Voter turnout in Kendall County the last few election cycles has increased despite concerns from an Illinois civil rights organization that county voters face "misleading and confusing instructions" about voter identification, a county official said.
"Kendall County election results clearly show that voters have not been depressed, suppressed or disenfranchised," Kendall County Clerk and Recorder Debbie Gillette said in a statement. "Election turnout has increased in Kendall County.”
In the general primary elections for non-presidential elections in 2014 and 2018, voter turnout was 19 percent and 21 percent. In the general election presidential election cycle years of 2012 and 2016, the results were 70 percent and 72 percent, respectively, Gillete said.
Kendall County Clerk and Recorder Debbie Gillette
Gillette, a Bristol Republican, faces Democrat challenger Andrew Torres of Oswego in November's General Election.
Gillette's statement was in response to a letter sent earlier in the week by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois attorney Amy Meek. Meek's letter claims that information issued by Gillette's office implies that voters must present ID when they arrive at the polls.
"Eligible citizens should not be discouraged or prevented from voting because they lack photo ID," the Meeks said in the letter.
Such a requirement would violate state law and place "a disproportionate and unfair impact" on certain voters, Meeks said.
"Suggesting that voters need photo ID to vote creates additional hurdles that depress voter turnout and limit access to the polls," she said.
The letter expressed "serious concerns" about "misleading and confusing instructions to voters (and, possibly, to poll workers) regarding identification ('ID') requirements" allegedly issued by Gillette's office.
Under Illinois law, voters are not "generally" required to present identification when they arrive at the polls to vote, Meeks said.
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