(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers are weighing in on federal legislation that would require proof of citizenship for voter registration.
The Illinois House Ethics & Elections Committee met Tuesday evening to discuss the Safeguard Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
Kerri Toloczko of the Election Integrity Network supports the SAVE Act.
Toloczko said noncitizens are able to get Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses in Illinois.
“So what do you need to register in Illinois to vote? A driver’s license and the last four of your Social. Surely we see the problem,” Toloczko said.
State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, said the SAVE Act would require in-person requests for vote-by-mail applications.
“To me, that is completely nonsensical and is going to disenfranchise people with disabilities,” Stuart said.
The U.S. Senate is expected to consider the SAVE Act after it was approved by the U.S. House earlier this month.
The ethics & elections committee also discussed several election-related bills currently under consideration in the Statehouse.
State Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine, said she proposed HB 1445 to make polling places accessible for young voters.
“It makes me excited that we have a potential opportunity to make it easier for young voters to have a say in their political process and feel like they are deciding their future and they are deciding the people that elect them,” Syed said.
The measure would add days to the early voting and registration period and expand hours and voting locations on Election Day.
State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, expressed a potential point of concern for county clerks about adding new polling places.
“A frustration that I often hear is the fact that it takes us so long to count votes to get election results. By shifting the time frame to where Election Day we’re now including a new polling place for certain counties, certain voting jurisdictions, I think that’s going to further delay the tabulation of votes and the result being known on Election Night,” Windhorst said.
State Rep. Adbelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, proposed House Bill 2998, which provides that all local election authorities shall post requirements and qualifications for running for local offices and petition filing deadlines on the website of the local election authority.
State Rep. Paul Jacobs, R-Pomona, said the measure might work in larger counties.
“I have counties that have five-thousand people in them. They are overburdened at this point now. I find that this would be very, very difficult for them,” Jacobs said.
