DOJ demands Illinois voter personal information by Sept. 1 

State asked for deadline extension to research legal basis of the demand

By PETER HANCOCK
Capitol News Illinois
phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com

Story summary:

  • The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking access to Illinois’ complete, unredacted statewide voter registration database, including voters’ personal information such as dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

  • The Illinois State Board of Elections has so far maintained that both state and federal laws prohibit it from releasing such personal information.

  • DOJ claims it has the legal authority to demand the information as part of its effort to enforce federal laws requiring states to maintain accurate and up-to-date voter registration lists, but it has not said why the sensitive personal information is needed for that effort.

SPRINGFIELD — Federal officials are continuing to press their demand for Illinois’ unredacted voter registration database, which includes  sensitive personal information, and are now giving state officials until Monday, Sept. 1, to comply.

In an email Thursday, Aug. 21, Michael E. Gates, an attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, rejected the Illinois State Board of Elections’ request for additional time to research the legal issues involved in the demand to determine what data it can lawfully turn over.

“The electronic form of Illinois’s Voter Registration List already exists and can be easily transmitted to the Justice Department by following the instructions in our (July 28) letter,” Gates wrote. “The legal authorities presented by the Justice Deprtment’s (sic) for the transmittal of the VRL are clear. Having said this, we will extend the time to respond for Illinois to September 1st.”

Read more: Trump administration requests voter data from Illinois elections board

The Justice Department has said it wants the state’s complete voter registration database – including “all fields contained within the list” – so it can determine whether the state is complying with provisions of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act.

That law requires states to keep those lists accurate and up to date. That includes occasionally purging the list of registrations of people who have died or moved.

In addition to the database, DOJ also asked the state in its July 28 letter to identify the number of people purged from the rolls due to being noncitizens, adjudicated as incompetent or having felony convictions. And the agency asked for a list of all state and local election officials who have been responsible for carrying out list maintenance functions since the November 2022 elections.

The elections board responded to that request on Aug. 11 by providing most of the information DOJ sought, including a copy of the same voter registration database that state law allows it to release to political committees and other government agencies. 

That list includes voters’ names, addresses, voting history and the date when they registered to vote. It does not include other sensitive personal information contained in voters’ records such as their dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and the last four digits of their Social Security numbers.

The board cited both federal and state laws for redacting that sensitive information including the federal Privacy Act, the Illinois Identity Protection Act and the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act.

But DOJ wrote  on Aug. 14  the state’s response was insufficient and insisted on access to the entire, unredacted database, “including the registrant’s full name, date of birth, residential address, his or her state driver’s license number or the last four digits of the registrant’s social security number as required under the Help America Vote Act (“HAVA”) to register individuals for federal elections.”

HAVA is a 2002 federal law that was enacted in the wake of the contested 2000 presidential election. Among other things, it sets minimum standards for states to follow in several areas of election administration, including voting equipment and maintaining statewide voter registration databases. 

DOJ has not said why that information is necessary for it to investigate the state’s compliance with requirements for maintaining up-to-date voter registration rolls.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. 


Election workers check voters’ names against a registration list and hand out ballots at a polling place in Springfield. (Capitol News Illinois file photo by Peter Hancock)

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE INVESTIGATES FATAL CRASH IN SALINE COUNTY

GALATIA – The Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Patrol Troop 10 and Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 8 are investigating a fatal crash in Saline County.

 On August 8, 2025, at approximately 1:58 a.m., ISP Troopers responded to IL-34 about one mile west of Harco Road, near Galatia, in Saline County. A Chevrolet Silverado was traveling southbound on IL-34 when it drove off the roadway and into a ditch. The driver and one passenger were airlifted to a regional hospital with injuries. A second passenger was pronounced deceased on scene. The ISP Traffic Reconstruction Unit and DCI Special Agents responded to the scene.

 Unit 1 driver – Jacob C. Ahrens, 21-year-old male from Ridgway, IL

 Unit 1 passenger – Konner C. Pemberton, 20-year-old male from Ridgway, IL

 Unit 1 passenger – Mattix T. Sandifer, 20-year-old male from Ridgway, IL (deceased)

 ISP continues to investigate and is working closely with the Saline County State’s Attorney’s Office on the issuance of charges. There is no further information at this time.

City Changing Out Water Meters

Water meters in the city of Mt. Carmel are in the midst of being changed out. Heath Reed told the city council recently that of the 500 meters the city purchased, about 250 had been installed so far. The new meters eliminate the need for a city employee to drive through neighborhoods recording usage data. Instead, the readings are transmitted directly to City Hall. Public Works director Mike Gidcumb said the new meters also send leak reports every morning that may alert a homeowner of a big problem if that might not be home. Mayor Joe Judge explained how the new meters are being paid for…

Reed said the city is also saving money by installing the new meters with their workers instead of an outside firm. Eventually, all of the city’s water meters will be switched out.

