CHICAGO - Illinois Republican Party General Counsel Brien Sheahan today sent a letter to County Clerks within Chicago and the Collar Counties reminding them to remain vigilant in light of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) controversy.
The appearance of organized and systematic voter-registration fraud by community groups such as ACORN is under investigation in at least fourteen states including the border states of Indiana, Missouri and Wisconsin.
“We are excited there have been a record number of voter registrations throughout Illinois,” said Sheahan. “However, in light of surrounding states investigating problems with voter-registration fraud coupled with an ACORN office in Chicago, it is imperative our clerks remain vigilant in combating any inappropriate impediments to legal votes being counted.”
The letter was sent to the Chicago Election Commission, Cook County Clerk, DuPage County Clerk, Lake County Clerk, Kane County Clerk, Aurora Election Commission, and the Will County Clerk.
Please see letter below:
Dear County Clerk,
As you are aware this is an historic election that will change the direction of our country. Recent news reports indicate that the number of voter registrations has increased dramatically in Illinois. This is exciting as high voter participation is essential to a healthy democracy. We applaud those who are working diligently to legally register voters for the upcoming election.
However, there are also numerous and troubling reports of voter-registration fraud throughout the country. The appearance of organized and systematic voter-registration fraud by so-called community groups such as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is under investigation in at least fourteen states including the border states of Indiana, Missouri and Wisconsin. Last week, Nevada officials raided a local ACORN office as part of an investigation into voter-registration fraud and officials in Lake County, Indiana reported that 1,100 of 2,000 new voter-registration forms delivered by ACORN were "suspicious." Today it is reported that the Michigan attorney general is charging a former ACORN employee with forgery for falsely submitting six voter registration forms.
The Republican Party has a fundamental obligation to ensure that every legal vote is counted. Regardless of party affiliation we owe it to the people of Illinois to make certain that our elections conducted according to the highest standards of fairness, openness, and legality. Since ACORN has a local office in Chicago, we are confident your office is doing all that is required by working diligently to ensure that any inappropriate impediment is avoided.
The fact that Illinois’ voter registrations have increased is a positive sign and it is essential to ensure that every voter is legally entitled to vote, and that every vote is legally cast. Voters deserve to be reassured that our elections are free from fraud and tactics that have poisoned so many of elections in Illinois.
Thank you.
Brien Sheahan, General Counsel
Illinois Republican Party
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