Why Are Dead People Still on Illinois Voter Rolls?

Why Are Dead People Still on Illinois Voter Rolls?

Written by David E. Smith

On July 22, 2025, the Committee on House Administration held a hearing titled, “Clean Rolls, Secure Elections: Reviewing Voter List Maintenance Standards.” The hearing focused on the importance of maintaining accurate voter registration lists to protect the integrity of our elections.

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), also known as the “Motor Voter Law,” was designed to increase voter participation in federal elections while also requiring states to maintain accurate and up-to-date voter rolls. Critically, the law prohibits states from removing voters solely for not voting and includes safeguards to prevent wrongful removals.

Despite these requirements, the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBE) appears to be in violation of the NVRA. Evidence suggests that ISBE has failed to properly maintain a statewide voter registration list, as required by Section 8 of the law.

In an attempt to hold them accountable, Carol Davis of Illinois Conservative Union, with legal support from Judicial Watch, filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for data on voter roll removals between November 2020 and November 2022. To this point, Davis points out:

“In reviewing correspondence from the ISBE pertaining to this issue, the state government seems to be trying to “pass the buck,” blaming local election authorities across the state for not complying with the NVRA. Are we surprised?! This is typical behavior from Illinois state bureaucrats.”

Ultimately, ISBE failed to act. Judicial Watch sent a Statutory Notice letter warning that the state was in violation of federal law and had 90 days to comply.

When no corrective action was taken, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit in March 2024 on behalf of Carol Davis and Illinois Family Action. Jeanne Ives’ Breakthrough Ideas later joined the suit as a co-plaintiff. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The case, Judicial Watch, Inc. et al v. The Illinois State Board of Elections et al. (No. 1:24-cv-01867) challenges Illinois’ failure to properly maintain its voter rolls as required by the NVRA. The State’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit is currently pending in federal court. We have asked this motion to be denied so the case can move forward.

We are very grateful to learn that earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in our case. In their press release stating:

“It is critical to remove ineligible voters from the registration rolls so that elections are conducted fairly, accurately, and without fraud,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Under the NVRA, states have the responsibility to conduct a robust program of list maintenance. The Department of Justice will vigorously enforce those requirements to ensure compliance.”

In an article written by Peter Hancock and published by Capitol News Illinois:

The lawsuit challenges the state’s practice of delegating to local election officials the responsibility of conducting regular maintenance of voter registration rolls, including the task of purging people from the rolls when they die or move out of the jurisdiction. Under NVRA, the suit argues, the state is responsible for carrying out that function.

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Judge Sara Ellis has indicated she could decide the case at a hearing currently scheduled for July 30.

If the court agrees, it could require the State Board to take corrective action to align with federal law.

Voter Roll Maintenance Standards

During this week’s congressional hearing, U.S. Representative Mary Miller (R-Quincy) raised serious concerns about the integrity of Illinois’ voter rolls. She pointed to troubling data showing that 34 jurisdictions in Illinois failed to report any removals under a key provision of federal law of voters who moved in 2022. Even more alarming, 19 counties reported no data about removals of dead voters — prompting Miller to ask whether officials actually expect the public to believe that “no one died in 19 counties.”

Miller also noted that in 23 Illinois counties, fewer than 100 voter registrations were canceled for having moved over a two-year span—despite nearly one million total registrations—strongly suggesting a widespread failure to properly maintain voter lists. She criticized Illinois’ long history of election irregularities and took aim at the NVRA, calling out its ambiguous requirement that states to only make a “reasonable effort” to remove ineligible voters.

Watch this powerful 5-minute segment as Representative Miller presses the panel with tough questions and demands answers on voter roll maintenance during the hearing.

Christian Adams, president and general counsel of the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), supported Miller’s concerns, testifying that federal courts have interpreted “reasonable effort” so loosely that states can often get away with doing very little to maintain clean and accurate voter rolls. During his testimony before this Congressional committee, Adams stressed:

“Failed list maintenance isn’t usually a political conspiracy to keep rolls dirty. It is most often bureaucratic neglect and the inertia of government – a series of small decisions over years.”

How hard would it be for the ISBE to coordinate with county coroners to regularly update voter rolls and remove deceased individuals? Maintaining accurate voter rolls is a basic—and critical—function of election administration. It ensures integrity, prevents abuse, and builds public trust.

When states fail to do even the bare minimum, like purging dead voters, they fuel long-standing concerns about fraud and corruption—especially in places like Illinois, where “The Chicago Way” still casts a long shadow. The result? Eroded voter confidence in the security and legitimacy of our elections.

Democrats Resist Clean Voter Rolls That Prevent Dead Voters In Congressional Hearing
(The Federalist)

Red State AG Finds 33 Potential Noncitizens Voted in 2024 Election
(Fox News)

Top DOGE Officials Details Discovery of Shocking Voter Fraud
(ZeroHedge)

DOGE Confirms That THOUSANDS of Illegal Aliens Voted in 2024
(Blaze Media)

Elon Musk’s DOGE Uncovers ‘Mind Blowing’ Truth About Illegal Immigrants on SS
(Daily Mail)