911 call leads to arrest of Owensville man on multiple charges

On August 23, 2025, at 8:59 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 report of a disturbance in the 4000 block of South 700 West.  Law Enforcement Officers from the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office and Owensville Police Department were dispatched to the area, and upon arriving they found an active disturbance in progress.  Owensville Town Marshal attempted to deescalate the situation but was forced to deploy his taser and take 20-year-old Jordan Schrodt of the Owensville area into custody.  After a brief investigation Mr. Schrodt was transported the Gibson County Detention Center where he was charged with Felony Battery, Strangulation, and Resisting Law Enforcement. 
 
Arresting Officer Sgt. Loren Barchett was assisted by Deputy Shawn Holmes and Owensville Town Marshal Rodger Leister. 
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Single vehicle nets arrest of Mount Carmel man

On August 23, 2025, at 10:32 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of a single vehicle accident at the intersection of Main and Broadway Street in Princeton.  Deputy Wyatt Hunt arrived at the intersection and observed a White 2014 Ford Mustang with front end damage.  Upon speaking with the driver, 21-year-old Riley Flannery of Mount Carmel Deputy Hunt detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the driver.  At that point Deputy Hunt began a roadside DUI investigation that resulted in Mr. Flannery being taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Detention Center.  Upon arriving at the Detention Center Mr. Flannery was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated. 
 
Princeton Officers Jeremy Robb, Matthew Perry, and Jackie Wood assisted Deputy Hunt in his investigation. 
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
 

Local youth invited to attend goat workshop hosted by Wayne County 4-H and Illinois Meat Goat Producers

FAIRFIELD, Ill. – Wayne County 4-H and the Illinois Meat Goat Producers have partnered to provide a goat workshop to serve both the beginner and advanced goat showman. Goats: Managing, Breeding, and Showing with Success is a comprehensive workshop for local youth and families. The workshop will consist of a morning and an afternoon session on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Fairfield.

 The morning session will begin at 9 a.m. at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, located at 1700 Outer W. Delaware St., Fairfield, IL 62837. Guest speakers will discuss the following topics:

  • Lowe’s Pellet and Grain: Goat nutrition 

  • Interglobe: Boar selection and semen collection 

  • Hoosier Embryo: Flushing and embryo transfers 

 The afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. at the Wayne County Fairground barns, located at 1295 W. Main St., Fairfield, IL 62837. Catherine Riley, American Boer Goat Association board member, will provide the following:

  • ABGA updates

  • Fitting demonstration

  • What to have in your show box

 Attendees are encouraged to attend both sessions but are welcome to choose the one that suits their interests best. Youth are encouraged to attend, regardless of their experience raising and showing goats. Youth participants do not have to be members of 4-H and do not need to bring a goat to the workshop. Families are welcome to accompany the participants.

 A cash-only, concession-style lunch will be available from 12-1 p.m. at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, provided by the Wayne County Livestock Judging Team and Emerging Leaders. Transportation will not be available from the morning session to the afternoon session; participants are asked to plan accordingly.

 To register, visit go.illinois.edu/GoatWorkshop. For questions, contact the Wayne County Extension office at 618-842-3702. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Ryan Littlejohn, Wayne County 4-H program coordinator, at rclittle@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.

Did Quake Contribute To Mt. Carmel's Water Woes?

Could a small Tri-State earthquake earlier this month been a factor in Mt. Carmel’s water issues? City Clerk Ryan Turner has been working with the civil engineering firm of HLR to see if a magnitude 2.6 tremor just after 10pm on August 8th had any bearing on the major water main break at 9th and Cherry Streets. Turner was scheduled to meet with the USDA last week to see if the city qualifies for up to $150,000 to help pay for the line breakages.  

The quake was centered 2.5 miles east southeast of Cynthiana along the Posey-Vanderburgh County line.

Photo Courtesy Mayor Joe Judge

Wabash County's Newest Most Wanted

WABASH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICEWANTED NOTICE

Name: Devin C. Brittain

DOB: 12/31/1992 (Age 32)

Description: White Male

Status: Nationwide Arrest Warrant

Devin C. Brittain is wanted on multiple felony charges. He should be considered dangerous and should not be approached by the public.

Wabash County Crime Stoppers is offering a $500 cash reward for information leading directly to his arrest.

If you have information about the whereabouts of Devin C. Brittain, please contact the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office at 618-262-4186 or submit an anonymous tip to Wabash County Crime Stoppers via the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office App, free in your apple or android app store.

All tips remain confidential.

Brittain is known to have ties to the Arkansas, North Carolina and Evansville, Indiana areas.

Do not attempt to apprehend this individual.

Bids Being Sought On Southgate Tract Of Land

A small tract of land in the Southgate Industrial Park is being sold by the city of Mt. Carmel. The tract is 1.66 acres and City Clerk Ryan Turner said someone is interested in buying it….

Other stipulations are that the tract will have to be used for industrial purposes and work on a building would have to start by December 1st. Bids for the tract of land will be accepted until 3pm on Tuesday, September 2nd. The city council then meets an hour later at which time bids will be opened.