98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB5913

 

Introduced , by Rep. Mike Fortner

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/7-10  from Ch. 46, par. 7-10
10 ILCS 5/7-43  from Ch. 46, par. 7-43
10 ILCS 5/7-44  from Ch. 46, par. 7-44
10 ILCS 5/7-60  from Ch. 46, par. 7-60
10 ILCS 5/19-2.1  from Ch. 46, par. 19-2.1
10 ILCS 5/19-3  from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
10 ILCS 5/19-4.5 new
10 ILCS 5/19-5  from Ch. 46, par. 19-5
10 ILCS 5/19-8  from Ch. 46, par. 19-8
10 ILCS 5/19-12.1  from Ch. 46, par. 19-12.1
10 ILCS 5/20-3  from Ch. 46, par. 20-3
10 ILCS 5/20-4  from Ch. 46, par. 20-4
10 ILCS 5/20-4.5 new
10 ILCS 5/20-5  from Ch. 46, par. 20-5
10 ILCS 5/20-8  from Ch. 46, par. 20-8
10 ILCS 5/7-2 rep.
10 ILCS 5/7-3 rep.
10 ILCS 5/Art. 10 rep.

    Amends the Election Code. Creates an open-primary system. Provides that primary ballots shall list each candidate for office, regardless of party affiliation, participating in the primary election. Provides that the 2 candidates in any primary that received the most votes in the primary election, regardless of party affiliation of the candidates, shall be the only 2 candidates certified for participation in the general election. Makes conforming changes.


LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5913LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 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
5Sections 7-10, 7-43, 7-44, 7-60, 19-2.1, 19-3, 19-4, 19-5,
619-8, 19-12.1, 20-3, 20-4, 20-5, and 20-8 and by adding
7Sections 19-4.5 and 20-4.5 as follows:
 
8    (10 ILCS 5/7-10)  (from Ch. 46, par. 7-10)
9    Sec. 7-10. Form of petition for nomination. The name of no
10candidate for nomination, or State central committeeman, or
11township committeeman, or precinct committeeman, or ward
12committeeman or candidate for delegate or alternate delegate to
13national nominating conventions, shall be printed upon the
14primary ballot unless a petition for nomination has been filed
15in his behalf as provided in this Article in substantially the
16following form:
17    We, the undersigned, members of and affiliated with the
18.... party and qualified primary electors of the .... party, in
19the .... of ...., in the county of .... and State of Illinois,
20do hereby petition that the following named person or persons
21shall be a candidate or candidates of the .... party for the
22nomination for (or in case of committeemen for election to) the
23office or offices hereinafter specified, to be voted for at the

 

 

 

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1primary election to be held on (insert date).
2    NameOfficeAddress
3John JonesGovernorBelvidere, Ill.
4Jane James Lieutenant Governor Peoria, Ill.
5Thomas SmithAttorney GeneralOakland, Ill.
6Name..................         Address.......................
 
7State of Illinois)
8                 ) ss.
9County of........)
10    I, ...., do hereby certify that I reside at No. ....
11street, in the .... of ...., county of ...., and State of
12....., that I am 18 years of age or older, that I am a citizen
13of the United States, and that the signatures on this sheet
14were signed in my presence, and are genuine, and that to the
15best of my knowledge and belief the persons so signing were at
16the time of signing the petitions qualified voters of the ....
17party, and that their respective residences are correctly
18stated, as above set forth.
19
.........................
20    Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).
21
.........................

 
22    Each sheet of the petition other than the statement of
23candidacy and candidate's statement shall be of uniform size

 

 

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1and shall contain above the space for signatures an appropriate
2heading giving the information as to name of candidate or
3candidates, in whose behalf such petition is signed; the
4office, the political party that the candidate prefers,
5represented and place of residence; and the heading of each
6sheet shall be the same.
7    Such petition shall be signed by qualified primary electors
8residing in the political division for which the nomination is
9sought in their own proper persons only and opposite the
10signature of each signer, his residence address shall be
11written or printed. The residence address required to be
12written or printed opposite each qualified primary elector's
13name shall include the street address or rural route number of
14the signer, as the case may be, as well as the signer's county,
15and city, village or town, and state. However the county or
16city, village or town, and state of residence of the electors
17may be printed on the petition forms where all of the electors
18signing the petition reside in the same county or city, village
19or town, and state. Standard abbreviations may be used in
20writing the residence address, including street number, if any.
21At the bottom of each sheet of such petition shall be added a
22circulator statement signed by a person 18 years of age or
23older who is a citizen of the United States, stating the street
24address or rural route number, as the case may be, as well as
25the county, city, village or town, and state; and certifying
26that the signatures on that sheet of the petition were signed

 

 

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1in his or her presence and certifying that the signatures are
2genuine; and either (1) indicating the dates on which that
3sheet was circulated, or (2) indicating the first and last
4dates on which the sheet was circulated, or (3) certifying that
5none of the signatures on the sheet were signed more than 90
6days preceding the last day for the filing of the petition and
7certifying that to the best of his or her knowledge and belief
8the persons so signing were at the time of signing the
9petitions qualified voters of the election political party for
10which a nomination is sought. Such statement shall be sworn to
11before some officer authorized to administer oaths in this
12State.
13    No petition sheet shall be circulated more than 90 days
14preceding the last day provided in Section 7-12 for the filing
15of such petition.
16    The person circulating the petition, or the candidate on
17whose behalf the petition is circulated, may strike any
18signature from the petition, provided that:
19        (1) the person striking the signature shall initial the
20    petition at the place where the signature is struck; and
21        (2) the person striking the signature shall sign a
22    certification listing the page number and line number of
23    each signature struck from the petition. Such
24    certification shall be filed as a part of the petition.
25    Such sheets before being filed shall be neatly fastened
26together in book form, by placing the sheets in a pile and

 

 

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1fastening them together at one edge in a secure and suitable
2manner, and the sheets shall then be numbered consecutively.
3The sheets shall not be fastened by pasting them together end
4to end, so as to form a continuous strip or roll. All petition
5sheets which are filed with the proper local election
6officials, election authorities or the State Board of Elections
7shall be the original sheets which have been signed by the
8voters and by the circulator thereof, and not photocopies or
9duplicates of such sheets. Each petition must include as a part
10thereof, a statement of candidacy for each of the candidates
11filing, or in whose behalf the petition is filed. This
12statement shall set out the address of such candidate, the
13office for which he is a candidate, shall state that the
14candidate is a qualified primary voter of the election for
15party to which the petition relates and is qualified for the
16office specified (in the case of a candidate for State's
17Attorney it shall state that the candidate is at the time of
18filing such statement a licensed attorney-at-law of this
19State), shall state that he has filed (or will file before the
20close of the petition filing period) a statement of economic
21interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act,
22shall request that the candidate's name be placed upon the
23official ballot, and shall be subscribed and sworn to by such
24candidate before some officer authorized to take
25acknowledgment of deeds in the State and shall be in
26substantially the following form:

 

 

 

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1
Statement of Candidacy
2NameAddressOfficeDistrictParty
3John Jones102 Main St.GovernorStatewideRepublican
4Belvidere,
5Illinois
6State of Illinois)
7                 ) ss.
8County of .......)
9    I, ...., being first duly sworn, say that I reside at ....
10Street in the city (or village) of ...., in the county of ....,
11State of Illinois; that I am a qualified voter therein and am a
12qualified primary voter of the .... party; that I am a
13candidate for nomination (for election in the case of
14committeeman and delegates and alternate delegates) to the
15office of .... to be voted upon at the primary election to be
16held on (insert date); that I am legally qualified (including
17being the holder of any license that may be an eligibility
18requirement for the office I seek the nomination for) to hold
19such office and that I have filed (or I will file before the
20close of the petition filing period) a statement of economic
21interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act
22and I hereby request that my name be printed upon the official
23primary ballot for nomination for (or election to in the case
24of committeemen and delegates and alternate delegates) such
25office.

 

 

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1
Signed ......................
2    Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ....,
3who is to me personally known, on (insert date).
4
Signed ....................
5
(Official Character)
6(Seal, if officer has one.)
 
