(10 ILCS 5/13-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-4)

Sec. 13-4. Qualifications.

(a) All persons elected or chosen judge of election must: (1) be citizens of the United States and entitled to vote at the next election, except as provided in subsection (b) or (c); (2) be of good repute and character and not subject to the registration requirement of the Sex Offender Registration Act; (3) be able to speak, read and write the English language; (4) be skilled in the four fundamental rules of arithmetic; (5) be of good understanding and capable; (6) not be candidates for any office at the election and not be elected committeepersons; and (7) reside in the precinct in which they are selected to act, except that in each precinct, not more than one judge of each party may be appointed from outside such precinct. Any judge selected to serve in any precinct in which he is not entitled to vote must reside within and be entitled to vote elsewhere within the county which encompasses the precinct in which such judge is appointed, except as provided in subsection (b) or (c). Such judge must meet the other qualifications of this Section.

(b) An election authority may establish a program to permit a person who is not entitled to vote to be appointed as an election judge if, as of the date of the election at which the person serves as a judge, he or she:

(1) is a U.S. citizen;

(2) is a junior or senior in good standing enrolled in a public or private secondary school;

(3) has a cumulative grade point average equivalent to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;

(4) has the written approval of the principal of the secondary school he or she attends at the time of appointment;

(5) has the written approval of his or her parent or legal guardian;

(6) has satisfactorily completed the training course for judges of election described in Sections 13-2.1 and 13-2.2; and

(7) meets all other qualifications for appointment and service as an election judge.

No more than one election judge qualifying under this subsection may serve per political party per precinct. Prior to appointment, a judge qualifying under this subsection must certify in writing to the election authority the political party the judge chooses to affiliate with.

Students appointed as election judges under this subsection shall not be counted as absent from school on the day they serve as judges.

(c) An election authority may establish a program to permit a person who is not entitled to vote in that precinct or county to be appointed as an election judge if, as of the date of the election at which the person serves as a judge, he or she:

(1) is a U.S. citizen;

(2) is currently enrolled in a community college, as defined in the Public Community College Act, or a public or private Illinois university or college;

(3) has a cumulative grade point average equivalent to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;

(4) has satisfactorily completed the training course for judges of election described in Sections 13-2.1 and 13-2.2; and

(5) meets all other qualifications for appointment and service as an election judge.

No more than one election judge qualifying under this subsection may serve per political party per precinct. Prior to appointment, a judge qualifying under this subsection must certify in writing to the election authority the political party the judge chooses to affiliate with.

Students appointed as election judges under this subsection shall not be counted as absent from school on the day they serve as judges.

(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)