* It’s sad that they even have to do this…
The State Board of Elections has received inquiries from voters, the media and public interest groups concerning the integrity of the November 8, 2016, General Election. The State Board of Elections wishes to assure voters that the allegations of a “rigged” election are completely unfounded. A brief overview of the election process illustrates the numerous safeguards built into the election system to secure the integrity of the voting machines and tabulation of election results.
Initially, the Voting and Registration Systems Division of the State Board of Elections thoroughly tests the voting equipment to ensure compliance with both Federal and State standards prior to approving its use in Illinois elections, and also conducts testing of the voting equipment prior to each Election. This testing takes place in jurisdictions selected by the State Board of Elections both randomly and in those jurisdictions where it is deemed advisable due to any problems in previous elections, and is open to the public.
Each of the 109 election authorities in the State must conduct errorless pre-tests of its automatic tabulating equipment and program to verify that they will correctly count the votes for all offices and public questions. A copy of that program is filed with the State Board prior to the election. Thereafter, not less than 5 days prior to Election Day, the election authority must publicly test the equipment. The public test of the equipment takes place at a minimum of 48 hours after notice is published, and is open to the public and all interested parties.
Following these mandatory public tests, the voting equipment and memory cards are locked and sealed in tamper-proof containers until Election Day. The containers are unlocked and unsealed on Election Day in the presence of the election judges and any authorized watchers that are present. If any tampering has occurred, it would be evident at that time.
In addition to the mandatory testing, the law requires training for all citizens who serve as election judges. Each election authority must establish a 4-hour training course for its judges. Also, the State Board of Elections conducts schools for the training of election judges throughout the State of Illinois. These schools, conducted by Board staff, are well-attended and on-going. Between July 25, 2016, and November 2, 2016, there are 62 schools scheduled.
Significantly, on Election Day the polling places are staffed by 5 judges – composed of both Democrats and Republicans - in each precinct. There are approximately 10,000 precincts in Illinois, which translates to 50,000 election judges present to assure the integrity of the process. Additionally, authorized poll watchers are eligible to be present in each precinct.
Following the close of the polls, the election judges process the ballots in the presence of all the judges and any authorized poll watchers in attendance.
Elections in Illinois are conducted not by the State Board of Elections, but by each of the 109 election jurisdictions. Thus, an attempt to “rig” the election would require involvement with multiple jurisdictions. The results from each of the precincts are totaled by each election jurisdiction and there is no connection to the internet. There is a paper trail in Illinois for each ballot cast, by whatever means it is cast.
Following the election, in those jurisdictions where in-precinct counting equipment is used, the election authority retabulates the total number of votes cast in 5% of the precincts within the election jurisdiction, as well as 5% of the voting devices used in early voting.
Any voter who is concerned about the integrity of the election process may want to consider becoming an election judge. Election authorities are always seeking election judges and serving as such allows the voter to experience first-hand the system from the opening of the precinct to the tabulation of the results. Voters may also consider volunteering as a pollwatcher though to do so they must be affiliated with a candidate, political party or civic organization engaged in overseeing the election process.
The State Board of Elections will provide updates, as necessary, prior to the General Election.
The State Board of Elections is an independent state agency charged with the responsibility of having general supervision over the administration of election laws of the State of Illinois. Elections are administered locally by the State’s 109 election authorities.
* Earlier today, I asked the SBE and the Chicago Board of Elections about this Russian Television story…
The US has rejected a Russian proposal to send diplomats to monitor the upcoming presidential elections and some states have even threatened to bring criminal charges against any that appear at ballot stations, Russian election officials report.
Sources in the Central Elections Commission have told Izvestia daily that its representatives held a series of talks with the US State Department to discuss sending a delegation of monitors to US polling stations on November 8. US officials categorically rejected even the possibility of such a mission, however, instead recommending that Russia join the international mission of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
The request was also rejected on a state level, and in three states – Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas – officials used “very harsh formulas” to do so, the sources said. “In violation of all principles of democracy and international monitoring, in Texas they even threatened to hold monitors who appear at ballot stations criminally responsible,” they added.
I was told that neither board received such a request from the Russians. And, by the way, good on Texas.
- siriusly - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 3:32 pm:
Yes, sad, but it’s good that they issued this statement. This baloney needs to be countered with facts.
