Challenge to Illinois’ Vote Audit in 2016 Primary Election Fails

A claim that the right to vote was violated by alleged fraud and irregularities during a mandatory audit of the votes cast in Illinois’ 2016 primary election was properly dismissed, the Seventh Circuit said.

The plaintiffs, two election monitors and a voter, alleged that the employees who conducted the audit took measures to ensure their count matched the certified number of votes. The plaintiffs also claimed the employees actively kept the tally sheet out of their view.

Under Illinois law, the mandatory audit can’t change the result of the election, the opinion by Judge Amy J. St. Eve said. The ...