 Members of the House Elections Committee say they're considering
formal hearings into how and why 36 counties missed the deadline to
send ballots to deployed servicemen and other overseas voters.
State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said there is clearly something
wrong when one-third of local election offices miss a federal
deadline to ensure soldiers and sailors have their votes counted.
"At least let's have some kind of inquiry ... and let's review,
find out what happened for sure, and then take steps to make sure it
doesn't happen in the future," he said.
Brady said over 2,800 ballots were sent out late, and it remains
to be seen if those ballots will all be returned on time.
State Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Des Plaines, said that will be one
of the deciding factors for whether lawmakers hold hearings or hold
a more formal inquiry.
"The election authorities have two weeks after Election Day to
get the ballots back and still count them. And I'd like to see if
the delay in sending out the ballots results in the ballots being
delayed even after those two weeks," she said.
The Illinois State Board of Elections and the U.S. Justice
Department ordered local election offices in six counties to extend
the final deadline for late ballots until Nov. 19. The two agencies
also conducted their own investigation into why the counties missed
the overseas ballot deadline. That probe did not blame or exonerate
local election offices.
Nekritz said she's not interested in finding a scapegoat either.
"It's rarely my intention to hold a hearing for grandstanding
purposes. I would like to have a legitimate inquiry into what
happened and making sure that ballots get counted," she said.
Brady adds that he's just looking for a solution, but he thinks
the legislature needs to send a serious message to local election
officials that answers and a full accounting are expected.
"It may be something we need -- subpoena power. ... That
authority would need to be there, as opposed to an open invitation
to come if you want to," he said.
Nekritz said she couldn't remember the last time lawmakers
subpoenaed someone to testify.
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Calls to both the State Board of Elections and local election
officials for comment were not returned.
Brady has sent a letter to Nekritz, who heads the House Elections
Committee, to formally request hearings during November's fall veto
session. Nekritz said she would like to see the legislature open an
inquiry, but she thinks it may have to wait until January, when a
new General Assembly is sworn in.
Either way, both lawmakers expect to see legislation next spring
in response to the mistakes of this fall.
Brady said there is some conflict between federal mandates, state
law and local budgets. He said the solution may be a stronger State
Board of Elections.
"(The state board) lacks the teeth of enforcement. In this area
(the state board) is not in a position to be able to fine or impose
some type of penalty against a county clerk or election authority,"
he said.
Nekritz expects action and hopes for answers, but she also said
lawmakers are already looking at a massive to-do list for next
spring that centers entirely on Illinois' dismal fiscal situation.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
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