Sylvia Sims Bolton, the alderperson for Waukegan’s 1st Ward, finds herself facing legal trouble after being accused of casting a mail-in ballot under her deceased mother’s name in the Illinois primary election of 2026.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office has officially charged Bolton, 67, with a felony for mutilating election materials and a misdemeanor for violating election code.
The investigation kicked off when election officials, during a routine post-election review, detected a mail-in ballot submitted in the name of a voter who had passed away.
Officials revealed that a mail-in ballot for Mary Sims was dispatched on February 5, marking the first permissible day for sending ballots in the 2026 General Primary Election.
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Waukegan’s alderperson, Sylvia Sims Bolton, has been charged following allegations of voting fraud involving the submission of a mail-in ballot in her deceased mother’s name during the 2026 Illinois primary election. (City of Waukegan)
Election officials later processed the cancellation of Mary Sims’ voter registration on Feb. 12 after receiving notification of her death through the Illinois State Board of Elections voter registration system, according to authorities.
Officials said the completed ballot envelope was returned through a secure drop box outside the Lake County Clerk’s Office on Feb. 26.
During a review conducted after the March 17 primary election, election staff determined the ballot had been returned after the voter’s recorded date of death, authorities said.
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“The safeguards and verification procedures in place within our election system worked exactly as intended,” Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega said in a statement. “Our staff followed established protocols, identified the irregularity, and immediately coordinated with law enforcement to ensure this matter is thoroughly investigated. Protecting the integrity of our elections remains our highest priority.”
Investigators alleged Bolton received the ballot after her mother had already died, filled it out, signed her mother’s name and submitted it through an official ballot drop box.
Sheriff John D. Idleburg said the case demonstrated cooperation between multiple agencies.
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A woman wearing gloves drops off a mail-in ballot at a drop box in Hackensack, N.J., on July 7, 2020. A judge in Atlantic City, N.J., will hear arguments on June 7, 2024, about whether to count about 1,900 mail ballots cast in one New Jersey county after election workers mishandled them and the local elections board deadlocked. The case could affect the Democratic primary for the state’s 2nd Congressional District. (Seth Wenig/AP)
“Safeguarding the integrity of our elections is something the public rightfully expects from all of us in government,” Idleburg said in a statement. “This case is an example of the strong collaboration between the Lake County Clerk’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to thoroughly review allegations, follow the facts, and ensure our election laws are upheld fairly and impartially.”
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart also praised the investigation.
“While Lake County’s internal protocols and automated systems are effective, any attempt at voter fraud undermines democracy and must be prosecuted,” Rinehart said in a statement.
Authorities said the ballot was flagged, voided and separated from valid ballots before it could be counted.
Officials also said investigators did not uncover evidence linking the allegations to Bolton’s duties as an alderperson, and she was not charged with official misconduct.
Bolton surrendered to authorities Wednesday morning and was expected to appear in court later in the day.
Authorities said they were unaware of any prior Lake County investigations involving someone allegedly voting on behalf of a deceased person through the vote-by-mail system.
Fox News Digital reached out to Sylvia Sims Bolton, the City of Waukegan, the Lake County State’s Attorney Office and the Lake County Clerk’s Office for comment.
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