Oak Pak clerk addresses election volunteer telling early voters to present ID
With a background in education reporting for the Tribune, Maria has spent nearly eight years focused on schools and educational policy. She holds a degree in Education from Loyola University Chicago and aims to give a voice to teachers, parents, and students in Oak Park.
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Concerns were raised on Saturday, Oct. 31, around an election volunteer allegedly directing early voters to have identification, driver’s license or state ID, ready as they waited in line to vote at Oak Park’s Village Hall for early voting. Oak Park Village Clerk Christina Waters said, in a written statement, the Cook County Clerk’s Office notified her of the concern, and she promptly went to village hall to address any misunderstanding. “We take concerns about voter access seriously. Our expectation is that every voter receives accurate information and respectful assistance, and that optional identification is never presented as a condition of voting,” wrote Waters. Waters spoke with the election judge and volunteer, and the volunteer denied requiring voters to show identification. “The election judge advised the volunteer that voters do not have to show identification as a general requirement and should not be required to have their IDs ready,” wrote Waters. W