Section 206.10  Credential Issuance and General Rights – Township Primary and General Elections

a)         This regulation pertains only to municipal and township primary and general elections.

b)         For such elections, challengers and watchers shall hereinafter be classified as "pollwatchers."

c)         All pollwatchers' credentials, whether for candidates, political parties, civic organizations, or proponent or opponent proposition groups shall be printed in sufficient quantities and be issued under the facsimile signature of the appropriate election authority to such candidates, political parties, civic organizations and proponent and opponent proposition groups, upon their request.  Only in those instances where the request is clearly unreasonable shall the election authority limit the distribution of credentials to the requesting individuals.

d)         All credentials shall be authorized under the real or facsimile signature of the following person:

1)         The candidate who has authorized the pollwatcher shall sign the credentials for that candidate pollwatcher.

2)         The chairman of the appropriate political party organization shall sign the credentials for political party watchers.

3)         The chairman or presiding officer of the civic organization shall sign the credentials for civic organization pollwatchers.

4)         The chairman of the proponent or opponent proposition group or committee shall sign the credentials for proponent or opponent proposition groups.

e)         Such authorizing signatures shall appear on the face of the credential. Additionally, the pollwatcher shall affix his or her signature on the face thereof, the precinct or ward in which he resides and the county in which he is registered as a voter.

f)         Pollwatchers must present their credentials to the Judges of Election upon entering the polling place.  Pollwatcher credentials properly executed and signed shall be proof of the qualifications of the pollwatcher authorized thereby.  Such credentials are retained by the judges and returned to the election authority at the end of the day with the other election materials. Once a pollwatcher has surrendered a valid credential, he may leave and re-enter the polling place provided that such continuing action does not disrupt the conduct of the election.  After the polls have closed, pollwatchers shall be allowed to remain until the canvass of votes is completed; but may leave and re-enter only in cases of necessity, provided that such action is not so continuous as to disrupt the canvass of votes.

(Source:  Amended at 3 Ill. Reg. 33, p. 396, effective August 17, 1979)