7    The petitions, when filed, shall not be withdrawn or added
8to, and no signatures shall be revoked except by revocation
9filed in writing with the State Board of Elections, election
10authority or local election official with whom the petition is
11required to be filed, and before the filing of such petition.
12Whoever forges the name of a signer upon any petition required
13by this Article is deemed guilty of a forgery and on conviction
14thereof shall be punished accordingly.
15    A candidate for the offices listed in this Section must
16obtain the number of signatures specified in this Section on
17his or her petition for nomination.
18    (a) Statewide office or delegate to a national nominating
19convention. If a candidate seeks to run for statewide office or
20as a delegate or alternate delegate to a national nominating
21convention elected from the State at-large, then the
22candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least 5,000
23but not more than 10,000 signatures.
24    (b) Congressional office or congressional delegate to a
25national nominating convention. If a candidate seeks to run for

 

 

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1United States Congress or as a congressional delegate or
2alternate congressional delegate to a national nominating
3convention elected from a congressional district, then the
4candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the
5number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary
6electors of his or her party in his or her congressional
7district. In the first primary election following a
8redistricting of congressional districts, a candidate's
9petition for nomination must contain at least 600 signatures of
10qualified primary electors of the candidate's political party
11in his or her congressional district.
12    (c) County office. If a candidate seeks to run for any
13countywide office, including but not limited to county board
14chairperson or county board member, elected on an at-large
15basis, in a county other than Cook County, then the candidate's
16petition for nomination must contain at least the number of
17signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or
18her party who cast votes at the last preceding general election
19in his or her county. If a candidate seeks to run for county
20board member elected from a county board district, then the
21candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the
22number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary
23electors of his or her party in the county board district. In
24the first primary election following a redistricting of county
25board districts or the initial establishment of county board
26districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must contain

 

 

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1at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the
2qualified electors of his or her party in the entire county who
3cast votes at the last preceding general election divided by
4the total number of county board districts comprising the
5county board; provided that in no event shall the number of
6signatures be less than 25.
7    (d) County office; Cook County only.
8        (1) If a candidate seeks to run for countywide office
9    in Cook County, then the candidate's petition for
10    nomination must contain at least the number of signatures
11    equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party
12    who cast votes at the last preceding general election in
13    Cook County.
14        (2) If a candidate seeks to run for Cook County Board
15    Commissioner, then the candidate's petition for nomination
16    must contain at least the number of signatures equal to
17    0.5% of the qualified primary electors of his or her party
18    in his or her county board district. In the first primary
19    election following a redistricting of Cook County Board of
20    Commissioners districts, a candidate's petition for
21    nomination must contain at least the number of signatures
22    equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party
23    in the entire county who cast votes at the last preceding
24    general election divided by the total number of county
25    board districts comprising the county board; provided that
26    in no event shall the number of signatures be less than 25.

 

 

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1        (3) If a candidate seeks to run for Cook County Board
2    of Review Commissioner, which is elected from a district
3    pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 5-5 of the Property
4    Tax Code, then the candidate's petition for nomination must
5    contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of
6    the total number of registered voters in his or her board
7    of review district in the last general election at which a
8    commissioner was regularly scheduled to be elected from
9    that board of review district. In no event shall the number
10    of signatures required be greater than the requisite number
11    for a candidate who seeks countywide office in Cook County
12    under subsection (d)(1) of this Section. In the first
13    primary election following a redistricting of Cook County
14    Board of Review districts, a candidate's petition for
15    nomination must contain at least 4,000 signatures or at
16    least the number of signatures required for a countywide
17    candidate in Cook County, whichever is less, of the
18    qualified electors of his or her party in the district.
19    (e) Municipal or township office. If a candidate seeks to
20run for municipal or township office, then the candidate's
21petition for nomination must contain at least the number of
22signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of
23his or her party in the municipality or township. If a
24candidate seeks to run for alderman of a municipality, then the
25candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the
26number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary

 

 

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1electors of his or her party of the ward. In the first primary
2election following redistricting of aldermanic wards or
3trustee districts of a municipality or the initial
4establishment of wards or districts, a candidate's petition for
5nomination must contain the number of signatures equal to at
6least 0.5% of the total number of votes cast for the candidate
7of that political party who received the highest number of
8votes in the entire municipality at the last regular election
9at which an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from
10the entire municipality, divided by the number of wards or
11districts. In no event shall the number of signatures be less
12than 25.
13    (f) State central committeeperson. If a candidate seeks to
14run for State central committeeperson, then the candidate's
15petition for nomination must contain at least 100 signatures of
16the primary electors of his or her party of his or her
17congressional district.
18    (g) Sanitary district trustee. If a candidate seeks to run
19for trustee of a sanitary district in which trustees are not
20elected from wards, then the candidate's petition for
21nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal
22to 0.5% of the primary electors of his or her party from the
23sanitary district. If a candidate seeks to run for trustee of a
24sanitary district in which trustees are elected from wards,
25then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at
26least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the primary

 

 

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1electors of his or her party in the ward of that sanitary
2district. In the first primary election following
3redistricting of sanitary districts elected from wards, a
4candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the
5signatures of 150 qualified primary electors of his or her ward
6of that sanitary district.
7    (h) Judicial office. If a candidate seeks to run for
8judicial office in a district, then the candidate's petition
9for nomination must contain the number of signatures equal to
100.4% of the number of votes cast in that district for the
11candidate for his or her political party for the office of
12Governor at the last general election at which a Governor was
13elected, but in no event less than 500 signatures. If a
14candidate seeks to run for judicial office in a circuit or
15subcircuit, then the candidate's petition for nomination must
16contain the number of signatures equal to 0.25% of the number
17of votes cast for the judicial candidate of his or her
18political party who received the highest number of votes at the
19last general election at which a judicial officer from the same
20circuit or subcircuit was regularly scheduled to be elected,
21but in no event less than 1,000 signatures in circuits and
22subcircuits located in the First Judicial District or 500
23signatures in every other Judicial District.
24    (i) Precinct, ward, and township committeeperson. If a
25candidate seeks to run for precinct committeeperson, then the
26candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least 10

 

 

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1signatures of the primary electors of his or her party for the
2precinct. If a candidate seeks to run for ward committeeperson,
3then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain no
4less than the number of signatures equal to 10% of the primary
5electors of his or her party of the ward, but no more than 16%
6of those same electors; provided that the maximum number of
7signatures may be 50 more than the minimum number, whichever is
8greater. If a candidate seeks to run for township
9committeeperson, then the candidate's petition for nomination
10must contain no less than the number of signatures equal to 5%
11of the primary electors of his or her party of the township,
12but no more than 8% of those same electors; provided that the
13maximum number of signatures may be 50 more than the minimum
14number, whichever is greater.
15    (j) State's attorney or regional superintendent of schools
16for multiple counties. If a candidate seeks to run for State's
17attorney or regional Superintendent of Schools who serves more
18than one county, then the candidate's petition for nomination
19must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of
20the primary electors of his or her party in the territory
21comprising the counties.
22    (k) Any other office. If a candidate seeks any other
23office, then the candidate's petition for nomination must
24contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the
25registered voters of the political subdivision, district, or
26division for which the nomination is made or 25 signatures,

 

 

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1whichever is greater.
2    For purposes of this Section the number of primary electors
3shall be determined by taking the total vote cast, in the
4applicable district, for the candidate for that political party
5who received the highest number of votes, statewide, at the
6last general election in the State at which electors for
7President of the United States were elected. For political
8subdivisions, the number of primary electors shall be
9determined by taking the total vote cast for the candidate for
10that political party who received the highest number of votes
11in the political subdivision at the last regular election at
12which an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from
13that subdivision. For wards or districts of political
14subdivisions, the number of primary electors shall be
15determined by taking the total vote cast for the candidate for
16that political party who received the highest number of votes
17in the ward or district at the last regular election at which
18an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from that ward
19or district.
20    A "qualified primary elector" of a party may not sign
21petitions for or be a candidate in the primary of more than one
22party.
23    The changes made to this Section of this amendatory Act of
24the 93rd General Assembly are declarative of existing law,
25except for item (3) of subsection (d).
26    Petitions of candidates for nomination for offices herein

 

 

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1specified, to be filed with the same officer, may contain the
2names of 2 or more candidates of the same political party for
3the same or different offices. In the case of the offices of
4Governor and Lieutenant Governor, a joint petition including
5one candidate for each of those offices must be filed.
6(Source: P.A. 96-1018, eff. 1-1-11; 97-81, eff. 7-5-11.)
 
