Miller: Illinois ‘dragging its feet’ on voter rolls as election nears

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Congresswoman Mary Miller, R-Oakland, slammed the Illinois State Board of Elections on Monday for what she called a “dereliction of duty” in maintaining accurate voter rolls, criticizing the board’s decision to delay its response to a congressional inquiry until Feb. 12.

“For years, Illinois has refused to mandate voter ID, a commonsense election integrity measure.

The State also insists on counting mail-in ballots received long after election day, a controversial

practice that is subject to ongoing litigation,” states a letter sent by Illinois Republican congressmen.

Miller said Illinois begins early voting on Feb. 5, and that the board is just dragging their feet.

“These are basic steps… to maintain the voter rolls. It should have been done before they were forced to do it,” told The Center Square.

Miller led a letter along with Congressmen Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro and Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, requesting answers from the Illinois elections board regarding the accuracy of the state’s voter rolls and compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The Committee on House Administration letter cites concerns that the state may not be properly removing ineligible voters, including deceased individuals, non-residents, and undocumented immigrants.

“They won’t release their voter rolls, and by not reporting removal data, we are suspicious that dead people are on the voter rolls and illegals and whoever else, people that moved out,” Miller said. “I know I have family members that have moved out of the state and they’re still getting ballots. Illinois is still mailing them ballots. And they tried to get themselves off and they wouldn’t take them off.”

The Illinois State Board of Elections confirmed it received both the committee’s Jan. 22 and Feb. 2 letters and has requested an extension to respond, now scheduled for Feb. 12.

“We won’t have any comment until our formal reply to the committee has been drafted and sent,” the board spokesman Matt Dietrich told TCS.

Miller called accurate voter rolls essential to public confidence in elections.

“I think we have the votes to flip Illinois red, and I think we have a lack of enthusiasm by citizens because they don’t believe that we have fair elections in Illinois,” said Miller. “That’s why I led this letter, and we want answers from the Illinois State Board of Elections about the accuracy of Illinois voter rolls.”

Miller expressed frustration over the delayed board response but vowed aggressive oversight.

“Whatever opportunities we have to force them, to force their hand, I am going to be very aggressive here,” Miller said.

Miller argued that Illinois’ failure to comply with the NVRA should have consequences, such as withholding federal funding for elections or involving the Department of Justice to enforce compliance.

“They do get some money to run their elections, and we could bring the DOJ in if they refuse to provide evidence that they’re running fair elections. Illinois is one of 23 states that are being sued by the administration because we want access to unredacted voter rolls,” said Miller.

Miller cited Illinois’ policy of issuing driver’s licenses and other benefits to undocumented immigrants as a potential factor in registering ineligible voters.

“Illinois is so happy to issue driver’s licenses to illegals and roll out all the benefits for them, and I am very confident that they are doing things to help them vote also,” she said.