Stopping vote fraud

Independents knew they could not count on law enforcement officials to stop vote fraud, so they exploited a temporary rift in the Machine ranks in the 1972 Democratic primary to try to get a more honest election.

When they observed illegal activity at the polls, they called the office of State’s Attorney Edward Hanrahan, who had been dumped from the party ticket because of his murderous attack on the Black Panther headquarters and was now running against the party-slated candidate.

They reported that Democratic precinct captains were illegally campaigning for Hanrahan’s opponent, knowing that would induce the county’s top law enforcement official to stop the illegal electioneering.

State’s Attorney investigators were then sent to those precincts - and their visits were very effective. Precinct captains knew what Hanrahan had done to the Panthers and were worried what he might do to them. So, they obediently complied with election law.