7    (10 ILCS 5/7-43)  (from Ch. 46, par. 7-43)
8    Sec. 7-43. Every person having resided in this State 6
9months and in the precinct 30 days next preceding any primary
10therein who shall be a citizen of the United States of the age
11of 18 or more years shall be entitled to vote at such primary.
12    The following regulations shall be applicable to
13primaries:
14        No person shall be entitled to vote at a primary:
15            (a) Unless he declares his party affiliations as
16        required by this Article.
17            (b) (Blank).
18            (c) (Blank).
19            (c.5) If that person has participated in the town
20        political party caucus, under Section 45-50 of the
21        Township Code, of another political party by signing an
22        affidavit of voters attending the caucus within 45 days
23        before the first day of the calendar month in which the
24        primary is held.
25            (d) (Blank).

 

 

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1        (a) In cities, villages, and incorporated towns having
2    a board of election commissioners, only voters registered
3    as provided by Article 6 of this Act shall be entitled to
4    vote at such primary.
5        (b) No person shall be entitled to vote at a primary
6    unless he or she is registered under the provisions of
7    Articles 4, 5, or 6 of this Act, when his registration is
8    required by any of said Articles to entitle him or her to
9    vote at the election with reference to which the primary is
10    held.
11    A person (i) who filed a statement of candidacy for a
12partisan office as a qualified primary voter of an established
13political party or (ii) who voted the ballot of an established
14political party at a general primary election may not file a
15statement of candidacy as a candidate of a different
16established political party or as an independent candidate for
17a partisan office to be filled at the general election
18immediately following the general primary for which the person
19filed the statement or voted the ballot. A person may file a
20statement of candidacy for a partisan office as a qualified
21primary voter of an established political party regardless of
22any prior filing of candidacy for a partisan office or voting
23the ballot of an established political party at any prior
24election.
25(Source: P.A. 97-681, eff. 3-30-12; 98-463, eff. 8-16-13.)
 

 

 

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1    (10 ILCS 5/7-44)  (from Ch. 46, par. 7-44)
2    Sec. 7-44. Voters; primary ballot.     Any person desiring
3to vote at a primary shall state his or her name and ,
4residence and party affiliation to the primary judges, one of
5whom shall thereupon announce the same in a distinct tone of
6voice, sufficiently loud to be heard by all persons in the
7polling place. When article 4, 5, or 6 is applicable the
8Certificate of Registered Voter therein prescribed shall be
9made and signed and the official poll record shall be made. If
10the person desiring to vote is not challenged, one of the
11primary judges shall give to him or her one, and only one,
12primary ballot listing each candidate for office, regardless of
13party affiliation, participating in the primary election of the
14political party with which he declares himself affiliated, on
15the back of which the such primary judge shall endorse his or
16her initials in such manner that they may be seen when the
17primary ballot is properly folded. If the person desiring to
18vote is challenged he or she shall not receive a primary ballot
19from the primary judges until he or she shall have established
20his or her right to vote as hereinafter provided in this
21Article. No person who refuses to state his party affiliation
22shall be allowed to vote at a primary.
23    A person who declares his party affiliation with a
24statewide established political party and requests a primary
25ballot of such party may nonetheless also declare his
26affiliation with a political party established only within a

 

 

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1political subdivision, and may also vote in the primary of such
2local party on the same election day, provided that such voter
3may not vote in both such party primaries with respect to
4offices of the same political subdivision. However, no person
5declaring his affiliation with a statewide established
6political party may vote in the primary of any other statewide
7political party on the same election day.
8(Source: P.A. 81-1535.)
 
9    (10 ILCS 5/7-60)  (from Ch. 46, par. 7-60)
10    Sec. 7-60. Not less than 74 days before the date of the
11general election, the State Board of Elections shall certify to
12the county clerks the names of each of the candidates who have
13been nominated as shown by the proclamation of the State Board
14of Elections as a canvassing board or who have been nominated
15to fill a vacancy in nomination and direct the election
16authority to place upon the official ballot for the general
17election the names of such candidates in the same manner and in
18the same order as shown upon the certification, except as
19otherwise provided in this Section.
20    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 2
21candidates in any primary that received the most votes in the
22primary election, regardless of party affiliation of the
23candidates, shall be the only 2 candidates certified for
24participation in the general election.
25    Not less than 68 days before the date of the general

 

 

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1election, each county clerk shall certify the names of each of
2the candidates for county offices who have been nominated as
3shown by the proclamation of the county election authority or
4who have been nominated to fill a vacancy in nomination and
5declare that the names of such candidates for the respective
6offices shall be placed upon the official ballot for the
7general election in the same manner and in the same order as
8shown upon the certification, except as otherwise provided by
9this Section. Each county clerk shall place a copy of the
10certification on file in his or her office and at the same time
11issue to the State Board of Elections a copy of such
12certification. In addition, each county clerk in whose county
13there is a board of election commissioners shall, not less than
1468 days before the date of the general election, issue to such
15board a copy of the certification that has been filed in the
16county clerk's office, together with a copy of the
17certification that has been issued to the clerk by the State
18Board of Elections, with directions to the board of election
19commissioners to place upon the official ballot for the general
20election in that election jurisdiction the names of all
21candidates that are listed on such certifications, in the same
22manner and in the same order as shown upon such certifications,
23except as otherwise provided in this Section.
24    Whenever there are two or more persons nominated by the
25same political party for multiple offices for any board, the
26name of the candidate of such party receiving the highest

 

 

HB5913- 20 -LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 b

1number of votes in the primary election as a candidate for such
2office, as shown by the official election returns of the
3primary, shall be certified first under the name of such
4offices, and the names of the remaining candidates of such
5party for such offices shall follow in the order of the number
6of votes received by them respectively at the primary election
7as shown by the official election results.
8    No person who is shown by the final proclamation to have
9been nominated or elected at the primary as a write-in
10candidate shall have his or her name certified unless such
11person shall have filed with the certifying office or board
12within 10 days after the election authority's proclamation a
13statement of candidacy pursuant to Section 7-10, a statement
14pursuant to Section 7-10.1, and a receipt for the filing of a
15statement of economic interests in relation to the unit of
16government to which he or she has been elected or nominated.
17    Each county clerk and board of election commissioners shall
18determine by a fair and impartial method of random selection
19the order of placement of established political party
20candidates for the general election ballot. Such determination
21shall be made within 30 days following the canvass and
22proclamation of the results of the general primary in the
23office of the county clerk or board of election commissioners
24and shall be open to the public. Seven days written notice of
25the time and place of conducting such random selection shall be
26given, by each such election authority, to the County Chairman

 

 

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1of each established political party, and to each organization
2of citizens within the election jurisdiction which was
3entitled, under this Article, at the next preceding election,
4to have pollwatchers present on the day of election. Each
5election authority shall post in a conspicuous, open and public
6place, at the entrance of the election authority office, notice
7of the time and place of such lottery. However, a board of
8election commissioners may elect to place established
9political party candidates on the general election ballot in
10the same order determined by the county clerk of the county in
11which the city under the jurisdiction of such board is located.
12    Each certification shall indicate, where applicable, the
13following:
14        (1) The political party affiliation of the candidates
15    for the respective offices;
16        (2) If there is to be more than one candidate elected
17    to an office from the State, political subdivision or
18    district;
19        (3) If the voter has the right to vote for more than
20    one candidate for an office;
21        (4) The term of office, if a vacancy is to be filled
22    for less than a full term or if the offices to be filled in
23    a political subdivision are for different terms.
24    The State Board of Elections or the county clerk, as the
25case may be, shall issue an amended certification whenever it
26is discovered that the original certification is in error.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 96-1008, eff. 7-6-10.)
 