BTW Governor Rauner - it might be nice for you to to talk about our state election systems. Or maybe a joint presser with the county clerks? People want confidence in the system, and it’s better to reassure before. After the votes are counted it will be too late to assure anyone who disputes the results.
Since the GOP presidential candidate is the one raising the questions, maybe the Republican governor and our Republican congressmen who are elected here in Illinois could help put people’s minds at ease and respond to the nonsense. Was our election system “rigged” when Bruce Rauner won the Governor’s mansion in a “Blue” state ?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 3:32 pm:
And how’s that “investigation” into the Great Kankakee Voter Fraud Caper going?
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 3:40 pm:
So, if I read all this correctly, millions of people will be fanning out across the country under the direction of the Clinton campaign and committing millions of felonies with one-off, in-person voter impersonations, enough to throw an election in which somewhere around 130 million people will vote?
Sounds reasonable.
I bet the Russkies are embarrassed they didn’t get a hold of the planning and execution docs for this mass mobilization. Talk about a buddy letting you down, huh Donald?
- Flippy - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 3:47 pm:
109??? I thought there were only 102 election authorities in the state!
See, it’s already rigged!!!!1!!
/s
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 3:48 pm:
===only 102 election authorities===
Some cities have their own.
- Jon - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 3:52 pm:
Facts…not important. I’ve edited the post for conspiracy theorists: “polling places are staffed by 5 judges composed of Democrats who retabulate the total number of votes cast after talks with the US State Department”.
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 3:53 pm:
I would love to see my Texican friend confront a Russian election monitor.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 3:58 pm:
I’d love to see the code for those election machines. It’s neither open source, nor audited. This is 2016. Voter fraud can be done by few and their work can affect many. I’d need a keyboard and a few friends.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:00 pm:
–I’d need a keyboard and a few friends.–
Geez, what is that, a cry for help? Pretty grim, if you don’t have those already.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:01 pm:
Your Commie has no regard for human life, not even his own. And for this reason, men, I want to impress upon you the need for extreme watchfulness. The enemy may come individually, or he may come in strength. He may even come in the uniform of our own troops. But however he comes, we must stop him. We must not allow him to gain entrance to our polling places.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:04 pm:
47, the Russkie voter monitoring is just a ruse. They want to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:04 pm:
Inside the library at Cesar Chavez Middle School, 700 S. 15th St, Waco, TX, also known as precinct 5 polling place:
здравствуйте comrade.
We are here to monitor your American style voting process.
Just wondering, will we be voting for Mr. Trump today?
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:06 pm:
Uh, 47, 47, listen… tell me, tell me, 47. When did you first… become… well, develop this theory?
– MrJM
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:11 pm:
Unless there is some important down the ballot contest that I am unaware of, I do not think any organized vote fraud is likely to occur in Illinois in November.
I would be watching in battleground states and Illinois is not one of those.
- Huh? - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:14 pm:
Don’t bother me with the facts, I know the election is rigged because Jill Stein is going to lose the race for President. The media is in on the rigging because they haven’t been covering her race and want her to lose. The entire country has it in for Jill. They don’t want her to be president.
Sigh. Half /s
- Rabid - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:20 pm:
It’s not the people who vote it’s who counts the vote (Stalin)
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:21 pm:
Two thousand and sixteen. 2016, MrJM. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It’s incredibly obvious, isn’t it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious polling places without the knowledge of the individual. Certainly without any choice. That’s the way your hard-core Commie works.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:26 pm:
–It’s not the people who vote it’s who counts the vote (Stalin)–
Ah, a change in the conspiracy. So it’s no longer voter fraud? But fraud by election officials? In every jurisdiction across the country, the state level, ….?
- Someone you should know - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:33 pm:
Donald Trump and the Idiots he controls
/S
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:43 pm:
So if it’s the people controlling the vote totals are the ones stealing the elections, I guess that whole paying election judges is part of the ruse?
I guess training will be part indoctrination too?
Many there’s a lot if moving parts to conspiracies.
- Early and Often - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:45 pm:
I always enjoyed this quotation from “Key Largo” in which Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson) explains electioneering:
“I’ll be back pulling strings to get guys elected mayor and governor before you ever get a 10-buck raise. Yeah, how many of those guys in office owe everything to me. I made them. Yeah, I made ‘em, just like a-like a tailor makes a suit of clothes. I take a nobody, see? Teach him what to say. Get his name in the papers and pay for his campaign expenses. Dish out a lotta groceries and coal. Get my boys to bring the voters out. And then count the votes over and over again til they added up right and he was elected.”
