East Central Reporter

Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) is demanding swift action in uncovering how a government program wrongly allowed more than 500 non-citizens to register to vote over a near two-year period.

“We need something done right away,” Bailey said. “This isn’t something that can wait for a task force to be created, multiple hearings held around the state for months and then have some report submitted to maybe pass some legislation next year. We have absentee and early voting starting in just a few days and this cannot wait.”

Several media outlets have reported the Automatic Voters Registration (AVR) program overseen by the secretary of state’s office made the “programming error” that led to the registrations. The program worked by automatically registering everyone who received a driver’s license or new state ID card.

Of the non-citizens that were registered, the Illinois Board of Directors has thus far confirmed that at least 19 of them actually voted as recently as 2018.

Bailey isn’t alone in his outrage.

“This is an egregious mistake,” said assistant Republican leader Tim Butler. “The right to vote is our most important right as Americans and protecting the integrity of the voting process is vital to preserving its value and credibility, particularly with the threat of foreign meddling that exists today.”

Bailey and House Republicans serving on the Illinois House Executive Committee have sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Madigan requesting a full investigation along with posting the issue of AVR for a public hearing at the state capitol in Springfield Jan. 30.