2    (10 ILCS 5/19-2.1)  (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2.1)
3    Sec. 19-2.1. In-person absentee voting in the office of the
4municipal, township, or road district clerks. At the
5consolidated primary, general primary, consolidated, and
6general elections, electors entitled to vote by absentee ballot
7under the provisions of Section 19-1 may vote in person at the
8office of the municipal clerk, if the elector is a resident of
9a municipality not having a board of election commissioners, or
10at the office of the township clerk or, in counties not under
11township organization, at the office of the road district clerk
12if the elector is not a resident of a municipality; provided,
13in each case that the municipal, township or road district
14clerk, as the case may be, is authorized to conduct in-person
15absentee voting pursuant to this Section. Absentee voting in
16such municipal and township clerk's offices under this Section
17shall be conducted from the 22nd day through the day before the
18election.
19    Municipal and township clerks (or road district clerks) who
20have regularly scheduled working hours at regularly designated
21offices other than a place of residence and whose offices are
22open for business during the same hours as the office of the
23election authority shall conduct in-person absentee voting for
24said elections. Municipal and township clerks (or road district
25clerks) who have no regularly scheduled working hours but who

 

 

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1have regularly designated offices other than a place of
2residence shall conduct in-person absentee voting for said
3elections during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 9:00
4a.m. to 5:00 p.m., weekdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on
5Saturdays, but not during such hours as the office of the
6election authority is closed, unless the clerk files a written
7waiver with the election authority not later than July 1 of
8each year stating that he or she is unable to conduct such
9voting and the reasons therefor. Such clerks who conduct
10in-person absentee voting may extend their hours for that
11purpose to include any hours in which the election authority's
12office is open. Municipal and township clerks (or road district
13clerks) who have no regularly scheduled office hours and no
14regularly designated offices other than a place of residence
15may not conduct in-person absentee voting for said elections.
16The election authority may devise alternative methods for
17in-person absentee voting before said elections for those
18precincts located within the territorial area of a municipality
19or township (or road district) wherein the clerk of such
20municipality or township (or road district) has waived or is
21not entitled to conduct such voting. In addition, electors may
22vote by absentee ballot under the provisions of Section 19-1 at
23the office of the election authority having jurisdiction over
24their residence. Unless specifically authorized by the
25election authority, municipal, township, and road district
26clerks shall not conduct in-person absentee voting. No less

 

 

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1than 45 days before the date of an election, the election
2authority shall notify the municipal, township, and road
3district clerks within its jurisdiction if they are to conduct
4in-person absentee voting. Election authorities, however, may
5conduct in-person absentee voting in one or more designated
6appropriate public buildings from the fourth day before the
7election through the day before the election.
8    In conducting in-person absentee voting under this
9Section, the respective clerks shall be required to verify the
10signature of the absentee voter by comparison with the
11signature on the official registration record card. The clerk
12also shall reasonably ascertain the identity of such applicant,
13shall verify that each such applicant is a registered voter,
14and shall verify the precinct in which he or she is registered
15and the proper ballots of the political subdivisions in which
16the applicant resides and is entitled to vote, prior to
17providing any absentee ballot to such applicant. The clerk
18shall verify the applicant's registration and from the most
19recent poll list provided by the county clerk, and if the
20applicant is not listed on that poll list then by telephoning
21the office of the county clerk.
22    Within one day after a voter casts an in-person absentee
23ballot, the appropriate election authority shall transmit by
24electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State
25Board of Elections the voter's name, street address, e-mail
26address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as

 

 

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1the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall
2maintain those names and that information in an electronic
3format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to
4State and local political committees.
5    Absentee voting procedures in the office of the municipal,
6township and road district clerks shall be subject to all of
7the applicable provisions of this Article 19, including,
8without limitation, those procedures relating to primary
9ballots. Pollwatchers may be appointed to observe in-person
10absentee voting procedures and view all reasonably requested
11records relating to the conduct of the election, provided the
12secrecy of the ballot is not impinged, at the office of the
13municipal, township or road district clerks' offices where such
14absentee voting is conducted. Such pollwatchers shall qualify
15and be appointed in the same manner as provided in Sections
167-34 and 17-23, except each candidate, political party or
17organization of citizens may appoint only one pollwatcher for
18each location where in-person absentee voting is conducted.
19Pollwatchers must be registered to vote in Illinois and possess
20valid pollwatcher credentials. All requirements in this
21Article applicable to election authorities shall apply to the
22respective local clerks, except where inconsistent with this
23Section.
24    The sealed absentee ballots in their carrier envelope shall
25be delivered by the respective clerks, or by the election
26authority on behalf of a clerk if the clerk and the election

 

 

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1authority agree, to the election authority's central ballot
2counting location before the close of the polls on the day of
3the general primary, consolidated primary, consolidated, or
4general election.
5    Not more than 23 days before the general and consolidated
6elections, the county clerk shall make available to those
7municipal, township and road district clerks conducting
8in-person absentee voting within such county, a sufficient
9number of applications, absentee ballots, envelopes, and
10printed voting instruction slips for use by absentee voters in
11the offices of such clerks. The respective clerks shall receipt
12for all ballots received, shall return all unused or spoiled
13ballots to the county clerk on the day of the election and
14shall strictly account for all ballots received.
15    The ballots delivered to the respective clerks shall
16include absentee ballots for each precinct in the municipality,
17township or road district, or shall include such separate
18ballots for each political subdivision conducting an election
19of officers or a referendum on that election day as will permit
20any resident of the municipality, township or road district to
21vote absentee in the office of the proper clerk.
22    The clerks of all municipalities, townships and road
23districts may distribute applications for absentee ballot for
24the use of voters who wish to mail such applications to the
25appropriate election authority. Any person may produce,
26reproduce, distribute, or return to an election authority the

 

 

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1application for absentee ballot. Upon receipt, the appropriate
2election authority shall accept and promptly process any
3application for absentee ballot.
4(Source: P.A. 97-766, eff. 7-6-12; 98-115, eff. 7-29-13.)
 
5    (10 ILCS 5/19-3)  (from Ch. 46, par. 19-3)
6    Sec. 19-3. The application for absentee ballot shall be
7substantially in the following form:
8
APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT
9    To be voted at the .... election in the County of .... and
10State of Illinois, in the .... precinct of the (1) *township of
11.... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in the City of ....
12    I state that I am a resident of the .... precinct of the
13(1) *township of .... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in
14the city of .... residing at .... in such city or town in the
15county of .... and State of Illinois; that I have lived at such
16address for .... month(s) last past; that I am lawfully
17entitled to vote in such precinct at the .... election to be
18held therein on ....; and that I wish to vote by absentee
19ballot.
20    I hereby make application for an official ballot or ballots
21to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I shall
22return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing the same
23prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the election
24or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than midnight
25preceding election day, for counting no later than during the

 

 

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1period for counting provisional ballots, the last day of which
2is the 14th day following election day.
3    I understand that this application is made for an official
4absentee ballot or ballots to be voted by me at the election
5specified in this application and that I must submit a separate
6application for an official absentee ballot or ballots to be
7voted by me at any subsequent election.
8    Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section
929-10 of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
10statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
11
....
12
*fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
13
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
14...............
15    However, if application is made for a primary election
16ballot, such application shall require the applicant to
17designate the name of the political party with which the
18applicant is affiliated.
19    If application is made electronically, the applicant shall
20mark the box associated with the above described statement
21included as part of the online application certifying that the
22statements set forth in this application are true and correct,
23and a signature is not required.
24    Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or return to
25an election authority the application for absentee ballot. Upon
26receipt, the appropriate election authority shall accept and

 

 

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1promptly process any application for absentee ballot submitted
2in a form substantially similar to that required by this
3Section, including any substantially similar production or
4reproduction generated by the applicant.
5(Source: P.A. 97-766, eff. 7-6-12; 98-115, eff. 7-29-13.)
 
6    (10 ILCS 5/19-4.5 new)
7    Sec. 19-4.5. Absentee primary ballots.
8    (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person
9entitled to vote by absentee ballot at a primary shall not be
10required to declare his or her political party affiliation, and
11shall be provided with the ballot listing all candidates for
12offices for which the absentee voter is entitled to vote at
13that primary. The ballots provided for absentee voters shall be
14the same open-primary ballots as provided under 7-44 of this
15Act.
16    (b) With respect to the marking, casting, and counting of
17primary ballots, absentee voting shall be conducted in
18accordance with Sections 7-43 and 7-44 of this Code as well as
19the provisions of this Article.
 
