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1 | AN ACT concerning elections.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Election Code is amended by adding the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | heading of Article 17A and Sections 17A-5, 17A-10, 17A-15, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | 17A-20, and 17A-25 and the heading of Article 24D and Sections | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | 24D-5, 24D-10, 24D-15, 24D-20, and 24D-25 as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (10 ILCS 5/Art. 17A heading new) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | ARTICLE 17A. ACCESSIBILITY OF ELECTORAL PROCESS FOR VOTERS WITH | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | DISABILITIES | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | (10 ILCS 5/17A-5 new) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Sec. 17A-5. Definitions. As used in this Article:
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13 | "Access" means all of the following:
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14 | (1) Each polling place shall provide an accessible, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | barrier-free path of travel from the
parking area to the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | polling area and voting machine.
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17 | (2) The voter can retrieve all of the information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | contained in the ballot.
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19 | (3) The voter can retrieve any instructional | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | information necessary for the effective
casting of the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | ballot.
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22 | (4) The voter can make and verify all selections | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | contained in the ballot, including write-in selections.
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24 | (5) The voter can move freely through all the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
25 | information contained in paragraph (2), (3), and (4), | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
26 | including, but not limited to, moving both forward and | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
27 | backward through all items, skipping items, determining | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
28 | the spelling of words, and controlling the speed of | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
29 | synthesized speech.
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30 | "Modify" means the voter can access and control voting | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
31 | systems and technology with devices in general use by voters |
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1 | with disabilities, including, but not limited to, standard key | ||||||
2 | pads, breath-activated or eye-activated control, and the use of | ||||||
3 | magnified print.
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4 | "Nonvisual" means synthesized speech, Braille, or other | ||||||
5 | methods of information retrieval not requiring sight.
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6 | "Curbside voting" means a systematized procedure to enable | ||||||
7 | a voter with a disability, who is unable to enter his or her | ||||||
8 | designated polling place, to vote in his or her vehicle or | ||||||
9 | outside of the polling place on election day.
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10 | (10 ILCS 5/17A-10 new) | ||||||
11 | Sec. 17A-10. Accessible polling places. | ||||||
12 | (a) The State Board of Elections shall establish consistent | ||||||
13 | architectural standards for polling places in Illinois and all | ||||||
14 | of its political subdivisions that shall ensure that voters in | ||||||
15 | Illinois, including voters with disabilities, have full access | ||||||
16 | to their polling places. Any standards established by the State | ||||||
17 | Board of Elections shall be in addition to those standards set | ||||||
18 | forth in subsection (c).
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19 | (b) In setting standards for and requiring access to | ||||||
20 | polling places pursuant to subsections (a) and (c), the State | ||||||
21 | Board of Elections shall obtain recommendations from | ||||||
22 | representatives of organizations of and representing people | ||||||
23 | with disabilities (including but not limited to | ||||||
24 | representatives of consumers with visual impairments and | ||||||
25 | representatives of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community), | ||||||
26 | experts in accessible architecture and barrier-free design, | ||||||
27 | and any other individual or organization the State Board of | ||||||
28 | Elections determines to be appropriate.
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29 | (c) Notwithstanding any standards established by the State | ||||||
30 | Board of Elections, the minimum standards by which a facility | ||||||
31 | shall be considered an "accessible facility" for elderly voters | ||||||
32 | and voters with disabilities are as follows:
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33 | (1) The facility meets the standards for accessibility | ||||||
34 | for elderly voters and voters with
disabilities | ||||||
35 | established under the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly |
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1 | and
Handicapped Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 1973ee-1(b) (1984) | ||||||
2 | ("VAEHA"), and the Americans
With Disabilities Act, 42 | ||||||
3 | U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq. (1998) ("ADA"), and complies
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4 | with the Illinois Accessibility Code, 71 Ill. Admin. Code | ||||||
5 | 400.110 et seq.
("IAC"), and the implementing code for the | ||||||
6 | Illinois Environmental Barriers Act, 410
ILCS 25/.
