Prairie State Wire

State Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) wants to expand the mail-in ballot application to also include voters from the 2016 election, who he says were left out of a bill that approved sending out the applications automatically, Capitol Fax reports.

“The Democrat majority is intentionally limiting who gets the applications because they believe that by doing so, they can ensure Democrat victories,” Oberweis said, the agency reported. “The 2018 election had a high turnout of Democrat voters, which is clearly why they are not including the 2016 election in their mail-in ballot application program. This legislation is about protecting their majority and not at all about trying to help citizens during this health crisis.”

The legislation includes the 2018 and 2019 elections, as well as 2020 primary election voters as those who will automatically receive mail-in ballot applications. Oberweis believes 2016 voters should also be included because that election turnout was actually larger than 2018.

Capitol Fax reports that in the 2016 general election, the total number of votes cast was 5,536,424, while there was only 4,547,657 cast in 2018.

“The law requires the state to send out a mailing regarding constitutional amendments on the ballot and so it just makes sense to include the applications in these mailings,” Oberweis said, according to Capitol Fax. “This would be the most economical and responsible way to handle the mail-in ballot applications, saving taxpayers millions of dollars."

Oberweis said Democrats were not interested in his approach because it didn't help their cause.

"Democrats accuse Republicans of trying to suppress voter turnout but, clearly, Republicans are trying to increase voter turnout by making ballot applications available to all registered voters," Oberweis said, according to the news agency. "Republicans are also concerned about voter fraud because voter fraud lessens the value of every legitimate vote."

Oberweis said he would continue to encourage voters to vote by mail because it is safe and convenient.

“Republicans especially tend to vote in person but there are times when things happen preventing folks from voting on Election Day," Oberweis reportedly said. "If just 3 or 4 percent of Republicans intending to vote don’t vote, that can easily change the result of many elections. Voting by mail is a viable option and one all voters should consider. We can’t let Democrats continue to beat us by getting their voters to vote by mail.”