20    (10 ILCS 5/19-5)  (from Ch. 46, par. 19-5)
21    Sec. 19-5. It shall be the duty of the election authority
22to fold the ballot or ballots in the manner specified by the
23statute for folding ballots prior to their deposit in the
24ballot box, and to enclose such ballot or ballots in an

 

 

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1envelope unsealed to be furnished by him, which envelope shall
2bear upon the face thereof the name, official title and post
3office address of the election authority, and upon the other
4side a printed certification in substantially the following
5form:
6    I state that I am a resident of the .... precinct of the
7(1) *township of .... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in
8the city of .... residing at .... in such city or town in the
9county of .... and State of Illinois, that I have lived at such
10address for .... months last past; and that I am lawfully
11entitled to vote in such precinct at the .... election to be
12held on .....
13*fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
14    I further state that I personally marked the enclosed
15ballot in secret.
16    Under penalties of perjury as provided by law pursuant to
17Section 29-10 of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies
18that the statements set forth in this certification are true
19and correct.
20
.......................
21    If the ballot is to go to an elector who is physically
22incapacitated and needs assistance marking the ballot, the
23envelope shall bear upon the back thereof a certification in
24substantially the following form:
25    I state that I am a resident of the .... precinct of the
26(1) *township of .... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in

 

 

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1the city of .... residing at .... in such city or town in the
2county of .... and State of Illinois, that I have lived at such
3address for .... months last past; that I am lawfully entitled
4to vote in such precinct at the .... election to be held on
5....; that I am physically incapable of personally marking the
6ballot for such election.
7*fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
8    I further state that I marked the enclosed ballot in secret
9with the assistance of
10
.................................
11
(Individual rendering assistance)
12
.................................
13
(Residence Address)
14    Under penalties of perjury as provided by law pursuant to
15Section 29-10 of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies
16that the statements set forth in this certification are true
17and correct.
18
.......................
19    In the case of a voter with a physical incapacity, marking
20a ballot in secret includes marking a ballot with the
21assistance of another individual, other than a candidate whose
22name appears on the ballot (unless the voter is the spouse or a
23parent, child, brother, or sister of the candidate), the
24voter's employer, an agent of that employer, or an officer or
25agent of the voter's union, when the voter's physical
26incapacity necessitates such assistance.

 

 

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1    In the case of a physically incapacitated voter, marking a
2ballot in secret includes marking a ballot with the assistance
3of another individual, other than a candidate whose name
4appears on the ballot (unless the voter is the spouse or a
5parent, child, brother, or sister of the candidate), the
6voter's employer, an agent of that employer, or an officer or
7agent of the voter's union, when the voter's physical
8incapacity necessitates such assistance.
9    Provided, that if the ballot enclosed is to be voted at a
10primary election, the certification shall designate the name of
11the political party with which the voter is affiliated.
12    In addition to the above, the election authority shall
13provide printed slips giving full instructions regarding the
14manner of marking and returning the ballot in order that the
15same may be counted, and shall furnish one of such printed
16slips to each of such applicants at the same time the ballot is
17delivered to him. Such instructions shall include the following
18statement: "In signing the certification on the absentee ballot
19envelope, you are attesting that you personally marked this
20absentee ballot in secret. If you are physically unable to mark
21the ballot, a friend or relative may assist you after
22completing the enclosed affidavit. Federal and State laws
23prohibit a candidate whose name appears on the ballot (unless
24you are the spouse or a parent, child, brother, or sister of
25the candidate), your employer, your employer's agent or an
26officer or agent of your union from assisting physically

 

 

HB5913- 33 -LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 b

1disabled voters."
2    In addition to the above, if a ballot to be provided to an
3elector pursuant to this Section contains a public question
4described in subsection (b) of Section 28-6 and the territory
5concerning which the question is to be submitted is not
6described on the ballot due to the space limitations of such
7ballot, the election authority shall provide a printed copy of
8a notice of the public question, which shall include a
9description of the territory in the manner required by Section
1016-7. The notice shall be furnished to the elector at the same
11time the ballot is delivered to the elector.
12(Source: P.A. 95-440, eff. 8-27-07; 96-553, eff. 8-17-09.)
 
13    (10 ILCS 5/19-8)  (from Ch. 46, par. 19-8)
14    Sec. 19-8. Time and place of counting ballots.
15    (a) (Blank.)
16    (b) Each absent voter's ballot returned to an election
17authority, by any means authorized by this Article, and
18received by that election authority before the closing of the
19polls on election day shall be endorsed by the receiving
20election authority with the day and hour of receipt and shall
21be counted in the central ballot counting location of the
22election authority on the day of the election after 7:00 p.m.,
23except as provided in subsections (g) and (g-5).
24    (c) Each absent voter's ballot that is mailed to an
25election authority and postmarked by the midnight preceding the

 

 

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1opening of the polls on election day, but that is received by
2the election authority after the polls close on election day
3and before the close of the period for counting provisional
4ballots cast at that election, shall be endorsed by the
5receiving authority with the day and hour of receipt and shall
6be counted at the central ballot counting location of the
7election authority during the period for counting provisional
8ballots.
9    Each absent voter's ballot that is mailed to an election
10authority absent a postmark, but that is received by the
11election authority after the polls close on election day and
12before the close of the period for counting provisional ballots
13cast at that election, shall be endorsed by the receiving
14authority with the day and hour of receipt, opened to inspect
15the date inserted on the certification, and, if the
16certification date is a date preceding the election day and the
17ballot is otherwise found to be valid under the requirements of
18this Section, counted at the central ballot counting location
19of the election authority during the period for counting
20provisional ballots. Absent a date on the certification, the
21ballot shall not be counted.
22    (d) Special write-in absentee voter's blank ballots
23returned to an election authority, by any means authorized by
24this Article, and received by the election authority at any
25time before the closing of the polls on election day shall be
26endorsed by the receiving election authority with the day and

 

 

HB5913- 35 -LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 b

1hour of receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot
2counting location of the election authority during the same
3period provided for counting absent voters' ballots under
4subsections (b), (g), and (g-5). Special write-in absentee
5voter's blank ballots that are mailed to an election authority
6and postmarked by the midnight preceding the opening of the
7polls on election day, but that are received by the election
8authority after the polls close on election day and before the
9closing of the period for counting provisional ballots cast at
10that election, shall be endorsed by the receiving authority
11with the day and hour of receipt and shall be counted at the
12central ballot counting location of the election authority
13during the same periods provided for counting absent voters'
14ballots under subsection (c).
15    (e) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, absent
16voters' ballots and special write-in absentee voter's blank
17ballots received by the election authority after the closing of
18the polls on an election day shall be endorsed by the election
19authority receiving them with the day and hour of receipt and
20shall be safely kept unopened by the election authority for the
21period of time required for the preservation of ballots used at
22the election, and shall then, without being opened, be
23destroyed in like manner as the used ballots of that election.
24    (f) Counting required under this Section to begin on
25election day after the closing of the polls shall commence no
26later than 8:00 p.m. and shall be conducted by a panel or

 

 

HB5913- 36 -LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 b

1panels of election judges appointed in the manner provided by
2law. The counting shall continue until all absent voters'
3ballots and special write-in absentee voter's blank ballots
4required to be counted on election day have been counted.
5    (g) The procedures set forth in Articles 17 and 18 and,
6with respect to primaries, in Section 19-4.5 of this Code shall
7apply to all ballots counted under this Section. In addition,
8within 2 days after an absentee ballot, other than an in-person
9absentee ballot, is received, but in all cases before the close
10of the period for counting provisional ballots, the election
11judge or official shall compare the voter's signature on the
12certification envelope of that absentee ballot with the
13signature of the voter on file in the office of the election
14authority. If the election judge or official determines that
15the 2 signatures match, and that the absentee voter is
16otherwise qualified to cast an absentee ballot, the election
17authority shall cast and count the ballot on election day or
18the day the ballot is determined to be valid, whichever is
19later, adding the results to the precinct in which the voter is
20registered. If the election judge or official determines that
21the signatures do not match, or that the absentee voter is not
22qualified to cast an absentee ballot, then without opening the
23certification envelope, the judge or official shall mark across
24the face of the certification envelope the word "Rejected" and
25shall not cast or count the ballot.
26    In addition to the voter's signatures not matching, an

