Illinois Senate Republican hopes to pass voter integrity plan this spring

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Sen. Steve McClure plans to improve voter integrity in Illinois. The Springfield Republican told reporters that he recently found an issue where noncitizens could potentially register to vote.

I Voted sticker in Decatur, Illinois October 2024.

An immigrant rights advocate told McClure that one of his clients received a voter registration form from the Illinois Department of Human Services when they applied for state aid.

"Those mailings were to be filled out in order for her to receive her benefits from the state of Illinois," McClure said. "In that envelope was a form for her to register to vote. On the back of this form, it is already addressed to her local county clerk."

A 2017 law requires the state to include voter registration applications when people apply for state aid. Yet, the law states DHS must verify people are authorized to vote before the application can be sent to local election officials.

"If the agencies are sending mail-in forms addressed directly to the election authority, not following the normal channel back to the agency, down the State Board of Elections, and then to us, I have no way to be able to identify that this is anything different and unique from the individual that it's coming from that's potentially a noncitizen," said Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray.

McClure said people may feel pressured into filling out the forms even if they are not legally allowed to vote in the country. He wants to require the Secretary of State's office to create a database for all noncitizens with a driver's license so county clerks can verify whether or not they can legally vote.

"All we know right now is that a lot of forms are being sent out to noncitizens, and noncitizens now have a tool to use to register very easily," McClure said. "They're being enticed to register and to vote."

A spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Human Services told WAND News that the state provides voter registration applications to those applying for benefits per federal rules.

"The application is optional and clearly states registration requirements, which include being 18 or older and a citizen of the United States," said DHS Communications Director Rachel Otwell.