Election integrity is not a partisan issue—it's a foundational pillar of democracy. Yet in Illinois, our current Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) system, while well-intentioned, is failing that basic test.

At first glance, AVR appears to be a streamlined, voter-friendly innovation. When a person visits the DMV to obtain or renew a driver's license, they are prompted to register to vote or update their registration—convenient, fast, and seemingly secure. But beneath the surface lies a troubling reality: the system depends not on verification, but on attestation. In plain terms, the state doesn’t actually confirm citizenship before allowing someone to register to vote. Instead, it trusts that the individual is telling the truth under penalty of perjury.

In theory, the risk of legal consequences should deter dishonesty. In practice, this approach is far from airtight. With no mechanism to check immigration or citizenship records, Illinois is effectively running an honor system to safeguard the most sacred democratic act: casting a vote.

The Risks Are Real

When a non-citizen applies for a standard driver’s license, Illinois law requires the system to flag them and block voter registration prompts. But technical failures, human error, and software glitches have already led to over 1,100 documented instances of non-citizens being registered to vote in recent years. How many more cases remain undetected?

We cannot continue to ignore the fact that automatic registration—without document-based verification—opens the door to unintentional and intentional registration of non-citizens. The real threat is not widespread fraud; it’s the erosion of public trust. Every time a headline exposes another mistake, more Illinoisans begin to question whether their vote actually counts.

No Excuse in the Digital Age

States like Georgia and Florida use data cross-matching with state and federal databases to validate eligibility before someone is added to the voter rolls. If we can verify identity for benefits, employment, or TSA PreCheck, we can certainly do it for voter registration.

Illinois has the tools. What it lacks is the political will. Governor Pritzker and legislative leaders would rather tout accessibility than address accuracy. But the two are not mutually exclusive. We can have a system that is both easy to use and secure.

A Broken System Needs Fixing

If Illinois is serious about election integrity, then it must:

Require proof of citizenship (passport, birth certificate, naturalization papers) at the time of registration—especially at the DMV.
Audit and update voter rolls with cross-checks against immigration and death records.
Establish bipartisan oversight of the AVR system to investigate errors and ensure accountability.

Without reforms like these, the AVR program risks becoming a Trojan horse—delivering vulnerability under the guise of convenience.

The SAVE Act: A National Safeguard We Desperately Need

That’s why the SAVE Act—Safeguard American Voter Eligibility—must be passed. This legislation would require states to demand proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections, something Illinois currently doesn’t do.

The SAVE Act would close the very loopholes Illinois politicians pretend don’t exist. It would:

Require documentary proof of citizenship—like a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization record.
Prohibit registration based solely on sworn statements or automatic triggers like DMV visits.
Give states access to the tools they need to cross-check and clean up the rolls.

Illinois’ Leaders Are Ignoring the Problem

Governor Pritzker and state Democrats would rather weaponize the phrase “voter suppression” than confront their own negligence. They insist that AVR makes voting more “accessible,” but what good is accessibility if it’s compromised by inaccuracy?

Other states—like Florida, Georgia, and even Ohio—are taking responsible steps to both streamline and secure voter registration. Illinois, on the other hand, has chosen to leave the back door wide open and hope no one walks through it.

Where We Go From Here

Here’s what Illinois must do immediately:

Adopt the SAVE Act’s standards voluntarily, even before federal passage.
Require all new voter registrations to include document-based proof of citizenship.
Establish a bipartisan audit board to clean up and cross-reference the voter rolls annually.
Halt automatic registration until systems can guarantee proper filtering between citizen and non-citizen applicants.

Trust Isn’t Automatic

Automatic Voter Registration without citizenship verification is not modern or progressive—it’s reckless. Illinoisans deserve an election system that is trustworthy, transparent, and tight.

The SAVE Act is not just good policy—it’s essential. It would restore national standards to a patchwork system that currently rewards sloppiness over security.

Because when you undermine the legitimacy of one vote, you weaken the voice of them all.

Sources

https://www.nprillinois.org/government-politics/2025-03-28/despite-trump-order-illinois-wont-require-voter-proof-of-citizenship

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/001000050K1A-16.1.htm

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/despite-trump-order-illinois-wont-require-voter-proof-of-citizenship/

The Cracks in the System: Why Illinois’ Automatic Voter Registration Fails Election Integrity—and Why We Need the SAVE Act