Illinois alderperson charged with casting ballot in dead mom’s name
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Sylvia Sims Bolton, the city council member who represents Waukegan’s Ward 1, was charged after authorities claimed she submitted a mail ballot in her deceased mother’s name during Illinois’ 2026 primary election.
Bolton, 67, was charged with one count of tampering with election materials and one misdemeanor count of disregarding election law. Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The investigation began after election officials flagged a mail-in ballot linked to a deceased voter during the post-election review process, officials said.
The mail-in ballot for Mary Sims was mailed on Feb. 5, the first day ballots could be legally sent for the 2026 General Primary Election, according to officials.
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Waukegan city councilwoman Sylvia Sims Bolton was charged after authorities claimed she submitted a mail ballot in her deceased mother’s name during Illinois’ 2026 primary election. (City of Waukegan)
Election officials later canceled Mary Sims’ voter registration on Feb. 12 after receiving notification of Mary Sims’ death through the Illinois State Board of Elections voter registration system, according to officials.
The completed ballot was returned Feb. 26 through a secure drop box outside the Lake County Clerk’s Office, officials said.
During an investigation following the March 17 primary election, election staff found that the ballot was returned after the voter’s recorded date of death, officials said.
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“The security measures and verification procedures implemented in our election system worked exactly as intended,” Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega said in a statement. he said. “Our staff followed established protocols, identified irregularities, and immediately coordinated with law enforcement to ensure a thorough investigation of this matter. Protecting the integrity of our elections remains our top priority.”
Investigators alleged Bolton received the ballot after his mother died, filled it out, signed his mother’s name, and sent it through an official drop box.
Sheriff John D. Idleburg said the case demonstrates cooperation between multiple agencies.
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A woman wearing gloves drops off a mail-in ballot at a mailbox in Hackensack, NJ, on July 7, 2020. A judge in Atlantic City, N.J., will hear arguments on June 7, 2024, over whether to count nearly 1,900 mail ballots cast in a New Jersey county after election workers mishandled them and the local election board was deadlocked. The case could impact the Democratic primary for the state’s 2nd Congressional District. (Seth Wenig/AP)
“Protecting the integrity of our elections is something the public rightly expects from all of us in government,” Idleburg said in a statement. he said. “This case is an example of the strong collaboration between the Lake County Clerk’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to thoroughly investigate allegations, pursue the facts, and ensure a fair and impartial certification of our election laws.”
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart also praised the investigation.
“While Lake County’s internal protocols and automated systems are effective, any attempt at voter fraud undermines democracy and should be prosecuted,” Rinehart said in a statement. he said.
The ballot was marked, invalidated and separated from valid ballots before it was counted, officials said.
Officials also said investigators uncovered no evidence linking the allegations to Bolton’s duties as a city council member, and Bolton has not been charged with official misconduct.
Bolton surrendered to authorities Wednesday morning and was expected to appear in court later in the day.
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Authorities said they were unaware of previous Lake County investigations into a person who allegedly voted on behalf of a deceased person through a mail-in voting system.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the City of Waukegan Sylvia Sims Bolton, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Lake County Clerk’s Office for comment.
