Facebook post showing IL couple with multiple ballot applications falsely claims fraud, BGA says

A Facebook post incorrectly asserts an Illinois couple who received multiple unsolicited ballot applications can ask for them all and fraudulently vote with them all, the Better Government Association said.

They cannot, and neither can anyone else.

Alejandra Cancino with BGA joined ABC 7 Chicago Saturday to talk about why.

Election officials are required to conduct a verification process on ballot applications that makes it highly unlikely such a scheme would work. It's also illegal, and anyone who tried to do this would be guilty of a felony, and likely get caught.

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It's the kind of situation floated by opponents of voting by mail to warn of possible abuse, the BGA said.

And there's an explanation for multiple applications: An Illinois special election law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in June requires local election authorities to send a vote-by-mail application to any registered voter who has participated in elections.

The law requires that the application be mailed "to the elector's registered address and any other mailing address the election authority may have on file. So it's likely that some voters may be sent more than one application, but they still can only cast one ballot.

To learn more, visit BetterGov.org.