The Independent View: IL Election Confidence Rattled As Voters Receive Wrong Ballot

Amidst Record-Low Voter Turnout, a Voter says She has No Confidence in the Illinois Election system, after receiving the Wrong Ballot.

Tammy Burnham walked into Hher Polling Place, in Will County Crete Township Precinct 8 on March 19th, to Vote and realized Her Ballot did Not have the correct State House Candidate on it. She was given the Wrong Ballot. Burnham said She has No Confidence in Illinois Elections.

The Technician confirmed that the Judges were supposed to hand out Ballots, but there was Two different Formats. The Election Judges did Not know there were Two different Ballot Formats to Hand Out.

Charles Pelkie, Will County Clerk Chief-of-Staff, said there were instances where Judges handed out the Wrong Ballot, but felt none of the Races in this Precinct were Close enough to Trigger a Discovery Request.

“In a close race, within a 5% margin, the losing candidate can request a discovery of a certain number of precincts. In a situation like this it would open an investigation and give everyone the opportunity to unseal the ballots and take a look at every aspect of the election in the precincts selected by the candidate who requested the discovery,” said Pelkie. “That didn’t happen in this precinct.”

Sp All the Voters who Voted prior to 1:30 p.m. should have been Contacted if they received the Wrong Ballot. They rushed the Election Judge Training and the Election Judges, did not understanding the Process.

Pelkie said they tell their Election Judges to make sure they’re handing out the Right Ballot format and that they are going to utilize New Technology in the General Election, to notify Judges if their Precincts have multiple Ballot Formats.

“We are always thankful when a voter notifies us of a situation like this,” said Pelkie. “It’s important the voter remains alert and confirms at the checking station they have received the right ballot style before they even walk away from the check-in.”

Voter Turnout for the March 19th Illinois Primary Election was 19.07%, the Lowest in at least the last 50 years. Despite that, Will County had another Mistake in last Month's Election.

60 Faulty Vote-by-Mail Ballots were sent out that didn’t have the 19th State Senate Race on it. The Constant Mistakes create a Lack-of-Confidence in the Illinois Election system.

General Counsel to the Illinois GOP John Fogarty said Illinois’ Goal should be giving Everyone Confidence in how the Election is run and that the Result is a True Result.

“Adding a layer of complexity will detract from what should be the goal of everyone, and that is to give confidence in how the election is run and that the result is a true result,” said Fogarty to the Illinois Ranked-Choice Voting and Election Systems Task Force.

A Task Force in Illinois, is studying Ranked-Choice-Voting (RCV) and Illinois could see the system Implemented by 2028 for the Presidential Primary. Fogarty said Ballots trickling in 14 days after the Election is both a Victory for Vvoters’ Rights, and yet One of the longest time periods in the Nnation to accept Ballots. “There are real concerns that arise when ballots come in via vote by mail after the election,” said Fogarty.

U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-12th District) and Republican Co-Plaintiffs, are represented by the Legal Group Judicial Watch. They contend that the Two-Week Deadline for Mail-in-Ballots burdens their Right-to-Vote, by allowing “illegal ballots” to “dilute the value of timely ballots cast and received on or before Election Day.”