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Gov. Rauner Explains Automatic Voter Registration Veto

  Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner is defending his veto of a plan that would have allowed automatic voter registration.  

Rauner says he’s a big supporter of the concept, citing legislation he signed to modernize state voting systems.

But he says the measure inadvertently leaves the door open to voter fraud.

“We need to clean up the bill. I think we can get it done with some proper modifications … What we tried to do is give the feedback through the media to the legislature: here are the tweaks, I think there were six or seven changes that we’d recommend, to make it comply with federal election law,” he said.

Legislation approved in May would essentially flip the burden for registration.

Instead of voters having to register proactively, it would happen automatically anytime a resident interacts with government, such as when renewing a driver's license or applying for unemployment benefits.  

Therein lies the problem that Gov. Bruce Rauner says led to his veto.

“That can create a problem because not everyone in Illinois who interacts with state government and receives some government benefits is a citizen. And so there’s not a direct overlap, there," Rauner said.

Backers of automatic voter registration are suspicious the veto is a delay tactic, meant to keep the law from being in place when Rauner would be up for re-election in 2018. They're trying to intensify public pressure for a veto override.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.