ISBE officials to meet prior to automatic voter registration launch this summer

SPRINGFIELD (Heartland Newsfeed) — Election officials from the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBE) want to give voters and local election officials another chance to get some answers prior to automatic voter registration taking effect this summer, with the first phase beginning in July.

Matthew Dietrich, a representative from ISBE, stated that the state’s election authority want to give everyone a chance to ask any last-minute questions.

ISBE has already heard from lawmakers and leaders in Chicago and Springfield, with upcoming hearings taking place across the state this spring and summer.

“The hearings start in Quincy on April 3,” Dietrich said. “And we’re also having them in Collinsville, Rockford, Charleston, and Mt. Prospect.”

Dietrich added that voters won’t notice any changes when it goes into effect this summer.

“Phase one changes the way that the Secretary of State’s office handles the data of people who want to register to vote when they get their driver’s license,” Dietrich said.

A second phase will allow voters to opt out of automatic voter registration in 2019.

The bills which were the basis for the law — Senate Bill 1933, filed by Sen. Andy Manar — which overwhelmingly passed in the Illinois Senate with a 48-0 vote with four absentees on May 5, 2017 and in the Illinois House with a 115-0 vote with three absentees on May 29 were signed into law on August 28 as Public Act 100-0464 by Gov. Bruce Rauner. The law officially takes into effect on July 1, 2018.