Starting Tuesday, Illinoisans will be able to register to vote on the Internet. Those registering through the State Board of Elections are told:
- You must be a United States Citizen.
- You must be at least 17 years old on or before the date of the next General Primary Election and be at least 18 years old on or before the date of the next General Election.
- You must live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day.
- Not be convicted and in jail.
- You must not claim the right to vote anywhere else.
The information the ISBE website requires is:
- Your Illinois Drivers License number or Illinois Secretary of State issued State ID number.
- Date the license or ID was issued.
- The last four digits of your Social Security number.
- Your birth date.
The applicant does not sign a paper form, but clicks a box to "confirm" they are the person named in the record and all they have entered on the website form is true. However, opponents say, no one could ever be prosecuted for voter fraud, since no one can prove who actually entered the data and clicked the okay.
The process is a completely anonymous registration that campaign workers will utilize with portable devices. That raises administrative concerns that incorrect signatures for voters may be selected by the Secretary of State, said Lake County Clerk Willard Helander while explaining the issues county clerks are having with the new system.
If the wrong signature is chosen, at the time of voting the voter should provide two pieces of ID and a correct signature, Helander said.
However, such a system could put county clerks in a difficult position when the voter first appears at his or her precinct to vote, confusion about the signature could lead to charges of 'voter suppression' when ID is rightfully required.
The online process appears as such on the ISBE website:
But even more confusing, the new voting law - HB 105 - removes requiring a government issued photo ID at early voting for November 2014 only.
In addition, there are other changes to voter law affecting registration on university or college campuses.
