Oak Lawn Voters Told To Leave After Waiting Hours In Line To Vote

OAK LAWN, IL — Were voters’ rights violated at Oak Lawn Village Hall on the last day of early voting? Voters waiting in line for several hours were prohibited from voting when the poll closed at 7 p.m. Monday, even though they were legally allowed to vote.

The law provides that as long as you’re a registered and qualified voter, and in line when the polls close, you must be allowed to vote, Illinois Legal Aid Online says. If that happens, voters should stay in the line.

Mike Mollo Jr. went with his wife and son to take advantage of the last day of early voting at Oak Lawn Village Hall. About 70 people were lined up outside village hall when the county arrived to collect the voting machines.

“We were standing in line for two-and-a-half hours outside village hall waiting to vote,” Mollo told Patch. “We got all the way up to the doors, and they shut it down. Everyone inside was irate. They weren’t being belligerent they were just mad.

During early voting at Oak Lawn Village Hall and other early voting locations, social distancing was being observed. Only a few people were allowed into the building so that voters could maintain a 6-foot distance from each other.

“[People in line] were arguing up the stairs and the next thing I knew, the police were called to help with the situation,” he said.

Other residents we reached out to on neighborhood social media told similar stories of being turned away even though they had been standing in line for several hours.

"I was there and literally couldn’t feel my feet standing in the cold until Oak Lawn police showed up and escorted everyone out," Diane Greczek said. "The police officer said that Cook County shut off the computers and the doors are closed."

Oak Lawn Village Clerk Jane Quinlan confirmed that the county shut down the voting machines while voters were still standing in line.

“The night early voting ends the county comes to pick up the machines,” Quinlan said. "It was a blunder on the county's part."

The Cook County Clerkʼs office is the chief election authority for more than 120 towns and villages in suburban Cook County and is in charge of making sure elections run smoothly in the county’s 1,599 precincts.

When the county came to pick up the machines along with a Cook County deputy sheriff to ensure the secure transfer of the equupment, Mollo said Oak Lawn police were telling people to leave.

“We [said] weren’t leaving, we’re here to vote,” Mollo said. “When we told the Cook County sheriff what was happening, he said ‘that’s not right.’ He walked inside with purpose.”

The county sheriff walked upstairs to the village board chambers where early voting was set up.

“He came downstairs and said ‘I don’t know what to tell you,’” Mollo said.

Mollo was able to come back the next day to vote at village hall, which serves as the 25th precinct polling place on election days.

“They discouraged a bunch of voters from voting,” Mollo said. “There were people from all over in line at village hall.”

Ernest Kolb Elementary School remained open an extra hour Tuesday because the judges were late showing up. Over at Richards High School, there were problems with the scanners. Quinlan was able to call the Cook County Clerk’s office and have new equipment brought to the high school.

“My fear is you get to your polling place on Election Day and there’s a snafu, then you’re stuck,” Quinlan said.

The Cook County Clerk's Office could not immediately be reached for comment.

Voters reported a similar incident Monday night in Lemont. Police responded after voters already in line before 7 p.m. claimed a poll worker told them to leave and come back Tuesday.