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:47 pm:
–Many there’s a lot if moving parts to conspiracies. ==
This is a very complicated case. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous. And, uh, a lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder’s head.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:48 pm:
–I always enjoyed this quotation from “Key Largo” in which Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson) explains electioneering:–
Well, you know what happened to that guy.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:58 pm:
===This is a very complicated case. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous. And, uh, a lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder’s head===
Well, then… Uh. Yeah, uh. Me and, uh, the driver. I’m not handling the money, driving the car and talking on the phone all at the same time… if I get wrapped up in this, I mean.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:10 pm:
Well, hey, at least I picked up one of those Trump eggs https://twitter.com/pam53/status/789213186608205824
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:13 pm:
Good thing you like yours scrambled…
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:13 pm:
–Well, hey, at least I picked up one of those Trump eggs…–
A penicillin shot might be in order.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:16 pm:
Question: If a college student registers and votes in that college town, they are on the record. Since no proof of identity is required should they move to another state and register there, and no proof of identity at the time of voting is required, ?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:17 pm:
===Well, hey, at least I picked up one of those Trump eggs…===
It’s like a rite of passage, but I’m torn if congratulations are in order…?
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:23 pm:
I wonder if it ever occurred to any of the brain-trust pushing the “rigged election” narrative that such talk just might discourage many of their own people from voting at all?
Why bother, if the contest is already “rigged” against you?
I bet down-ballot GOP candidates have given it some thought.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:24 pm:
Madigan and the college students he controls!
- JS Mill - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:24 pm:
Man, never thought Trump would go commie. I guess ya learn something new every day.
Somewhere a village is missing it’s idiot.
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:30 pm:
Ludicrous and if any Russians show up they should send them out on the horse shirtless Putin rode in on and politely revoke their diplomatic status. That part about all the precincts having judges of both parties, really of both parties anyway, is a tad wishful thinking though.
- Rabid - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:44 pm:
I don’t think elections are fake we all have to live with the winner. Would it be to hard for the coroner to tell the county clerk the voter expired?
- Bob61571 - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 5:55 pm:
Don’t forget 1982 Chicago! US Atty Dan Webb found over 100K Fraudulent Votes, and had 63 people convicted. All because a 39th Ward precinct captain broke his promise of a city job. http://bit.ly/MyjDvZ
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 6:29 pm:
The Russians are coming!
Has anyone told Alan Arkin about this?
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 6:51 pm:
Perhaps “rigged election” is a euphemism for “my opponent is working much harder and smarter than me.”
–Clinton has more than twice as many field offices as Trump nationwide (489 vs. 207), and her organization dominates Trump’s in every battleground state. Clinton’s offices outnumber Trump’s by 20 in New Hampshire, 22 in Iowa, 20 in Colorado, and 27 in North Carolina. In the states where Trump has opened the most offices, such as Pennsylvania (42), Florida (29) and Ohio (22), Clinton’s advantage remans large: She bests him by 15 offices in Pennsylvania, 39 in Florida and 47 in Ohio. Trump’s ground game is far from nonexistent, but his campaign simply does not have the infrastructure to match Clinton’s capabilities for voter contact and mobilization.–
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/trump-clinton-field-offices/
- Flapdoodle - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 7:00 pm:
Bobb61571 cites an essay by the “Manager, Election Law Reform Initiative and Senior Legal Fellow” at the “Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies.” Who says satire is dead?
- sal-says - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 7:03 pm:
== “…the clueless” ==
Yeah, that’d include this year’s version of the ‘Repub’ candidate for Prez. Outstanding. This - Here in America!
- Liberty - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 7:51 pm:
LOL- The democrats never claim elections are stolen…
- SwingVoter - Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:19 pm:
“The democrats never claim elections are stolen”-
Except in 2000…
- Union Thug Gramma - Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:02 am:
‘“The democrats never claim elections are stolen”-
Except in 2000…’
When it was, as was proven after the fact…Selected, not elected Shrub.
- Rabid - Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 4:17 am:
The winner in 2000 was picked by those who count the votes?