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Letter: Voter integrity

I recently read a letter questioning why voters in Illinois don’t have to produce an ID to be able to vote. Requiring voters to produce an ID is a solution looking for a problem.

I was a poll watcher in 2018 and 2020. What I observed were election judges that were respectful, courteous and well-versed in election law. There is no way widespread voter fraud can be perpetrated by a voter trying to game the system.

As many know, before they vote, voters sign an affidavit stating who they are. That signature is compared by the election judge to the signature on file. If there’s a question, a second judge is consulted. In some cases, a third judge makes a determination as to the authenticity of the signature. If a consensus cannot be reached, the voter is given a provisional ballot and that ballot is set aside to be reviewed at the county clerk’s office.

Some voters don’t have a state-issued ID. I believe presenting a counterfeited ID while trying to vote would be easier than forging a signature.

We should be discussing ways to make it easier to vote, not ways to make it harder. Declaring election day a holiday and sending all registered voters a ballot would be good first steps.

Phil Heil

Huntley

Source: The Daily Chronicle

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