Illinois State Rep. State Dan Caulkins recently filed HB 5875, which would penalize individuals who knowingly register noncitizens to vote in federal and municipal elections in the state.
HB 5875 reads: “Amends the Election Code. Provides that, except as otherwise provided by federal law, any person who is not a citizen of the United States and who knowingly registers to vote or knowingly votes in an election, including a municipal election, shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony. Provides that, except as otherwise provided by federal law, any person who knowingly registers a person to vote who is not a citizen of the United States shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony. Effective immediately.”
Caulkins’s move comes after the revelation that the Oregon DMV admitted to wrongfully registering at least 306 noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections.
According to Fox News, “The DMV says the wrongful registrations have occurred since 2021 and were the result of a program that automatically registered anyone who obtained a driver’s license or state ID. State officials say they expect to find more wrongful registrations ahead of Election Day.”
State Rep. Dan Caulkins said he’s concerned with non-government organizations, assisting non citizens residing in migrant shelters and are knowingly registering noncitizens to vote despite federal law prohibiting noncitizens from registering and voting in federal elections.
“Knowingly registering someone else to vote shall be guilty of a class four felony,” said Caulkins, the sponsor of the bill.
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Caulkins explained in Oregon 306 noncitizens were registered to vote. The Oregon DMV admitted to wrongfully registering at least 306 noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections.
“Obviously somebody falsified for them [the non citizens] when they registered to vote and that’s why either the person who registered or someone else who registered for them [needs to be penalized],” said Caulkins.