West Central Reporter

U.S. Senate candidate Kathy Salvi is seeking answers about why an error occurred on early ballots, but she says she is not getting answers from Democrat Clerk Mindy D. Garrett.

The error listed the wrong candidate in the U.S. Senate race, listing Peggy Hubbard instead of Salvi as the GOP candidate. Hubbard lost to Salvi in the June primary but was listed on the ballot as an opponent to incumbent Democrat Tammy Duckworth.

“The clerk needs to provide a written explanation confirming what actions she has already taken regarding the faulty absentee ballots,” Salvi said at an Oct. 20 press conference. “If she has, in fact, unilaterally acted and mailed new ballots, those need to be sequestered and not counted. It is unclear how they will be identified and separated out through the U.S. Postal Service mail.”

Salvi said the remedy cannot be made by the clerk.

“She has failed to provide a clear and consistent explanation. The clerk should go to court and allow a judge to provide the remedy for the 45 early votes. If she won’t, then my campaign – along with voters right here in Schuyler County – will,” she said. “As alarming as the clerk’s error was, the fact that such a disproportionate number of ballots were sent to one facility of violent sex offenders raises more red flags. The clerk needs to provide all voters answers to two important issues regarding the mass mailing of ballots to a facility housing violent sex offenders: First, who acquired the ballots and why did they do it for the general but not the primary election? Because this raises the specter of ballot harvesting for the ballot requests. Second, what is the process to ensure that the people who return a ballot from this facility are legally allowed to vote? Even one person who is not allowed to vote but does so is not acceptable.”

Salvi said every voter in Schuyler County and the state deserves "timely and informed responses" to these questions.

Don Tracy, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, added a statement.  

"The events that have taken place with regards to Schuyler County's voting process are alarming to say the least. Voters need to be able to have faith and trust in the balloting process and to that end mistakes like this can't happen. This inexcusable balloting error requires immediate transparency and a thorough investigation," Tracy said.

Salvi delivered a FOIA to the Schuyler County clerk and recorder:

“Dear Clerk Garrett:

This is a request for information under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140 (the Act). I request your office provide to me conforming copies of the documents containing the following information:

• A list of the names, addresses and all other identifying and contact information for any employee of the Clerk's Office who was involved in drafting, constructing and/or printing any 2022 General Election ballot disseminated by the Clerk's Office prior to Oct. 12, 2022.

• All documents, materials and correspondence used in drafting or otherwise constructing any 2022 general election ballot disseminated by the Clerk's Office prior to Oct. 12, 2022.

• All communication between any employee of the Clerk's Office and any other person or agency pertaining to the handling of general election ballots issued to Schuyler County voters that did not bear the name of Kathy Salvi as the Republican Party nominee for United States Senate.

• All communication between any employee of the Clerk's Office and any other person or agency

pertaining to the handling of general election ballots voted by Schuyler County voters that did not bear the name of Kathy Salvi as the Republican Party nominee for United States Senate.

• Any and all communications, texts, emails, phone message logs, voicemails between employees and/ or staff of the Schuyler County Clerk's Office and the Rushville Treatment and Detention Facility located at 17019 County Farm Rd., Rushville, Illinois 62681, pertaining to the issuance of or request for ballots during the 2022 primary and general election,” the FOIA reads.

Salvi promoted the FOIA on Facebook.

“Below is a copy of the FOIA I hand delivered to Schuyler County Clerk Mindy Garrett. The cover up is worse than the crime. Garrett has refused to provide a written, public statement on what steps she is taking to correct the 'mistake,'” she said.

State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) said in all of his years in politics, he has never seen such a significant error on a ballot.  

“I have never seen an error of this magnitude on a ballot. This is a serious mistake,” Halbrook told Chambana Sun. “Absolutely, we should be concerned about this. It is not just the Senate race at stake here. Other races could be affected. What if there is a close local election? What if these ballots are determined to be invalid because of the error? There could be all kinds of repercussions from the mistake made on these ballots. There needs to be a viable solution to correct the error.”