Illinois Ballot Counting Law Withstands GOP Congressman’s Suit

An Illinois law allowing election ballots to be counted up to two weeks after Election Day will remain in force, after a split federal appellate panel ruled Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and his co-plaintiffs do not have standing to bring a case.

The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rejected arguments that the vote counting process injured them both as voters and political candidates, including Bost’s assertion that he will need to continue to spend campaign funds after Election Day to contest late-arriving ballots and have poll watchers in place across the state.

“It was Plaintiffs’ choice to ...