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7 | (2) All the following are accessible to elderly voters | ||||||
8 | and voters with disabilities in a manner that provides the | ||||||
9 | same opportunity for access and participation (including | ||||||
10 | privacy and independence) as for other voters under the | ||||||
11 | standards for new construction set forth in the Americans | ||||||
12 | with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for | ||||||
13 | Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG):
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14 | (i) Parking spaces marked and available to conform | ||||||
15 | with 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1973ee except where no parking is | ||||||
16 | offered for any voters; | ||||||
17 | (ii) The path to the facility that an individual | ||||||
18 | must travel on the property
where the facility is | ||||||
19 | located;
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20 | (iii) The entrances of the facility to be used by | ||||||
21 | voters including thresholds and
entrance width. The | ||||||
22 | doors to the facilities must also meet the standards | ||||||
23 | set forth
in IAC Section 400.310 J as to width, door | ||||||
24 | hardware, maneuvering clearance, and
force or have an | ||||||
25 | accessible alternative; if the accessible entrance to | ||||||
26 | the polling place is not the
main voter entrance, there | ||||||
27 | must be signage directing the voter to the
accessible | ||||||
28 | entrance or a means of requesting assistance from an | ||||||
29 | election official with an escort to the accessible | ||||||
30 | entrance; | ||||||
31 | (iv) The paths of travel within the facility to the | ||||||
32 | rooms or areas where the voting systems are located; | ||||||
33 | and
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34 | (v) The rooms or areas in the facility where the | ||||||
35 | voting systems are located; and | ||||||
36 | (vi) Restrooms, except that they must be |
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1 | accessible only if provided to all voters.
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2 | (3) Any materials provided to voters must be provided | ||||||
3 | in an alternative format
or have an accessible alternative. | ||||||
4 | (4) Audiovisual and television monitors shall not be | ||||||
5 | required at any polling place. However, if such materials | ||||||
6 | are provided, they must be provided in an accessible | ||||||
7 | format, including audio as well as caption.
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8 | (d) The State Board of Elections shall permit, in order to | ||||||
9 | meet the standards of subsections (c)(1) and (c)(2), the | ||||||
10 | implementation of temporary measures such as portable ramps, | ||||||
11 | door hardware changes, accessible alternatives to door | ||||||
12 | hardware, or using only accessible areas within a facility.
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13 | (10 ILCS 5/17A-15 new) | ||||||
14 | Sec. 17A-15. Curbside voting. | ||||||
15 | (a) In the case of an emergency, as determined by the State | ||||||
16 | Board of Elections, or if
the local election authority | ||||||
17 | determines that all potential polling places have been
surveyed | ||||||
18 | by the election authority and that no accessible polling place, | ||||||
19 | as
defined by rule of the State Board of Elections, is | ||||||
20 | available within a precinct and the local election authority is | ||||||
21 | not able to make a polling place within the precinct
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22 | temporarily accessible, the State Board of Elections, upon | ||||||
23 | written application by
the local election authority, is | ||||||
24 | authorized to grant an exemption for that precinct from
the | ||||||
25 | accessibility requirements of this Article and the VAEHA | ||||||
26 | through the use of
curbside voting.
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27 | (b) Curbside voting shall only be used as an interim means | ||||||
28 | of compliance when no other alternative is available.
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29 | (c) In order for curbside voting to be permitted, the | ||||||
30 | following requirements must be met:
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31 | (1) The local election authority must determine that no | ||||||
32 | other alternative is possible for that precinct under the | ||||||
33 | survey provisions of subsection (d) of Section 17A-20. | ||||||
34 | (2) On election day, signage must be prominently | ||||||
35 | displayed outside of the main entrance of the polling place |
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1 | (at the address as given by the local election authority) | ||||||
2 | that indicates how curbside service will be provided. | ||||||
3 | (3) Each polling location using curbside voting must | ||||||
4 | have either (i) an election official stationed outside to | ||||||
5 | assist individuals or (ii) a means by which voters with | ||||||
6 | disabilities can alert an election official inside that | ||||||
7 | they wish to participate in curbside service. | ||||||
8 | (d) Prior to each subsequent election, local election | ||||||
9 | authorities shall evaluate each exempted site where curbside | ||||||
10 | voting was offered for alternative locations or ways to make | ||||||
11 | the site permanently accessible.
