Public Act 094-0025
 
HB1315 Enrolled LRB094 07318 JAM 37476 b

    AN ACT concerning elections.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section
17-14 as follows:
 
    (10 ILCS 5/17-14)  (from Ch. 46, par. 17-14)
    Sec. 17-14. Any voter who declares upon oath, properly
witnessed and with his or her signature or mark affixed, that
he or she requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness,
physical disability or inability to read, write or speak the
English language shall, upon request, be assisted in marking
his or her ballot, by 2 judges of election of different
political parties, to be selected by all judges of election of
each precinct at the opening of the polls or by a person of the
voter's choice, other than the voter's employer or agent of
that employer or officer or agent of the voter's union. A voter
who presents an Illinois Disabled Person Identification Card,
issued to that person under the provisions of the Illinois
Identification Card Act, indicating that such voter has a Class
1A or Class 2 disability under the provisions of Section 4A of
the Illinois Identification Card Act, or a voter who declares
upon oath, properly witnessed, that by reason of any physical
disability he is unable to mark his ballot shall, upon request,
be assisted in marking his ballot by 2 of the election officers
of different parties as provided above in this Section or by a
person of the voter's choice other than the voter's employer or
agent of that employer or officer or agent of the voter's
union. Such voter shall state specifically the reason why he
cannot vote without assistance and, in the case of a physically
disabled voter, what his physical disability is and whether or
not the disability is permanent. Prior to entering the voting
booth, the person providing the assistance, if other than 2
judges of election, shall be presented with written
instructions on how assistance shall be provided. This
instruction shall be prescribed by the State Board of Elections
and shall include the penalties for attempting to influence the
voter's choice of candidates, party, or votes in relation to
any question on the ballot and for not marking the ballot as
directed by the voter. Additionally, the person providing the
assistance shall sign an oath, swearing not to influence the
voter's choice of candidates, party, or votes in relation to
any question on the ballot and to cast the ballot as directed
by the voter. The oath shall be prescribed by the State Board
of Elections and shall include the penalty for violating this
Section. In the voting booth, such person shall mark the ballot
as directed by the voter, and shall thereafter give no
information regarding the same. The judges of election shall
enter upon the poll lists or official poll record after the
name of any elector who received such assistance in marking his
ballot a memorandum of the fact and if the disability is
permanent. Intoxication shall not be regarded as a physical
disability, and no intoxicated person shall be entitled to
assistance in marking his ballot.
    No person shall secure or attempt to secure assistance in
voting who is not blind, physically disabled or illiterate as
herein provided, nor shall any person knowingly assist a voter
in voting contrary to the provisions of this Section.
(Source: P.A. 90-101, eff. 7-11-97.)