HB0803 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 07978 JAM 28140 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB0803

Introduced 2/7/2007, by Rep. Mike Boland

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/16-5.01

from Ch. 46, par. 16-5.01

Amends the Election Code. Requires election authorities to prepare and provide special consolidated primary election absentee ballots that permit instant run-off voting for absentee voters in the United States military or outside the United States on the consolidated primary and consolidated election days. Requires the State Board of Elections to adopt implementing rules.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning elections.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section 16-5.01 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/16-5.01) (from Ch. 46, par. 16-5.01)

Sec. 16-5.01. (a) The election authority shall, at least 60 days prior to the date of any general election at which federal officers are elected and 45 days prior to any other regular election, have a sufficient number of ballots printed so that such ballots will be available for mailing 60 days prior to the date of the election to persons who have filed application for a ballot under the provisions of Article 20 of this Act.

(b) If at any general election at which federal offices are elected the election authority is unable to comply with the provisions of subsection (a), the election authority shall mail to each such person, in lieu of the ballot, a Special Write-in Absentee Voter's Blank Ballot. The Special Write-in Absentee Voter's Blank Ballot shall be used only at general elections at which federal officers are elected and shall be prepared by the election authority in substantially the following form:

Special Write-in Absentee Voter's Blank Ballot

(To vote for a person, write the title of the office and his or her name on the lines provided. Place to the left of and opposite the title of office a square and place a cross (X) in the square.)

Title of Office Name of Candidate

( )

( )

( )

( )

( )

( )

The election authority shall send with the Special Write-in Absentee Voter's Blank Ballot a list of all referenda for which the voter is qualified to vote and all candidates for whom nomination papers have been filed and for whom the voter is qualified to vote. The voter shall be entitled to write in the name of any candidate seeking election and any referenda for which he or she is entitled to vote.

On the back or outside of the ballot, so as to appear when folded, shall be printed the words "Official Ballot", the date of the election and a facsimile of the signature of the election authority who has caused the ballot to be printed.

The provisions of Article 20, insofar as they may be applicable to the Special Write-in Absentee Voter's Blank Ballot, shall be applicable herein.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of this Code to the contrary, the election authority shall prepare a special absentee ballot for candidates to be voted on in the consolidated primary election. This special ballot shall be for use only by a qualified voter who either is a member of the United States military or will be outside of the United States on the consolidated primary election day and the consolidated election day. The special ballot shall contain a list of the titles of all offices contested at the consolidated primary election and the candidates for each office and shall permit the elector to vote in the run-off election by indicating his or her order of preference for each candidate for each office. To indicate his or her order of preference for each candidate for each office, the voter shall put the number one next to the name of the candidate who is the voter's first choice, the number 2 for his or her second choice, and so forth so that, in consecutive numerical order, a number indicating the voter's preference is written by the voter next to each candidate's name on the ballot. The voter shall not be required to indicate his or her preference for more than one candidate on the ballot. The election authority shall also prepare instructions for use of the special ballot.

The State Board of Elections shall adopt rules for the implementation of this subsection, including but not limited to the application for and counting of special ballots.

(Source: P.A. 86-875.)