The Daily Northwestern reports that the Illinois Senate voted 38-18 to override the veto of Governor Bruce Rauner to the automatic voter registration bill.  Governor Rauner called the legislation as originally drafted “injurious” to the Illinois election system.

The veto had included slight changes to the bill to conform to federal law and ensure the integrity of the registration process.  By ignoring the small changes to the bill, the senate passage is clearly partisan in nature and shows that proponents have no inclination to compromise or modify the bill to meet the real substantive concerns.  Now, the Illinois House has the opportunity to make the bill truly bipartisan.  If not and the override stands, the consequences of the veto override will send a message to Republican legislatures and Governors outside Illinois that there is no room for compromise on automatic voter registration.