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12 | (10 ILCS 5/17A-20 new) | ||||||
13 | Sec. 17A-20. Survey of polling places for accessibility. | ||||||
14 | (a) Pursuant to the standards set forth in Section 17A-10, | ||||||
15 | local election authorities shall evaluate for accessibility | ||||||
16 | all polling places in their jurisdiction prior to January 1,
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17 | 2006.
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18 | (b) The State Board of Elections shall provide local | ||||||
19 | election authorities with a uniform set of standards
for | ||||||
20 | evaluation of polling places prior to July 1, 2005. Prior to | ||||||
21 | providing these
standards, the State Board of Elections shall | ||||||
22 | solicit the input of those organizations
set forth in | ||||||
23 | subsection (b) of Section 17A-10. The State Board of Elections | ||||||
24 | may also, at its
discretion, provide additional tools such as | ||||||
25 | survey forms, training for individuals to
conduct surveys, | ||||||
26 | software, or such other materials as it shall determine.
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27 | (c) The local election authority shall then file a report | ||||||
28 | in a form designated by the State Board of Elections prior to | ||||||
29 | January 1, 2006.
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30 | (d) Not later than 60 days before each election day in 2007 | ||||||
31 | and thereafter, local election authorities shall
have | ||||||
32 | completed a survey of their polling places and determined which | ||||||
33 | sites may be
made accessible through temporary means (such as | ||||||
34 | using only the accessible portion of
the facility on election | ||||||
35 | day or portable ramps).
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1 | (e) Not later than 30 days before each election day in 2007 | ||||||
2 | and thereafter, local election authority shall file a report | ||||||
3 | with the State Board of Elections listing each precinct in the | ||||||
4 | jurisdiction that has been made temporarily
accessible and | ||||||
5 | those locations for which the local election authority was | ||||||
6 | unable to
secure an accessible facility for election day. The | ||||||
7 | report shall specify how curbside
service will be provided at | ||||||
8 | each of these locations. The report must include any other
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9 | information required by the State Board of Elections. For | ||||||
10 | subsequent elections
if no polling locations within a given | ||||||
11 | election jurisdiction have changed and nothing
has been done | ||||||
12 | that has lessened accessibility, the local election authority | ||||||
13 | shall not be
required to file an additional report.
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14 | (f) Not later than 10 days before each election day in 2007 | ||||||
15 | and thereafter, the local election authority shall give notice | ||||||
16 | of the place of voting in each precinct by publication, | ||||||
17 | specifying
which polling locations are located in inaccessible | ||||||
18 | facilities and how curbside service
will be provided.
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19 | (g) The State Board of Elections shall annually provide
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20 | programs and funding recommendations to assist local election | ||||||
21 | authorities in making
their polling places accessible to all | ||||||
22 | voters, including voters with disabilities.
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23 | (10 ILCS 5/17A-25 new)
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24 | Sec. 17A-25. Training. | ||||||
25 | (a) Local election authorities shall conduct
a training and | ||||||
26 | educational meeting for precinct election judges. | ||||||
27 | (b) The State Board of Elections shall provide local | ||||||
28 | election authorities with a uniform set of standards
for | ||||||
29 | training prior to January 1, 2005. Prior to providing these | ||||||
30 | training materials, the
State Board of Elections shall solicit | ||||||
31 | the input of those organizations set forth in
subsection (b) of | ||||||
32 | Section 17A-10.
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33 | (c) Election Judges in each local election jurisdiction
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34 | shall be required to attend the meeting and the election | ||||||
35 | authority may require other election personnel to attend the |
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1 | meeting. | ||||||
2 | (d) One judge for each polling place shall be designated as | ||||||
3 | the "accessibility coordinator"
and shall have primary | ||||||
4 | responsibility for ensuring compliance with the standards set | ||||||
5 | pursuant to this Article.