 

 

HB5913- 37 -LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 b

1absentee ballot may be rejected by the election judge or
2official:
3        (1) if the ballot envelope is open or has been opened
4    and resealed;
5        (2) if the voter has already cast an early or grace
6    period ballot;
7        (3) if the voter voted in person on election day or the
8    voter is not a duly registered voter in the precinct; or
9        (4) on any other basis set forth in this Code.
10    If the election judge or official determines that any of
11these reasons apply, the judge or official shall mark across
12the face of the certification envelope the word "Rejected" and
13shall not cast or count the ballot.
14    (g-5) If an absentee ballot, other than an in-person
15absentee ballot, is rejected by the election judge or official
16for any reason, the election authority shall, within 2 days
17after the rejection but in all cases before the close of the
18period for counting provisional ballots, notify the absentee
19voter that his or her ballot was rejected. The notice shall
20inform the voter of the reason or reasons the ballot was
21rejected and shall state that the voter may appear before the
22election authority, on or before the 14th day after the
23election, to show cause as to why the ballot should not be
24rejected. The voter may present evidence to the election
25authority supporting his or her contention that the ballot
26should be counted. The election authority shall appoint a panel

 

 

HB5913- 38 -LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 b

1of 3 election judges to review the contested ballot,
2application, and certification envelope, as well as any
3evidence submitted by the absentee voter. No more than 2
4election judges on the reviewing panel shall be of the same
5political party. The reviewing panel of election judges shall
6make a final determination as to the validity of the contested
7absentee ballot. The judges' determination shall not be
8reviewable either administratively or judicially.
9    An absentee ballot subject to this subsection that is
10determined to be valid shall be counted before the close of the
11period for counting provisional ballots.
12    (g-10) All absentee ballots determined to be valid shall be
13added to the vote totals for the precincts for which they were
14cast in the order in which the ballots were opened.
15    (h) Each political party, candidate, and qualified civic
16organization shall be entitled to have present one pollwatcher
17for each panel of election judges therein assigned.
18(Source: P.A. 94-557, eff. 8-12-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06;
1995-699, eff. 11-9-07.)
 
20    (10 ILCS 5/19-12.1)  (from Ch. 46, par. 19-12.1)
21    Sec. 19-12.1. Any qualified elector who has secured an
22Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card in
23accordance with the Illinois Identification Card Act,
24indicating that the person named thereon has a Class 1A or
25Class 2 disability or any qualified voter who has a permanent

 

 

HB5913- 39 -LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 b

1physical incapacity of such a nature as to make it improbable
2that he will be able to be present at the polls at any future
3election, or any voter who is a resident of (i) a federally
4operated veterans' home, hospital, or facility located in
5Illinois or (ii) a facility licensed or certified pursuant to
6the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health
7Rehabilitation Act of 2013, or the ID/DD Community Care Act and
8has a condition or disability of such a nature as to make it
9improbable that he will be able to be present at the polls at
10any future election, may secure a disabled voter's or nursing
11home resident's identification card, which will enable him to
12vote under this Article as a physically incapacitated or
13nursing home voter. For the purposes of this Section,
14"federally operated veterans' home, hospital, or facility"
15means the long-term care facilities at the Jesse Brown VA
16Medical Center, Illiana Health Care System, Edward Hines, Jr.
17VA Hospital, Marion VA Medical Center, and Captain James A.
18Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
19    Application for a disabled voter's or nursing home
20resident's identification card shall be made either: (a) in
21writing, with voter's sworn affidavit, to the county clerk or
22board of election commissioners, as the case may be, and shall
23be accompanied by the affidavit of the attending physician
24specifically describing the nature of the physical incapacity
25or the fact that the voter is a nursing home resident and is
26physically unable to be present at the polls on election days;

 

 

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1or (b) by presenting, in writing or otherwise, to the county
2clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be,
3proof that the applicant has secured an Illinois Person with a
4Disability Identification Card indicating that the person
5named thereon has a Class 1A or Class 2 disability. Upon the
6receipt of either the sworn-to application and the physician's
7affidavit or proof that the applicant has secured an Illinois
8Person with a Disability Identification Card indicating that
9the person named thereon has a Class 1A or Class 2 disability,
10the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall issue
11a disabled voter's or nursing home resident's identification
12card. Such identification cards shall be issued for a period of
135 years, upon the expiration of which time the voter may secure
14a new card by making application in the same manner as is
15prescribed for the issuance of an original card, accompanied by
16a new affidavit of the attending physician. The date of
17expiration of such five-year period shall be made known to any
18interested person by the election authority upon the request of
19such person. Applications for the renewal of the identification
20cards shall be mailed to the voters holding such cards not less
21than 3 months prior to the date of expiration of the cards.
22    Each disabled voter's or nursing home resident's
23identification card shall bear an identification number, which
24shall be clearly noted on the voter's original and duplicate
25registration record cards. In the event the holder becomes
26physically capable of resuming normal voting, he must surrender

 

 

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1his disabled voter's or nursing home resident's identification
2card to the county clerk or board of election commissioners
3before the next election.
4    The holder of a disabled voter's or nursing home resident's
5identification card may make application by mail for an
6official ballot within the time prescribed by Section 19-2.
7Such application shall contain the same information as is
8included in the form of application for ballot by a physically
9incapacitated elector prescribed in Section 19-3 except that it
10shall also include the applicant's disabled voter's
11identification card number and except that it need not be sworn
12to. If an examination of the records discloses that the
13applicant is lawfully entitled to vote, he shall be mailed a
14ballot as provided in Section 19-4 and, if applicable, in
15Section 19-4.5. The ballot envelope shall be the same as that
16prescribed in Section 19-5 for physically disabled voters, and
17the manner of voting and returning the ballot shall be the same
18as that provided in this Article for other absentee ballots,
19except that a statement to be subscribed to by the voter but
20which need not be sworn to shall be placed on the ballot
21envelope in lieu of the affidavit prescribed by Section 19-5.
22    Any person who knowingly subscribes to a false statement in
23connection with voting under this Section shall be guilty of a
24Class A misdemeanor.
25    For the purposes of this Section, "nursing home resident"
26includes a resident of (i) a federally operated veterans' home,

 

 

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1hospital, or facility located in Illinois or (ii) a facility
2licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act or the Specialized
3Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013. For the purposes of
4this Section, "federally operated veterans' home, hospital, or
5facility" means the long-term care facilities at the Jesse
6Brown VA Medical Center, Illiana Health Care System, Edward
7Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Marion VA Medical Center, and Captain
8James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
9(Source: P.A. 97-38, eff. 6-28-11; 97-227, eff. 1-1-12; 97-275,
10eff. 1-1-12; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12; 97-1064, eff. 1-1-13;
1198-104, eff. 7-22-13.)
 
