(The Center Square) – A recent law passed by the Illinois legislature removed the requirement for election judges to display their names on their badges.
In a video from Pennsylvania posted to social media, multiple individuals wearing badges that read “voter protection” said the “voting is closed” and ushered people out of line at an early voting location.
Illinois State Board of Election spokesman Matt Dietrich gave tips for what Illinois voters should look for to ensure election judges are not imposters
“I think it’s enough to say that, when you go to your polling place you’ll know who the judges of elections are,” said Dietrich. “If that were to happen in Illinois, the election judges who are working that polling place have been trained for what to do with unauthorized people who are in a polling place.”
According to a recent court ruling, Bucks County Board of Elections violated the Pennsylvania Elections Code when officials and volunteers wearing fake badges turned voters away as they attempted to apply and obtain mail-in ballots before the deadline. Dietrich explained non-election officials wouldn’t be able to “sneak” around with judges noticing.
“Election judges are empowered to control their polling places and if they see anyone other than voters or people who have permission to be in there they are going to be asked to leave,” said Dietrich.
Illinois state Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said if people want to impersonate an election official, they’re going to do it despite the name requirement removal as approved by recent state law. But, Halbrook said the passing of House Bill 4488 is moving away from government transparency.
“In a process that needs to have the highest level of openness and transparency, we seem to be going the other direction,” Halbrook said. “I don’t know where the representative thought this was a problem. In our more rural counties, everybody knows everybody for the most part. I don’t think imposter election officials will be an issue here. The imposters will do it one way or the other. But I am going to be opposed to any of these omnibus election law changes because it never works out well for the voter.”
Proponents of HB4488 said the change is due to security reasons, to protect the election judges from aggressive voters. Dietrich explained the law was crafted to address aggressive voters.
“If you had any voters who came into a polling place and were aggressive for one reason or another, if they are dealing with an election judge who has a more official designation on their badge rather than just a name that they are less likely to continue their harassing behavior,” said Dietrich. “They would be more likely to obey directions from someone who is an officer of the court rather than their neighbor down the street.”
Illinois statute includes different payment requirements for the different types of election judges’ work. Election judges who work on Election Day are paid a flat rate of about $200.
