However, inactive voters are nonetheless registered. So, you’ll be able to nonetheless present as much as the polling place and vote, making you “energetic” once more.
Should you don’t vote, election officers will make a second try to succeed in inactive voters throughout the second election cycle.
If the official continues to be unable to succeed in voters after this, then they are often faraway from the listing — that’s all about 4 years within the making.

It’s a protracted course of and the rationale that works out that approach is since you don’t wish to have individuals eliminated with out trigger.

However I believe the primary factor to recollect in Illinois is that in distinction to different states, not voting isn’t going to be grounds for beginning the method that may transfer you out of voter registration.

In case your voter card can’t be delivered to you, and your native election authority begins the method of making an attempt to contact you, you’re solely moved to inactive standing, you’re nonetheless thought of registered. So in the event you present up at your polling place to vote, then you’ll be able to reactivate your energetic standing, you simply have to verify your handle.

That’s one of many few circumstances the place you could have to point out ID the place your voter usually is otherwise you’d need to confirm by some means that sure, “I do dwell on the handle that I’m registered at, despite the fact that my voter card was not delivered to me there.”

What can voters do to verify they don’t get kicked off the listing?

You will get on-line on our web site anytime you progress, you’ll be able to go to elections.il.gov and register. If you’re not registered, you’ll be able to register on Election Day — you’ll be able to present up at 6:50 p.m. earlier than the polls are going to shut, fill out your registration and vote, primarily.

And now we even have computerized voter registration. When people apply for advantages by way of the Division of Human Companies, for instance, or in the event you utilized by way of the Division of Pure Assets for a looking or fishing license, you may also register to vote at the moment as nicely.

However the primary movement of voters into the system by way of computerized voter registration comes by way of driver’s licenses. And the large deal about that’s your registration now follows you.

We have now much more instruments now for ensuring that each one the voters are accounted for.

Mawa Iqbal covers state politics for WBEZ. Comply with @mawa_iqbal.

Source link

Click to comment

Illinois

Illinois adds reproductive health choices to anti-discrimination law

Published

2 hours ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

Illinois adds reproductive health choices to anti-discrimination law

SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) – Illinois’ Human Rights Act will soon protect people’s reproductive health decisions thanks to a new law taking effect Jan. 1, 2025.

“It amends the Human Rights Act to protect an individual’s reproductive health decisions from discrimination or retaliation in the context of employment, housing, public accommodations, education and financial credit,” said state Sen. Laura Fine, D-Glenview, the legislation’s Senate sponsor.

She said under the law, reproductive health decisions aren’t limited to pregnancy-related choices. Yes, someone’s past decision whether to get an abortion will be covered, but so will family planning choices like whether to take birth control, sterilization, whether to seek fertility treatments, or use holistic medicine or alternative medicine.

“It would be a violation, for example, for an employer to terminate an employee for seeking in vitro fertilization, a housing provider to refuse an apartment rental because a person had an abortion or a bank to deny a loan because it is going to be used for fertility treatments,” Fine said.

The law’s opponents fear it could limit people’s First Amendment rights. Though it has exemptions for religious organizations, it does not exempt groups like nonprofits that may have a faith-based mission but are not directly affiliated with a denomination.

“There is a right of association under the First Amendment and it allows the freedom to associate with other who have similar political, religious and cultural beliefs, and I fear that is exactly who this bill is targeting is organizations that aren’t affiliated with one religion but they are formed for a purpose and to associate with those who have a similar religious belief,” said state Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, citing a previous U.S. Supreme Court decision.

She said crisis pregnancy centers are an example of organizations that could be affected by the new law.

Source link

Illinois

Illinois Tollway Board approves billion-dollar, multi-year capital plan

Published

10 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Illinois Tollway Board approves billion-dollar, multi-year capital plan

DIXON — The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors has approved a new seven-year capital plan to support ongoing infrastructure projects and bridge the gap between the “Move Illinois” program and the agency’s next long-term capital plan, “Bridging the Future.”

The $2 billion “Bridging the Future” capital plan will help modernize the Illinois Tollway’s infrastructure to help support future projects while addressing maintenance issues along the five roadways on the Tollway system, including the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway.

