SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois House has voted 72-43 to expand mail-in voting for the November election.
Under the bill, voter who cast a ballot in the last couple of years will be sent an application for a mail in ballot.
The measure passed along party lines, with Democrats, who hold a supermajority in the House, advancing the bill.
Republicans objected to a provision they argued would codify threats Pritzker has made to withhold federal money intended for local governments that defy his stay-at-home orders.
While speaking during floor debate, State Representative Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) took umbrage with the governor’s comments as he encouraged his colleagues to vote against the bill.
“We’re making some big mistakes in this bill and the one I’m most deeply concerned about is giving rise to massive ballot harvesting initiatives that really destroy the integrity of elections,” Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, said.
The effort would only apply to the November third election.
The bill now moves to the Senate for a vote.
