Illinois Making Strides to Modernize the Voter Registration System

Illinois passed a bill last night that officially replaces the state’s antiquated voting registrations system.

The Illinois bill has three major pieces:

  1. It will implement electronic registration, which means more voters will have the opportunity to sign up when they interact with a government agency.
  2. It will create a permanent same-day registration (SDR) system. SDR will increase convenience by allowing citizens to register and vote on the same day, either before or on Election Day.
  3. It will increase early voting options by extending them to include the three days — most notably, the Saturday and Sunday — before Election Day.

For a more detailed description of the bill click here.

Overall, the bill increases opportunities for eligible citizens to get on the rolls and cast a ballot at their convenience. It could also be a big win for election and government officials because, if successfully implemented, these reforms have been proven to increase accuracy and efficiency, cut costs, and reduce the potential for fraud.

This bill is a positive step forward in registration reform and something the Law Center is working diligently to implement in the state of Pennsylvania.