Some top Illinois Democrats say voter fraud may be an issue around the state this election.

They gathered Thursday to criticize other states that have passed photo ID voting laws. In Illinois, a photo ID is needed for early voting, but not necessarily required on election day.

In talking to reporters, state Sen. Terry Link said he’s heard of election judges being misled.

“We have gotten a lot of reports that in a lot of voter - or, a lot of election authorities throughout the state that they are authorizing and telling judges to make people show a photo ID,” Link said.

Link and Senate President John Cullerton wouldn’t say who was misleading election day judges or where it’s happening.

The comment spurred another news conference from Cullerton’s Republican counterpart in the state senate, Christine Radogno.

“I think they may be laying the groundwork in case they don’t do as well as they thought,” she said. “They could be setting up a potential defense.”

Radogno said she isn’t aware of any cases of voter fraud.

A spokesman for the office of the U.S. Attorney of the Northern District of Illinois also said he didn’t know of any arrests related to voter fraud in the office’s jurisdiction.

For his part, Cullerton lambasted other states that passed voter ID laws.

“To me, the most offensive pieces of legislation introduced throughout this country is to deny people the right to vote; to intentionally try to deny people that you think are from the other party not to vote,” he said.

Republicans need to pick up six state senate seats to win the majority in that chamber. Meantime, Democrats need to win one additional state senate seat to hold a super majority in that chamber.