Illinois GOP Chairman Bob Grogan demands the resignation of a Democratic official in Waukegan following allegations of voter fraud. Prosecutors allege Sylvia Sims Bolton submitted her deceased mother’s mail-in ballot during a primary election, leading to two charges, including a Class 4 felony.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reported that a vote-by-mail ballot was issued to Mary Sims in February. Her voter registration was canceled soon after her passing was reported. The ballot dropped by Bolton was flagged through security protocols that detected the cancellation of the voter’s registration.
“A dead person voting is the easiest voter fraud to find,” Grogan told Fox News Digital. “But the complicated stuff is harder to discover.”
Jason Snead of the Honest Elections Project emphasizes that voter fraud occurs, highlighting vulnerabilities with mail ballots. He advocates for secured mail ballots, issued only upon specific voter requests. Snead stresses the necessity for clean voter rolls to prevent illegal votes from being counted.
A press release from the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office highlights automated systems that flag irregularities, such as readability issues or canceled voter registration records. Other potential issues include incorrect election submissions and ballot weight discrepancies.
The investigation into Bolton began in March. She faces charges of Mutilation of Election Material, a Class 4 felony, and Disregarding Election Code, a Class A misdemeanor. Conviction could lead to one to three years in prison, parole, or conditional discharge. The felony charge also imposes a five-year ban from public employment post-sentence. A misdemeanor conviction may result in less than a year in jail and fines.
The State’s Attorney’s Office’s investigation did not uncover any links between these allegations and Bolton’s city duties, as she is not charged with official misconduct.
No prior investigations on using vote-by-mail for voting on behalf of deceased individuals exist, according to officials. Bolton and her attorney did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.
State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart emphasized the critical role of a well-funded, independent Clerk’s office with advanced technology. He praised Clerk Vega and his team for following national best practices in detecting and reporting this crime. He assured potential voters that fraudulent voting will result in detection, investigation, and prosecution.