Phone Lobbying for Automatic Voter Registration Bill

Votes being cast at the Crystal Lake Park District's Main Beach House.

Votes being cast at the Crystal Lake Park District’s Main Beach House.

Got a phone call about 10 asking me to call by State Representative Barbara Wheeler to urge her to vote for Senate Bill 250.

It was from a national group called “I Vote,” I was told.

Passage of the bill would “modernize” the voter registration process, the woman on the other end of the phone said.

There are 2 million unregistered people in Illinois that need registering.

I received another phone call as she was offering to transfer me to Rep. Wheeler’s phone.

Shells with holes in them 2 closer upI told her I knew how to get in touch with Wheeler and took the other call.

The shell bill sponsored by a host of Democrats, including Jack Franks replaces everything after the enacting clause and…

Amends the Election Code.

Provides that whenever a designated government agency serves a member of the public, the agency shall inform the individual of the qualifications to register to vote in Illinois and provide an opportunity to attest to meeting those qualifications.

Provides that the employee of the agency shall notify the individual that his or her personal information shall be transferred to the State Board of Elections and the appropriate election authority for the purpose of creating an electronic voter registration application, and that the individual will only be registered to vote if he or she meets the qualifications to register to vote in Illinois.

Requires the agency to transfer the personal information, including all records of documents relating to identity, address, or citizenship, for every applicant regardless of whether the individual executed an attestation.

Establishes procedures for the Board to process the voter registration information provided.

Provides for what notices shall be mailed to the applicant and procedures for the State Board of Elections to process the voter registration data and in cases of accidental or inadvertent registration.

Provides that certain information provided by the applicant is confidential.

Requires the Board, election authorities that maintain a website, and designated government agencies to provide information concerning the new registration procedures.

Requires the State Board of Elections to hold at least one public hearing on implementing the amendatory Act.

Provides that certain shall be implemented no later than July 1, 2017 for designated government agencies maintained by the Secretary of State and no later than January 1, 2018 for all other designated government agencies maintained by the State.

Requires the State Board of Elections to cross-reference certain information at least 6 times a year. Includes any federal source that agrees to submit personal identification information to the State for voter registration purposes and any other reliable State government source the State Board of Elections may designate in the definition of “designated government agency”.

Makes conforming changes. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to make conforming changes.

Effective immediately.


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