12    (10 ILCS 5/20-3)  (from Ch. 46, par. 20-3)
13    Sec. 20-3. The election authority shall furnish the
14following applications for absentee registration or absentee
15ballot which shall be considered a method of application in
16lieu of the official postcard.
17    1. Members of the United States Service, citizens of the
18United States temporarily residing outside the territorial
19limits of the United States, and certified program participants
20under the Address Confidentiality for Victims of Domestic
21Violence Act may make application within the periods prescribed
22in Sections 20-2 or 20-2.1, as the case may be. Such
23application shall be substantially in the following form:
24
"APPLICATION FOR BALLOT
25    To be voted at the............ election in the precinct in

 

 

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1which is located my residence at..............., in the
2city/village/township of ............(insert home address)
3County of........... and State of Illinois.
4    I state that I am a citizen of the United States; that on
5(insert date of election) I shall have resided in the State of
6Illinois and in the election precinct for 30 days; that on the
7above date I shall be the age of 18 years or above; that I am
8lawfully entitled to vote in such precinct at that election;
9that I am (check category 1, 2, or 3 below):
10    1.  ( ) a member of the United States Service,
11    2.  ( ) a citizen of the United States temporarily residing
12outside the territorial limits of the United States and that I
13expect to be absent from the said county of my residence on the
14date of holding such election, and that I will have no
15opportunity to vote in person on that day.
16    3.  ( ) a certified program participant under the Address
17Confidentiality for Victims of Domestic Violence Act.
18    I hereby make application for an official ballot or ballots
19to be voted by me at such election if I am absent from the said
20county of my residence, and I agree that I shall return said
21ballot or ballots to the election authority postmarked no later
22than midnight preceding election day, for counting no later
23than during the period for counting provisional ballots, the
24last day of which is the 14th day following election day or
25shall destroy said ballot or ballots.
26    (Check below only if category 2 or 3 and not previously

 

 

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1registered)
2    (  ) I hereby make application to become registered as a
3voter and agree to return the forms and affidavits for
4registration to the election authority not later than 30 days
5before the election.
6    Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Article 29
7of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
8statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
9
.........................
10    Post office address or service address to which
11registration materials or ballot should be mailed
12
.........................
13
.........................
14
.........................
15
........................"
16    If application is made for a primary election ballot, such
17application shall designate the name of the political party
18with which the applicant is affiliated.
19    Such applications may be obtained from the election
20authority having jurisdiction over the person's precinct of
21residence.
22    2. A spouse or dependent of a member of the United States
23Service, said spouse or dependent being a registered voter in
24the county, may make application on behalf of said person in
25the office of the election authority within the periods
26prescribed in Section 20-2 which shall be substantially in the

 

 

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1following form:
2"APPLICATION FOR BALLOT to be voted at the........... election
3in the precinct in which is located the residence of the person
4for whom this application is made at.............(insert
5residence address) in the city/village/township of.........
6County of.......... and State of Illinois.
7    I certify that the following named person................
8(insert name of person) is a member of the United States
9Service.
10    I state that said person is a citizen of the United States;
11that on (insert date of election) said person shall have
12resided in the State of Illinois and in the election precinct
13for which this application is made for 30 days; that on the
14above date said person shall be the age of 18 years or above;
15that said person is lawfully entitled to vote in such precinct
16at that election; that said person is a member of the United
17States Service, and that in the course of his duties said
18person expects to be absent from his county of residence on the
19date of holding such election, and that said person will have
20no opportunity to vote in person on that day.
21    I hereby make application for an official ballot or ballots
22to be voted by said person at such election and said person
23agrees that he shall return said ballot or ballots to the
24election authority postmarked no later than midnight preceding
25election day, for counting no later than during the period for
26counting provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th

 

 

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1day following election day, or shall destroy said ballot or
2ballots.
3    I hereby certify that I am the (mother, father, sister,
4brother, husband or wife) of the said elector, and that I am a
5registered voter in the election precinct for which this
6application is made. (Strike all but one that is applicable.)
7    Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Article 29
8of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
9statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
10
Name of applicant ......................
11
Residence address ........................
12
City/village/township........................
13    Service address to which ballot should be mailed:
14
.........................
15
.........................
16
.........................
17
........................"
18    If application is made for a primary election ballot, such
19application shall designate the name of the political party
20with which the person for whom application is made is
21affiliated.
22    Such applications may be obtained from the election
23authority having jurisdiction over the voting precinct in which
24the person for whom application is made is entitled to vote.
25(Source: P.A. 96-312, eff. 1-1-10.)
 

 

 

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1    (10 ILCS 5/20-4)   (from Ch. 46, par. 20-4)
2    Sec. 20-4. Immediately upon the receipt of the official
3postcard or an application as provided in Section 20-3 within
4the times heretofore prescribed, the election authority shall
5ascertain whether or not such applicant is legally entitled to
6vote as requested, including verification of the applicant's
7signature by comparison with the signature on the official
8registration record card, if any. If the election authority
9ascertains that the applicant is lawfully entitled to vote, it
10shall enter the name, street address, ward and precinct number
11of such applicant on a list to be posted in his or its office in
12a place accessible to the public. Within one day after posting
13the name and other information of an applicant for a ballot,
14the election authority shall transmit that name and posted
15information to the State Board of Elections, which shall
16maintain the names and other information in an electronic
17format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to
18State and local political committees. As soon as the official
19ballot is prepared the election authority shall immediately
20deliver the same to the applicant in person, by mail, by
21facsimile transmission, or by electronic transmission as
22provided in 20-4.5, when applicable, and this Article.
23    If any such election authority receives a second or
24additional application which it believes is from the same
25person, he or it shall submit it to the chief judge of the
26circuit court or any judge of that court designated by the

 

 

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1chief judge. If the chief judge or his designate determines
2that the application submitted to him is a second or additional
3one, he shall so notify the election authority who shall
4disregard the second or additional application.
5    The election authority shall maintain a list for each
6election of the voters to whom it has issued absentee ballots.
7The list shall be maintained for each precinct within the
8jurisdiction of the election authority. Prior to the opening of
9the polls on election day, the election authority shall deliver
10to the judges of election in each precinct the list of
11registered voters in that precinct to whom absentee ballots
12have been issued.
13    Election authorities may transmit by facsimile or other
14electronic means a ballot simultaneously with transmitting an
15application for absentee ballot; however, no such ballot shall
16be counted unless an application has been completed by the
17voter and the election authority ascertains that the applicant
18is lawfully entitled to vote as provided in this Section.
19(Source: P.A. 96-1004, eff. 1-1-11.)
 
20    (10 ILCS 5/20-4.5 new)
21    Sec. 20-4.5. Primary ballots.
22    (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person
23entitled to vote by absentee ballot at a primary shall not be
24required to declare his or her political party affiliation and
25shall be provided with a ballot including all candidates,

 

 

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1regardless of party affiliation of the candidates, for offices
2for which the absentee voter is entitled to vote at that
3primary.
4    (b) With respect to the marking, casting, and counting of
5primary ballots, absentee voting shall be conducted in
6accordance with Sections 7-43 and 7-44 of this Code as well as
7the provisions of this Article.
8    (c) When voting absentee at a primary, the voter shall be
9instructed to discard or otherwise destroy any ballot that the
10voter does not intend to cast. Such a discarded or destroyed
11ballot is not the ballot the voter agreed in the absentee
12ballot application to return to the election authority.
 
13    (10 ILCS 5/20-5)  (from Ch. 46, par. 20-5)
14    Sec. 20-5. The election authority shall fold the ballot or
15ballots in the manner specified by the statute for folding
16ballots prior to their deposit in the ballot box and shall
17enclose such ballot in an envelope unsealed to be furnished by
18it, which envelope shall bear upon the face thereof the name,
19official title and post office address of the election
20authority, and upon the other side of such envelope there shall
21be printed a certification in substantially the following form:
22
"CERTIFICATION
23    I state that I am a resident/former resident of the .......
24precinct of the city/village/township of ............,
25(Designation to be made by Election Authority) or of the ....

