99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB1566
 
Introduced 2/20/2015, by Sen. Michael Connelly
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 

 
  
10 ILCS 5/11-4.1  from Ch. 46, par. 11-4.1

     Amends the Election Code. Provides that at least 180 days before an election, the county board or board of election commissioners shall give notice to any public body of the designation of a public building under the public body's control as a polling place.  Provides that, if using a public building as a polling place will result in a loss of revenue to the public body, the public building shall be deemed unavailable for use as a polling place by the county board or board of election commissioners.
  


LRB099 04064 MGM 24082 b

 
 
A BILL FOR
 

  
SB1566LRB099 04064 MGM 24082 b


  
1    AN ACT concerning elections.
  
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
3represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
4    Section 5. The Election Code is amended  by changing Section 
511-4.1 as follows:
 



6    (10 ILCS 5/11-4.1)  (from Ch. 46, par. 11-4.1)



7    Sec. 11-4.1. (a) In appointing polling places under this 
8Article, the
county board or board of election commissioners 
9shall, insofar as they are
convenient and available, use 
10schools and other public buildings as polling
places.

11    (a-5) At least 180 days before an election, the county 
12board or board of election commissioners shall give notice to 
13any public body of the designation of a public building under 
14the public body's control as a polling place.  If using a public 
15building as a polling place will result in a loss of revenue to 
16the public body, the public building shall be deemed 
17unavailable for use as a polling place by the county board or 
18board of election commissioners. 
19    (b) Upon request of the county board or board of election 
20commissioners,
the proper agency of government (including 
21school districts and units of
local government) shall make a 
22public building under its control available
for use as a 
23polling place on an election day and for a reasonably
necessary 
 
 
SB1566- 2 -LRB099 04064 MGM 24082 b

1time before and after election day, without charge.
 If the 
2county board or board of election commissioners chooses a 
3school
to be a polling place, then the school district must 
4make the school
available for use as a polling place.
However, 
5for the day of the election, a school district is encouraged to 
6(i) close the school or (ii) hold a teachers institute on that 
7day with students not in attendance.

8    (c) A government agency which makes a public building under 
9its
control available for use as a polling place shall (i) 
10ensure the portion of
the building to be used as the polling 
11place is accessible to handicapped
and elderly voters and (ii) 
12allow the election authority to administer the election as 
13authorized under this Code.

14    (d) If a qualified elector's precinct polling place is a 
15school and the elector will be unable to enter that polling 
16place without violating Section 11-9.3 of the Criminal Code of 
172012 because the elector is a child sex offender as defined in 
18Section 11-9.3 of the Criminal Code of 2012, that elector may 
19vote by absentee ballot in accordance with Article 19 of this 
20Code or may vote early in accordance with Article 19A of this 
21Code.
22(Source: P.A. 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13; 98-773, eff. 7-18-14.)