HB2461 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 10987 SMS 16319 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB2461

Introduced 2/19/2021, by Rep. Deanne M. Mazzochi

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/19-6

from Ch. 46, par. 19-6

Amends the Election Code. Requires that the envelope of a vote by mail ballot is also endorsed by a resident of the voter's address of registration to verify the voter's identity and residence. Provides that alternatively, if no other person resides at the voter's address of registration or is available to endorse the envelope, a resident of the voter's precinct may endorse the envelope or the voter may provide with the ballot the voter's utility bill or lease to verify identity and residency.

A BILL FOR

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 19-6 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/19-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-6)

Sec. 19-6. Such vote by mail voter shall make and subscribe to the certifications provided for in the application and on the return envelope for the ballot, and such ballot or ballots shall be folded by such voter in the manner required to be folded before depositing the same in the ballot box, and be deposited in such envelope and the envelope securely sealed. The voter shall then endorse his certificate upon the back of the envelope. A resident of the voter's address of registration must also endorse the envelope to verify the voter's identity and residency. Alternatively, if no other person resides at the voter's address of registration or is available to endorse the envelope, a resident of the voter's precinct may endorse the envelope or the voter may provide with the ballot the voter's utility bill or lease to verify identity and residency. The and the envelope shall be mailed in person by such voter, postage prepaid, to the election authority issuing the ballot or, if more convenient, it may be delivered in person, by either the voter or by any person authorized by the voter, or by a company licensed as a motor carrier of property by the Illinois Commerce Commission under the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law, which is engaged in the business of making deliveries. It shall be unlawful for any person not the voter or a person authorized by the voter to take the ballot and ballot envelope of a voter for deposit into the mail unless the ballot has been issued pursuant to application by a physically incapacitated elector under Section 3-3 or a hospitalized voter under Section 19-13, in which case any employee or person under the direction of the facility in which the elector or voter is located may deposit the ballot and ballot envelope into the mail. If the voter authorized a person to deliver the ballot to the election authority, the voter and the person authorized to deliver the ballot shall complete the authorization printed on the exterior envelope supplied by an election authority for the return of the vote by mail ballot. The exterior of the envelope supplied by an election authority for the return of the vote by mail ballot shall include an authorization in substantially the following form:

I ............ (voter) authorize ............... to take the necessary steps to have this ballot delivered promptly to the office of the election authority.

....................... ........................ Date Signature of voter

............................................... Printed Name of Authorized Delivery Agent

............................................... Signature of Authorized Delivery Agency

............................................... Date Delivered to the Election Authority

(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)