Illinois: Perry, Santorum could be knocked off Illinois ballot | Chicago Sun-Times

White House hopeful Rick Perry did not file correctly for the March 20 Illinois primary “beauty contest,” and some of rival Rick Santorum’s delegate slates are short of signatures, leaving them open to challenges that could knock them off the ballot. Illinois law requires candidates to file using their home addresses. Perry, the Texas governor whose candidacy may not survive through Illinois, used a post office box in Austin, Texas, for an address.

Illinois: Santorum, Gingrich get on Illinois Republican primary ballot | chicagotribune.com

Surprise Iowa caucus near-winner Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich filed Friday to secure spots on Illinois’ March 20 primary ballot, adding their names to those of Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and Rick Perry.

On the last day to submit paperwork, Santorum filed only 41 candidates for national convention nominating delegates out of 54 possible slots among the state’s new 18 congressional districts. Perry, the Texas governor, filed only one delegate candidate. Romney, Paul and Gingrich filed full elected-delegate slates. Not making the ballot or filing delegate candidates was former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has made a strong showing in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary a priority.

Illinois: Bringing ‘elections up to the 21st century’: Group wants to scrap East St. Louis election board | bnd.com

The East St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners would meet its demise if city voters choose to dissolve it in the March 20 election. Scrapping the 125-year-old election board will save the cash-strapped city almost $400,000 each year, according to Matt Hawkins, the president of the East St. Louis Alliance, a group that aims to reform city politics.

That’s money that could be spent on police officers and firefighters, according to Hawkins, whose group collected nearly 1,200 petition signatures to place the question on the ballot.  Folding the election board into the St. Clair County clerk’s office, which oversees elections for the rest of the county, would lend a tremendous boost to the integrity of local elections, both in East St. Louis and the county overall, Hawkins said.

After a recent canvas that eliminated nearly 3,300 names, the election board has 19,471 voters on its rolls. That number is significant because East St. Louis’ long history of bloc voting has enabled the Democratic Party to dominate countywide offices for more than three decades. Anything affecting Election Day results in this overwhelmingly Democratic city would have a big effect on Democrats and their Republican rivals countywide.

Illinois: Voting woes not resolved in southern Illinois county | Quad City Times

It’s been more than a year since Alexander County officials learned they had more registered voters than voting-age residents, but local officials appear to have taken no steps to remedy the problem.

Francis Lee, the top election official in the state’s southernmost county, said she has received no money to conduct a purge of her voting rolls, which show more than 7,800 registered voters in a county with a population of 7,100 residents over the age of 18. “We’re having financial problems all around,” said Lee, who was appointed county clerk in November 2009.

Although Lee contends the situation has not led to any voting irregularities, the county has experienced voter fraud issues in the past. The fact that nothing is being done is troubling to some residents. “I am not at all surprised that nothing has been done to clean up the voter rolls,” said Curtis Miller, a Tamms resident who began raising red flags about the problem more than a year ago.

Illinois: DuPage will print election materials in two languages | DailyHerald.com

DuPage County is one of dozens of jurisdictions across the country ordered by the U.S. Department of Justice to make their elections more accessible to people who lack English proficiency, officials said.

In DuPage, that means the election commission will print election materials in both English and Spanish for the first time. In addition, supplementary election materials will be printed in both languages, Spanish-speaking election judges will be hired in some precincts and the election commission will hire a full-time translator and liaison to Hispanic communities.

Illinois: Is election commission worth it to Aurora Illinois? | DailyHerald.com

Decades ago, the Aurora Election Commission was established by a vote of the residents. Now, at least one Aurora alderman is calling for another citywide vote — this time on disbanding the commission that handles elections for Aurora residents living in Kane, Kendall and Will counties but not DuPage County.

Alderman Lynda Elmore said inequalities between whose tax dollars support the commission and who receives its services are part of why she wants to discontinue it.

The commission is funded by Kane County and the city of Aurora. All Aurora residents contribute through taxes they pay the city, even DuPage County residents who do not receive the commission’s services. And Kane County Aurora residents pay twice — once through the taxes they pay the city and again through their county taxes.

Illinois: Quinn signs bills to increase protections for vets, servicemembers | Chicago Sun-Times

Gov. Pat Quinn Sunday signed three bills to provide more protections for Illinois’ servicemembers and help injured veterans get the services they need.

These bills prevent Illinois utilities from cutting off heat to veterans and servicemembers during the winter months; extend the driver’s license renewal time for servicemembers returning from overseas or out-of-state; and create a fund to support public service announcements to increase awareness of veterans’ programs, a release from the governor’s office said.

Illinois: Illinois Rep. Chris Nybo Sponsors Bill to Help Disabled Veterans Exercise Their Right to Vote | Elmhurst, IL Patch

In the final weeks of the 97th General Assembly regular session, state Rep. Chris Nybo (R-41, Elmhurst) was chief sponsor of Senate Bill 98, a measure to ensure disabled veterans residing in federally operated veterans homes and hospitals are able to exercise their right to vote. The bill unanimously passed the Illinois Senate and House and awaits the governor’s signature.

“Every veteran, especially those who are incapacitated, should be afforded the opportunity to exercise their right to vote,” Nybo said. “Given the sacrifices these men and women have made for our country and for our freedom, every means necessary should be employed to ensure their voices are heard in our democracy.”