Pictured, left-to-right, are Cook County Deputy Clerk Edmund Michalowski, Tazewell County Chief Deputy Clerk Dan Sullivan, Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds John C. Ackerman, Cook County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Monica Gordon, Lake County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Anthony Vega, and Knox County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Scott Erickson.
A delegation of Illinois County Clerks in September met with lawmakers about the need for federal grant funding and U.S. Postal Service distribution changes that could jeopardize prompt delivery of ballots.
The bipartisan delegation included Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds John C. Ackerman and Knox County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Scott Erickson. They joined more than 80 election officials from 26 states for “Election Infrastructure Advocacy Day 2025.”
Federal grant funding of election infrastructure between 2019 and 2021 was about $400 million each fiscal year It was cut to $75 million for 2022 and 2023, then $55 million in 2024, and now $15 million for 2025.
The delegation requested a return to the $400 million level and stressed the need for stability and consistency in funding rather than such dramatic changes from year to year.
The Illinois group also shared concerns about proposed changes to the U.S. Postal Service that could impact vote-by-mail by delaying material postmarked locally until there’s enough to justify its transfer to distant distribution sites — and back.
Illinois’ delegation met with Rep. Danny Davis and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, and staff only for Reps. Darin LaHood, Eric Sorenson, Bradley Schneider, Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Sen. Dick Durbin.
“This delegation brought together local election authorities from large urban jurisdictions and medium-size downstate jurisdictions, both Republican and Democrat elected officials,” Ackerman said. “Elections over the past decade have become more complex and have witnessed dramatically increased cost and staffing demands. It is my hope the Congressional members and staff see the vital importance of our need for federal government support and assistance.”
No public funding was used for the trip by Tazewell County, Knox County or Lake County; expenses were covered by a grant from the nonpartisan Project for Election Infrastructure, a campaign coordinated by the Center for Technology and Civic Life in Chicago.
https://thecommunityword.com/blog/2025/11/02/league-of-women-voters-of-illinois-calls-for-all-hands-on-deck-situation/