Hearing likely for late military ballots, but not soon

[May 10, 2011]  SPRINGFIELD -- A hearing into why dozens of Illinois counties were late in sending military and overseas ballots appears unlikely to happen in November.

State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, called for a legislative inquiry into the late ballots shortly after more than 30 counties admitted they missed a September deadline to have ballots for soldiers and other overseas voters in the mail.

The Illinois General Assembly was back at the Capitol for three days of veto session the week before Thanksgiving and will return for a few days this week, but lawmakers say it's unlikely that they'll have enough time to hold a hearing.

State Rep. Elaine Nekritz, who heads the Illinois House Elections Committee, said she is committed to holding a full hearing. But she said it may have to wait.

"I don't sense that there is really a tremendous amount of urgency for this," she said. "The ballots weren't due back and be counted till Nov. 16. ... I think we have some time to put together a thoughtful hearing, gather the information, gather the witnesses we need and proceed from there."

Nekritz said that could push a hearing back into December or even into the next legislative session sometime next spring.

Brady said there is urgency to make sure the issue doesn't get lost in the shuffle of a new legislature and the upcoming budget battle.

"That's why I was aiming for the veto session, or we could do something in December. I'd like to (hold a hearing) so we're not in the same situation when session is going on because there are so many other issues going on," he said.

Brady said there need to be answers, and lawmakers need those answers as soon as possible so that the legislature can make any necessary changes.

Nekritz expects answers but not many new laws.

"It doesn't seem to me that (new legislation) would be necessary, because we have deadlines in the statute already. But we have to figure out what happened," Nekritz said.

The Illinois State Board of Elections and the U.S. Department of Justice conducted a review of all 110 election authorities in Illinois. Both recommended that six counties give military and overseas voters extra time because of the delay in mailing the ballots. Those ballots were all due to be back in election offices the week before Thanksgiving. But it will still be a little while before each vote is officially counted.

"The counties will certify (ballots) Nov. 23, and then Dec. 3 is when the State Board of Elections will certify the election. But what I think is important is that we learn from this and ask the questions and find out what happened," said Brady.

[Illinois Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]