Knox County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Scott Erickson was part of a bipartisan Illinois delegation that visited Washington, DC, on Tuesday to meet with legislators and discuss the critical need for federal grant funding and support for election infrastructure.
Joining Erickson were Cook County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Monica Gordon, Lake County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Anthony Vega, and Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds John C. Ackerman, along with Cook County Deputy Clerk of Elections Edmund Michalowski and Tazewell County Chief Deputy Clerk Dan Sullivan.
“The trip strengthened our ties with federal partners,” Erickson said. “They now grasp our key election concerns.”
The group addressed a significant drop in federal election funding, which averaged $400 million annually from 2019 to 2021 but fell to $75 million in 2022 and 2023, $55 million in 2024, and just $15 million in 2025. They urged lawmakers to restore funding to $400 million, stressing the importance of stable support to meet rising costs and demands.
The delegation also raised concerns about ongoing federal cybersecurity intelligence sharing on national and international threats, as well as potential US Postal Service changes that could affect vote-by-mail. They joined over 80 election officials from 26 states for “Election Infrastructure Advocacy Day 2025.”
Meetings included discussions with Representative Danny Davis and Senator Tammy Duckworth, and staff for Representatives Bradley Schneider, Darin LaHood, Eric Sorenson, Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Senator Dick Durbin.
All trip costs were covered by a private grant from the Project for Election Infrastructure, except for Cook County, which self-funded. No public funds were used by Knox, Tazewell, or Lake Counties.