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6 | (e) The meeting required under subsection (c) must include | ||||||
7 | information related to making
polling places and voting systems | ||||||
8 | accessible to elderly voters and voters with
disabilities. The | ||||||
9 | meeting shall also focus on helping judges individualize | ||||||
10 | service for
voters with disabilities. The meeting may include | ||||||
11 | other information relating to the
duties of election judges as | ||||||
12 | determined by the local election authority.
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13 | (f) The meeting required by subsection (c) must be held not | ||||||
14 | later than the day before the
first election day of 2007.
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15 | (10 ILCS 5/Art. 24D heading new) | ||||||
16 | ARTICLE 24D. ACCESSIBLE VOTING TECHNOLOGY | ||||||
17 | (10 ILCS 5/24D-5 new) | ||||||
18 | Sec. 24D-5. Purpose. The purpose of this Article is to | ||||||
19 | ensure that all voters within the State of Illinois, including | ||||||
20 | those with visual, mobility, or other impairments, are able to | ||||||
21 | participate fully in the electoral process with the same | ||||||
22 | opportunity for privacy and independence as for other voters. | ||||||
23 | (10 ILCS 5/24D-10 new) | ||||||
24 | Sec. 24D-10. Voting equipment. Notwithstanding any other | ||||||
25 | provision of this Code, after December 31, 2005, the State | ||||||
26 | Board of Elections shall require (by certification or | ||||||
27 | otherwise) that the voting technology and systems used by the | ||||||
28 | State or any political subdivision must include at least one | ||||||
29 | voting system in each polling place that is accessible for | ||||||
30 | individuals with disabilities, including: | ||||||
31 | (1) accessibility for persons with limited or no manual | ||||||
32 | dexterity; and | ||||||
33 | (2) at least one form of nonvisual accessibility for |
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1 | the blind and visually impaired in a manner that provides | ||||||
2 | the same opportunity for access and participation | ||||||
3 | (including privacy and independence) as for other voters, | ||||||
4 | including the ability for the voter to cast and verify all | ||||||
5 | sections, made by both visual and nonvisual means. An | ||||||
6 | optical scan marking method shall not be considered | ||||||
7 | sufficient to satisfy this requirement of an accessible | ||||||
8 | machine. | ||||||
9 | (10 ILCS 5/24D-15 new) | ||||||
10 | Sec. 24D-15. Federal standards. A voting system must meet | ||||||
11 | the Voting System Standards approved by the
Federal Election | ||||||
12 | Commission on April 30, 2002. The State Board of Elections may
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13 | adopt rules to require a voting system to meet standards more | ||||||
14 | recent than standards
described in this Section. If the State | ||||||
15 | Board of Elections adopts rules under this Section, a
voting | ||||||
16 | system must meet those standards. | ||||||
17 | (10 ILCS 5/24D-20 new) | ||||||
18 | Sec. 24D-20. Recommendations. In requiring modified and | ||||||
19 | nonvisual access pursuant to Section 24D-10, the State Board of | ||||||
20 | Elections shall obtain recommendations from representatives of | ||||||
21 | blind and disabled consumer organizations, experts in | ||||||
22 | accessible software and hardware design, and any other | ||||||
23 | individual or organization the State Board of Elections | ||||||
24 | determines to be appropriate. | ||||||
25 | (10 ILCS 5/24D-25 new) | ||||||
26 | Sec. 24D-25. Existing equipment and systems. Compliance | ||||||
27 | with this Article in regard to voting technology and systems | ||||||
28 | purchased prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of | ||||||
29 | the 93rd General Assembly shall be achieved at the time of | ||||||
30 | procurement of an upgrade or replacement of the existing | ||||||
31 | equipment or systems.
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32 | (10 ILCS 5/17-13 rep.)
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1 | Section 10. The Election Code is amended by repealing | ||||||
2 | Section 17-13.
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3 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
4 | becoming law.
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