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Illinois Electors Pick Clinton, With A Call To Action

Electoral College
screencapture from pool video
Former state representative Lauren Beth Gash urged an investigation into voter suppression and election interference by a foreign government.

Illinois has officially cast its 20 electoral votes for Hillary Clinton.

The slate of Democratic Party electors met Monday in the state Capitol building in Springfield.

  

Illinois was not among the states where there was a concern about "faithless electors." They were mostly Democratic Party stalwarts, like Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, former Chicago mayoral candidate Jesús "Chuy" Garcia, and House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie.

Although there was no doubt about the outcome, one delegate took the opportunity to make a call to action.

When former state representative Lauren Beth Gash was called to cast her ballot, she pulled out a smart phone and began reading a prepared statement.

She called for a "thorough, independent investigation" into allegations of both "intentional voter suppression" and "direct interference from foreign actors."

Illinois awards all of its electoral votes to the popular vote winner. Clinton soundly defeated Donald Trump here — 56 to 39.

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
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