‘Bridging the Future’ overview

Connecting infrastructure – $258 million will be spent on interchange work, including the I-355/I-88 interchange, state Route 390 Tollway at County Farm Road and the I-88 at York Road/22nd Street interchanges. Improvements will also be made to the Lake Cook Road Bridge over I-94.
Improving mobility – $725 million will be spent on bridge reconstruction and widening projects, including local crossroad and mainline bridges on I-294, railroad bridges on I-294 and I-88 and crossroad bridge reconstruction at the north end of I-94.
Modernizing the system – $532 million will be spent on system upgrades and maintenance systemwide, including bridge repairs, pavement rehabilitation and funding for improvements to toll plazas and tollway facilities.
Preparing for the future – $485 million will be allocated for technology investments in active traffic management, upgrades to back-office systems and support for pilot programs and studies.

“The Bridging the Future capital plan is a smart and balanced approach that ensures the completion of critical improvements as we continue the engagement necessary to advance our long-term capital planning process,” Board Chairman Arnie Rivera said. “The Illinois Tollway Board has a fiscal responsibility to prioritize strategic regional projects with system upkeep to leverage funds efficiently.”

No changes to the tollway’s current tolling structure or any further debt financing are expected to fund “Bridging the Future” outside of what is already planned for the “Move Illinois” program, according to a news release.

“Throughout the past year, we’ve been gathering stakeholder and community input as part of our long-term strategic and capital planning process, and one thing we’ve heard across the board is that customers, communities and contractors don’t want to see a pause in progress or wait for the next capital program to begin,” Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said. “The Bridging the Future plan will help keep our regional economic engine primed, delivering jobs and contract opportunities and also ensuring our planned infrastructure improvements remain on track.”

“Move Illinois,” the tollway’s current $15 billion capital program, is expected to finish by the end of 2027. The program has already accomplished several milestones, including the 2017 completion of state Route 390, the rebuilt Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) with its SmartRoad corridor and the 2022 interchange connecting I-294 to I-57.

Construction of the new I-490 Tollway, including reconstruction and widening of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294), is on schedule for completion.

The Illinois Tollway is a user-funded system without federal or state funding for its maintenance and operations. It oversees 294 miles of roadways across 12 counties in Northern Illinois.

For more information, visit illinoistollway.com.

Source link

Illinois

Why Illinois Basketball Is Strangely Sinking in KenPom Rankings

Published

18 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Why Illinois Basketball Is Strangely Sinking in KenPom Rankings

About two weeks ago, Illinois was fresh off a bounce-back win over then-No. 20 Wisconsin and sitting at 7-2 (1-1 Big Ten).

Even considering the previous Friday’s overtime loss to Northwestern – which hadn’t won a high-major game at that point – and the fact that Illinois had dropped out of the AP Top 25 poll, the Illini were still well-respected by the metrics, landing at No. 15 in the KenPom rankings.

Fast forward to present day, after the Illini have played two more games. A heart-breaking two-point home loss to No. 1 Tennessee and a commendable 80-77 neutral-site win over a 10-2 Missouri squad in St. Louis.

Still braggin’ 🏆#Illini | #HTTO | #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/jS70685xfF
— Illinois Men’s Basketball (@IlliniMBB) December 22, 2024
Advertisement

Naturally, one would think 40 competitive minutes against the top team in the country and a victory over a high-quality SEC team (especially in a rivalry game) would boost not only Illinois’ reputation but also its standing in metrics such as KenPom.

Actually, the opposite was the case.

In fact, Illinois dropped all the way to No. 23 – no longer even among the top five in the Big Ten (Maryland, Oregon, Michigan State, UCLA, and Michigan are all ranked above).

Even more surprising, this came during a time when the Illini’s defensive efficiency actually climbed, from 17th all the way up to 11th over the past two weeks.

The issue, as has been the case all season, lies on the other end of the floor.

Over that two-week stretch, Illinois’ offensive efficiency has fallen from 25th to 37th. Given that KenPom’s metrics use a combination of data from the box score and play-by-play, it’s likely that Illinois’ KenPom offensive efficiency has continued to falter due to its combined 40-for-108 shooting (37.0 percent) against Tennessee and Missouri.

It’s important to note that it is only late December and Illinois has played just two conference games, which means two things: 1) KenPom isn’t working with a great deal of data just yet, and 2) the Illini will get a boatload of opportunities to prove themselves moving forward.

And those opportunities are coming sooner rather than later, as Illinois gets its last tune-up game of the season against Chicago State on Sunday before diving head-first into conference play and kicking the New Year off with a matchup against No. 9 Oregon in Eugene on January 2.