Illinois GOP Chairman, Bob Grogan, has demanded the resignation of a Democratic official in Waukegan after allegations surfaced that she submitted a vote-by-mail ballot in her deceased mother’s name. This incident has fueled conservative concerns about the security of mail-in voting and the integrity of voter registration systems—even though the fraudulent ballot was intercepted before being counted.
Sylvia Sims Bolton, a Waukegan alderman, turned herself in after being accused of this act during a March primary election. The charges against her include a Class 4 felony.
The Office of the State’s Attorney in Lake County, Illinois, reported that a vote-by-mail ballot was issued in February for Mary Sims, Bolton’s deceased mother. Soon after, her voter registration was canceled following notification of her death by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Despite this, the ballot was dropped in an official box by Bolton. Upon processing, the security system flagged the ballot, leading to an investigation by the sheriff’s office.
A dead person voting is the easiest voter fraud to find, like someone leaning over a cash register and taking the money.– Bob Grogan
Jason Snead of the Honest Elections Project emphasized that this case illustrates the occurrence of voter fraud, particularly with mail ballots, which he described as vulnerable.
The Lake County State’s Attorney Office indicated that all ballot envelopes undergo scanning systems to detect irregularities such as barcode issues, wrong election submission, or association with a canceled voter registration.
The investigation of Bolton, who serves Waukegan’s Ward 1, started in March. Although she turned herself in, the law enforcement investigation did not find any wrongdoing linked to her city duties.
If convicted on the felony count, Bolton faces one to three years in prison, probation, or conditional discharge. A Class A misdemeanor conviction could result in less than a year in jail or a fine. The felony charge also includes a five-year ban on public employment following sentence completion.
The State’s Attorney’s office confirmed no prior investigations have been conducted regarding individuals using the mail-in system to vote on behalf of deceased individuals. The office reiterated the significance of having a well-funded, technologically advanced Clerk’s office to detect such cases.
State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart highlighted the vigilant actions of Clerk Vega and his team, indicating that fraudulent voting acts will be thoroughly detected and prosecuted.
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