As President Donald Trump continues to challenge mail ballots and push for a nationwide eligible registry list, many voters are confused about their own rights in the November midterm elections.
Trump in late July asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt lower court decisions that blocked a March executive order that would have made the federal government create a list of eligible voters and then make the U.S. Postal Service deliver mail ballots specifically to those on the list. Trump also wants the federal government to investigate and prosecute officials who issue ballots to “noncitizens.” The executive order came amid the president’s claims that people who lack legal status are voting.
Trump also is pushing Congress to pass his proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, dubbed the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote. But his efforts have repeatedly stalled in the Senate.
Despite his ongoing fight against mail-in voting. Trump voted by mail once again in Florida’s Republican primary. He also voted by mail in a special election in Palm Beach County earlier this year.
In Illinois, “There’s really nothing that’s changed yet,” State Board of Elections spokeswoman Bernadette Matthews said. “It’s business as usual with operations and Illinois law that runs alongside federal requirements. Nothing has been changed from previous cycles right now through any of the federal actions or the litigation yet.”
Here’s where things stand 10 weeks before Election Day.
Can I vote if I live abroad?
Illinois citizens who live overseas or are serving in the U.S. armed forces can register and vote by mail. Military personnel are allowed to register to vote and apply for a vote-by-mail ballot at the same time under Illinois law. The Federal Post Card Application is provided by the Department of Defense to let members of the armed forces, their dependents and U.S. citizens abroad to vote by mail and, if necessary, to register to vote.
Can I view my voter registration information online?
Yes. The Illinois State Board of Elections has a registration website where you can look up your registry with simple information like your full name, date of birth, address and Zip code. It also gives you the deadlines to register. Applications are now open to request a vote-by-mail ballot in Illinois, including an online application for those in Chicago. All requests by mail must be made by Sept. 24. Voters also can request a mail ballot in person.
Do I need a passport to prove I’m a citizen to vote?
No. In Illinois, you need at least one form of ID that has your current address to be able to register to vote — but not to actually vote. That could include a driver’s license, bank statement, lease, utility bill or state ID. The SAVE Act would require a passport, a certified birth certificate with a photo ID, a naturalization certificate or a Consular Report of Birth abroad to register to vote in person.
Have people who lack legal status voted in Illinois?
“Noncitizen” voting is extremely rare, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Since 1982, only 10 noncitizens have been confirmed to have voted in an Illinois election.
What happens if someone lacking legal status tries to vote?
Under the National Voter Registration Act, voters are not required to show proof of U.S. citizenship when they register to vote. Voters must attest, under penalty of perjury, that they are U.S. citizens when completing their voter registration applications.
Voter registration applications created by the Illinois State Board of Elections ask, “Are you a citizen of the United States?” Applicants also are required to certify the following: “The information I have provided is true to the best of my knowledge under penalty of perjury. If I have provided false information, then I may be fined, imprisoned, or, if I am not a U.S. citizen, deported from or refused entry into the United States.”
Voters who register by other methods must also attest to their status as a citizen. If an applicant does not make the required certification of citizenship, the voter registration application will be denied.
Should I turn in my mail ballot early in light of U.S. Postal Service changes?
Yes. The Illinois State Board of Elections is recommending that voters mail back ballots as early as possible. To ensure that your mail ballot will be counted, it must be postmarked by Election Day and be received by the board of elections no later than 14 days after the date of the election. Under a new policy, mail is postmarked on the day it is processed at the post office, rather than on the day it is dropped in a mailbox.
Is a ballot drop box secure?
Not every election authority in Illinois has one, but, yes, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections, which has security measures in place for drop boxes. If your local election authority doesn’t have a drop box, you can hand-deliver your vote-by-mail ballot directly to election authorities.
What happens if I didn’t get my mail ballot or I got it but want to vote in person instead?
If you didn’t receive the mail ballot, you can go to your local election authority, fill out an affidavit attesting to the non-receipt and vote with a regular ballot. If you got one and decided not to use it, you can surrender the vote-by-mail ballot to the election authority and then vote in person.
Do I need a REAL ID or a Social Security card to vote?
No. You do not need to bring a REAL ID or a Social Security card to vote.
Do I need to have the name on my birth certificate as my voter registration name?
No. But Trump’s SAVE Act would require you to bring in additional paperwork, such as a marriage certificate, if your name doesn’t match other IDs that you’ve brought. According to the nonpartisan website Vote.org, an estimated 69 million American women do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name.
Does the Justice Department have access to the Illinois voter registration database?
No. But the Trump administration is trying to make that happen. The Illinois State Board of Elections is keeping track of the latest court case, which has seen a federal judge rule against giving that access. So far, there has been no appeal of that ruling.