Peoria Standard

A bill proposed to amend the Election Code to allow small county governments to dissolve a municipal board of election commissioners received backlash at an April 27 hearing. 

The amendment defines a small county as having no more than 100,000 residents. 

Galesburg Board of Elections Director Lisa Watson appeared at the hearing to speak out as a witness against House Bill 2451.

"The Galesburg Election Commission is pleased to serve as a public servant to the City of Galesburg's residents, and honest, accurate elections is an expectation and a drive," Watson said in defense of small-county election boards. 

The director corrected several alleged inaccuracies made about election commissions. She said that commissions, or at least the board for Galesburg, receive an annual independent audit at the same city that the city is audited. 

Watson also stated that the election board costs are not paid for by county governments, rather, municipal residents pay their own costs for elections with the county as a pass-through account. 

"[Counties] are required by statute to gather those funds and then distribute them, so once a year the Galesburg Election Commission receives the funds that are to operate the elections in the City of Galesburg from Dec. 1 through Nov. 30," Watson said. 

The director defended election boards as crucial to election accuracy while noting that elections haven't been perfect in the past. 

According to Watson, state officers were left off the Knox County ballots in 2014 and 2018.

Watson said no one on the Galesburg Elections Commission chose the work for the pay; the Galesburg election Commission director and assistant director receive the lowest election salaries in the state, she said, and have been at the state minimum salary since 2012. 

"It is an honor to serve the City of Galesburg residents," Watson said. "We fight for the right to have honest, accurate elections, and it's an honor to serve."