 

 

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1ward in the city of ........... (Designation to be made by
2Election Authority) residing at ................ in said
3city/village/township in the county of ........... and State of
4Illinois; that I am a
5    1.  (  ) member of the United States Service
6    2.  (  ) citizen of the United States temporarily residing
7outside the territorial limits of the United States
8    3. ( ) nonresident civilian citizen
9and desire to cast the enclosed ballot pursuant to Article 20
10of The Election Code; that I am lawfully entitled to vote in
11such precinct at the ........... election to be held on
12............
13    I further state that I marked the enclosed ballot in
14secret.
15    Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Article 29
16of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
17statements set forth in this certification are true and
18correct.
19
...............(Name)
20
.....................
21
(Service Address)"
22
.....................
23
.....................
24
.....................
25    If the ballot enclosed is to be voted at a primary
26election, the certification shall designate the name of the

 

 

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1political party with which the voter is affiliated.
2    In addition to the above, the election authority shall
3provide printed slips giving full instructions regarding the
4manner of completing the forms and affidavits for absentee
5registration or the manner of marking and returning the ballot
6in order that the same may be counted, and shall furnish one of
7the printed slips to each of the applicants at the same time
8the registration materials or ballot is delivered to him.
9    In addition to the above, if a ballot to be provided to an
10elector pursuant to this Section contains a public question
11described in subsection (b) of Section 28-6 and the territory
12concerning which the question is to be submitted is not
13described on the ballot due to the space limitations of such
14ballot, the election authority shall provide a printed copy of
15a notice of the public question, which shall include a
16description of the territory in the manner required by Section
1716-7. The notice shall be furnished to the elector at the same
18time the ballot is delivered to the elector.
19    The envelope in which such registration or such ballot is
20mailed to the voter as well as the envelope in which the
21registration materials or the ballot is returned by the voter
22shall have printed across the face thereof two parallel
23horizontal red bars, each one-quarter inch wide, extending from
24one side of the envelope to the other side, with an intervening
25space of one-quarter inch, the top bar to be one and
26one-quarter inches from the top of the envelope, and with the

 

 

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1words "Official Election Balloting Material-VIA AIR MAIL"
2between the bars. In the upper right corner of such envelope in
3a box, there shall be printed the words: "U.S. Postage Paid 42
4USC 1973". All printing on the face of such envelopes shall be
5in red, including an appropriate inscription or blank in the
6upper left corner of return address of sender.
7    The envelope in which the ballot is returned to the
8election authority may be delivered (i) by mail, postage paid,
9(ii) in person, by the spouse, parent, child, brother, or
10sister of the voter, or (iii) by a company engaged in the
11business of making deliveries of property and licensed as a
12motor carrier of property by the Illinois Commerce Commission
13under the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law.
14    Election authorities transmitting ballots by facsimile or
15electronic transmission shall, to the extent possible, provide
16those applicants with the same instructions, certification,
17and other materials required when sending by mail.
18(Source: P.A. 96-512, eff. 1-1-10; 96-1004, eff. 1-1-11.)
 
19    (10 ILCS 5/20-8)  (from Ch. 46, par. 20-8)
20    Sec. 20-8. Time and place of counting ballots.
21    (a) (Blank.)
22    (b) Each absent voter's ballot returned to an election
23authority, by any means authorized by this Article, and
24received by that election authority before the closing of the
25polls on election day shall be endorsed by the receiving

 

 

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1election authority with the day and hour of receipt and shall
2be counted in the central ballot counting location of the
3election authority on the day of the election after 7:00 p.m.,
4except as provided in subsections (g) and (g-5).
5    (c) Each absent voter's ballot that is mailed to an
6election authority and postmarked by the midnight preceding the
7opening of the polls on election day, but that is received by
8the election authority after the polls close on election day
9and before the close of the period for counting provisional
10ballots cast at that election, shall be endorsed by the
11receiving authority with the day and hour of receipt and shall
12be counted at the central ballot counting location of the
13election authority during the period for counting provisional
14ballots.
15    Each absent voter's ballot that is mailed to an election
16authority absent a postmark, but that is received by the
17election authority after the polls close on election day and
18before the close of the period for counting provisional ballots
19cast at that election, shall be endorsed by the receiving
20authority with the day and hour of receipt, opened to inspect
21the date inserted on the certification, and, if the
22certification date is a date preceding the election day and the
23ballot is otherwise found to be valid under the requirements of
24this Section, counted at the central ballot counting location
25of the election authority during the period for counting
26provisional ballots. Absent a date on the certification, the

 

 

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1ballot shall not be counted.
2    (d) Special write-in absentee voter's blank ballots
3returned to an election authority, by any means authorized by
4this Article, and received by the election authority at any
5time before the closing of the polls on election day shall be
6endorsed by the receiving election authority with the day and
7hour of receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot
8counting location of the election authority during the same
9period provided for counting absent voters' ballots under
10subsections (b), (g), and (g-5). Special write-in absentee
11voter's blank ballot that are mailed to an election authority
12and postmarked by midnight preceding the opening of the polls
13on election day, but that are received by the election
14authority after the polls close on election day and before the
15closing of the period for counting provisional ballots cast at
16that election, shall be endorsed by the receiving authority
17with the day and hour of receipt and shall be counted at the
18central ballot counting location of the election authority
19during the same periods provided for counting absent voters'
20ballots under subsection (c).
21    (e) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, absent
22voters' ballots and special write-in absentee voter's blank
23ballots received by the election authority after the closing of
24the polls on the day of election shall be endorsed by the
25person receiving the ballots with the day and hour of receipt
26and shall be safely kept unopened by the election authority for

 

 

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1the period of time required for the preservation of ballots
2used at the election, and shall then, without being opened, be
3destroyed in like manner as the used ballots of that election.
4    (f) Counting required under this Section to begin on
5election day after the closing of the polls shall commence no
6later than 8:00 p.m. and shall be conducted by a panel or
7panels of election judges appointed in the manner provided by
8law. The counting shall continue until all absent voters'
9ballots and special write-in absentee voter's blank ballots
10required to be counted on election day have been counted.
11    (g) The procedures set forth in Articles 17 and 18 and,
12with respect to primaries, in Section 20-4.5 of this Code shall
13apply to all ballots counted under this Section. In addition,
14within 2 days after a ballot subject to this Article is
15received, but in all cases before the close of the period for
16counting provisional ballots, the election judge or official
17shall compare the voter's signature on the certification
18envelope of that ballot with the signature of the voter on file
19in the office of the election authority. If the election judge
20or official determines that the 2 signatures match, and that
21the voter is otherwise qualified to cast a ballot under this
22Article, the election authority shall cast and count the ballot
23on election day or the day the ballot is determined to be
24valid, whichever is later, adding the results to the precinct
25in which the voter is registered. If the election judge or
26official determines that the signatures do not match, or that

 

 

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1the voter is not qualified to cast a ballot under this Article,
2then without opening the certification envelope, the judge or
3official shall mark across the face of the certification
4envelope the word "Rejected" and shall not cast or count the
5ballot.
6    In addition to the voter's signatures not matching, a
7ballot subject to this Article may be rejected by the election
8judge or official:
9        (1) if the ballot envelope is open or has been opened
10    and resealed;
11        (2) if the voter has already cast an early or grace
12    period ballot;
13        (3) if the voter voted in person on election day or the
14    voter is not a duly registered voter in the precinct; or
15        (4) on any other basis set forth in this Code.
16    If the election judge or official determines that any of
17these reasons apply, the judge or official shall mark across
18the face of the certification envelope the word "Rejected" and
19shall not cast or count the ballot.
20    (g-5) If a ballot subject to this Article is rejected by
21the election judge or official for any reason, the election
22authority shall, within 2 days after the rejection but in all
23cases before the close of the period for counting provisional
24ballots, notify the voter that his or her ballot was rejected.
25The notice shall inform the voter of the reason or reasons the
26ballot was rejected and shall state that the voter may appear

 

 

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1before the election authority, on or before the 14th day after
2the election, to show cause as to why the ballot should not be
3rejected. The voter may present evidence to the election
4authority supporting his or her contention that the ballot
5should be counted. The election authority shall appoint a panel
6of 3 election judges to review the contested ballot,
7application, and certification envelope, as well as any
8evidence submitted by the absentee voter. No more than 2
9election judges on the reviewing panel shall be of the same
10political party. The reviewing panel of election judges shall
11make a final determination as to the validity of the contested
12ballot. The judges' determination shall not be reviewable
13either administratively or judicially.
14    A ballot subject to this subsection that is determined to
15be valid shall be counted before the close of the period for
16counting provisional ballots.
17    (g-10) All ballots determined to be valid shall be added to
18the vote totals for the precincts for which they were cast in
19the order in which the ballots were opened.
20    (h) Each political party, candidate, and qualified civic
21organization shall be entitled to have present one pollwatcher
22for each panel of election judges therein assigned.
23(Source: P.A. 94-557, eff. 8-12-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06;
2495-699, eff. 11-9-07.)
 
25    (10 ILCS 5/7-2 rep.)

 

 

HB5913- 58 -LRB098 20084 MGM 55344 b

1    (10 ILCS 5/7-3 rep.)
2    (10 ILCS 5/Art. 10 rep.)
3    Section 10. The Election Code is amended by repealing
4Sections 7-2 and 7-3 and Article 10.