* This Illinois Review story raised my eyebrows…

Admitting his confidence in Cook County ballot integrity is shaken, State Representative Candidate Jim Moynihan (R-56), was shocked today when he tried to cast a vote for himself and the voting machine cast it for his opponent instead.

“While early voting at the Schaumburg Public Library today, I tried to cast a vote for myself and instead it cast the vote for my opponent,” said Moynihan. “You could imagine my surprise as the same thing happened with a number of races when I tried to vote for a Republican and the machine registered a vote for a Democrat.”

While using a touch screen voting machine in Schaumburg, Moynihan voted for several races on the ballot, only to find that whenever he voted for a Republican candidate, the machine registered the vote for a Democrat in the same race. He notified the election judge at his polling place and demonstrated that it continued to cast a vote for the opposing candidate’s party. Moynihan was eventually allowed to vote for Republican candidates, including his own race. It is unknown if the machine in question (#008958) has been removed from service or is still in operation.

“Clearly, I am concerned that citizens will be unable to vote for the candidate of their choice, especially if they are in a hurry and do not double check their ballot,” added Moynihan. “I cannot say whether or not this was intentional, but Cook County voters deserve better and should not have their right to vote suppressed.”

So, I called the Cook County Clerk’s office. The machine Moynihan used never “cast” a vote, the office says. After you touch each candidate’s name, the machine asks you to confirm your choice. When you’re finished, you get a list, then a printed list and you’re then asked to confirm your vote.

The problem was that the screen calibration was off. It was recalibrated, then put back into use without further complaints.

Also, IR didn’t mention this part, but the Daily Herald did…

When he pointed it out to a judge, it was determined that the machine hadn’t been calibrated correctly, he said. He ultimately was able to vote for the candidates he chose by pressing the very bottom right hand corner of the screen. Pressing the center of each button resulted in the opposite candidate’s name registering.

* Meanwhile, a member of the Quinn campaign sent me an e-mail last night with the subject line: “Rauner’s voter intimidation gets underway” and a link…

[Madison County Clerk Debbie Ming-Mendoza] said Phil Chapman of Highland inappropriately was taking people’s driver’s licenses to examine, inserting himself between the official election judges and chatting with the voters.

“He obviously did not know what his role as a poll watcher was. He was insinuating himself between the judges and talking to the voters,” Ming-Mendoza said.

She said he was also handling the official voting materials. She said she informed him several times he was only allowed to observe. He was not to handle anybody’s license or speak to voters.

“Every time I would leave, he would scoot his chair back up to the judge’s table. I had a couple of people come into my office and tell me they wanted to file a complaint,” Ming-Mendoza said. “I had to go back six times and tell him he needed to stop,” she said.

He eventually behaved himself and he apparently didn’t stop anyone from voting, so all’s well that ends well.

* But read further down…

[Madison County] Democratic Party Chairman Allan Napp said he and other party officials have been getting reports from across the state of people standing outside polling places giving false information. Some are being told they have to have a social security card in order to vote. Others are being told that if they don’t vote, they don’t have to pay their next water bill, Napp said.

That’s a pretty darned bold accusation. Anybody else hearing stuff like that?

* Meanwhile…

Tuesday afternoon, Republican candidate for Governor Bruce Rauner will be in Rockford to promote early voting. The irony is that voters in Winnebago County and Rockford won’t be able to do so.

A second error with the race for Winnebago County Forest Preserve Commissioner has forced the city and county to suspend early voting. Initially, absentee ballots had been sent out without the race at all. Officials with both the City of Rockford and Winnebago County elections office said they would mail new ballots out to those people who had already received absentee ballots with the race included.

However, officials tell ‘Eyewitness News’ the new ballots contain a new mistake. They instruct voters to vote for one candidate — rather than vote for two of the three candidates on the ballot. The race is for two seats on the Commission, not one.

As a result, early voting has been suspended until new, correct ballots can be printed.

Oops.

* The IL GOP wants the problem fixed…

“The Illinois Republican Party expresses its strong concern over reports that early voting has been halted in Winnebago County, including in the City of Rockford. The people of Illinois have a right to vote and no one should be able to deny them that right. With early voting underway, we call on the Winnebago County and Rockford County election officials to immediately restore the people’s right to vote in a manner that ensures every legal vote is accurately counted. The Illinois Republican Party will closely monitor the situation in the hours ahead to ensure county and city officials restore the people’s right to vote.”

* And Schimpf wants action, darnit, right now…

Republican Attorney General Candidate Paul Schimpf issued the following statement in response to the problem State Representative Candidate Jim Moynihan had casting his vote in Cook County and the suspension of early voting in Rockford and Winnebago County:

“Nothing is more critical to the success of our democracy than the integrity of our elections. I call on Lisa Madigan to immediately open investigations into these voting irregularities.”

Funny that he didn’t mention the Madison County stuff.