A group aligned with a conservative Illinois think tank sued the state in federal court on Thursday, challenging a recent law allowing Election Day voter registration at polling places in the state’s most populous counties.
The statute in question, passed in late 2014 by the Democratic-led legislature and enacted in early 2015 by former Democratic Governor Pat Quinn, for the first time allowed Election Day voter registration, including at polling places.
But the section of the law pertaining to polling place registration applied only to counties with populations of 100,000 or more….
Huebert’s organization was founded by the Illinois Policy Institute, which keeps its donors secret. Republican Governor Bruce Rauner publicly has acknowledged giving the Illinois Policy Institute at least $500,000 over a period of years.
State Senator Don Harmon, a Democrat from suburban Chicago and the law’s chief Senate sponsor, said Illinois law commonly differentiates between counties’ populations and said election officials in less-populous counties voiced concern about not having resources for polling place registration.
Under the law in question, voters in smaller counties can still register on Election Day in county clerks’ offices.
This will be very interesting to watch.