Dupage Policy Journal

State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) is being accused of allegedly casting votes on behalf of two absent colleagues during the April 11 House session on the Homeschool Act (HB2827), a bill that she sponsored, after video surfaced on social of the voting process. 

Under the rules governing the Illinois House of Representatives, each lawmaker is required to personally cast their vote while physically present in the chamber. The rules explicitly prohibit so-called “ghost voting”—the practice of voting for another absent member.

The controversy surrounding Costa Howard’s alleged proxy voting on HB2827 echoes a long-standing issue in Illinois politics, where the practice—though prohibited by House rules—has repeatedly surfaced, from the 1980s “paperclip” trick to the 2011 “Buttongate” scandal that prompted then-Gov. Pat Quinn to call for an investigation.

Video footage circulating online appears to show Howard pressing the voting buttons for State Reps. Jaime Andrade Jr. and Lindsey LaPointe, both Chicago Democrats, on the House floor.

The incident has sparked renewed calls for transparency, as the claims continue to gain traction across social media.

“Are Illinois lawmakers voting for each other? I asked the House Clerk—and was redirected without an answer,”  X user @SuzieSeeksTruth, known as CarlaSue, posted. “Recently, I shared a video clip from the April 11, 2025 Illinois House session that showed a vote being recorded for a Rep who clearly wasn’t in their seat at the time.”

In her posts, CarlaSue detailed how the Clerk's Office responded to her inquiry by providing an attendance roll that listed the representative as “Present,” despite video evidence suggesting otherwise. 

She was referred to House rules pertaining to vote verification procedures—not to the issue of proxy voting.

“Rule 49 is clear: a representative must be physically present and cast their own vote,” she wrote. “When I asked again—how is a vote valid if the Rep wasn’t in their seat?—the Clerk’s Office told me to ask my State Representative.”

CarlaSue called out the Clerk’s Office for recording the votes. 

“If the Clerk’s Office is responsible for recording and documenting legislative action, then they should have a clear and transparent policy on how votes are counted—and how to challenge potential violations of the rules,” she said. 

No formal investigation has been announced regarding the alleged voting irregularities. The Office of the Clerk has not issued a public statement beyond citing attendance records and House rules.

The controversial homeschooling bill, HB2827 – The Homeschool Act, has sparked sharp political division.

Critics argue the bill, which has drawn over 42,000 witness slips in opposition, poses a significant threat to parental rights by expanding state oversight of homeschool families. The bill would grant truancy officers authority to investigate families who fail to file a notification form and allow direct contact with homeschooled children, raising privacy and constitutional concerns. Opponents also object to the bill's broad rulemaking powers and implications for families seeking alternatives to public education due to bullying or safety concerns.

Will Estrada of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association warned the bill opens the door to unprecedented government intervention.