Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes

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10 ILCS 5/16-6

(10 ILCS 5/16-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 16-6)

Sec. 16-6.

Whenever one or more proposals for amendment of the
constitution or the calling of a constitutional convention or any
combination thereof is or are to be voted upon by the people, the
proposition or propositions for the adoption or rejection of such
amendment or amendments or convention shall be submitted upon the same "Official Ballot" containing the names of candidates
for State and other offices to be voted at such election. Such proposition or propositions shall be printed at the top of the "Official Ballot" preceding the names of candidates for State and other offices to be voted at such election. Such proposition or propositions shall be printed upon plain white paper with no shading, highlighting, or other distinct markings and shall include the official title of the section so named to be added or amended in the Constitution.  Preceding
each proposal to amend the constitution shall be printed the brief
explanation of the amendment, prepared by the General Assembly, or in the
case of a proposed amendment initiated by petition pursuant to Section
3 of Article XIV of the Constitution of the State of Illinois by the principal
proponents of the amendment as approved by the Attorney General, and
immediately below the explanation, the proposition shall be printed in
substantially the following form:

--------------------------------------------------------------
       YES         For the proposed amendment
-----------     to Article ______ (or Section
       NO       _______ of Article ______) of
                the Constitution.
--------------------------------------------------------------

In the case of a proposition for the calling of a constitutional
convention, such proposition shall be printed in substantially the
following form:

--------------------------------------------------------------
       YES            For the calling
-----------       of a Constitutional
       NO         Convention.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Included with the ballot there 
shall be a printed notice with the words "CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT", followed by the
designation of the polling place for which the ballot is prepared, the
date of the election and a facsimile of the signature of the clerk or
other officer who has caused the ballots to be printed.  Immediately
above the words "CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT" in the case of a proposition for
the calling of a constitutional convention or a proposition to amend the Constitution the following legend shall be
printed in bold face type:

"NOTICE

THE FAILURE TO VOTE THIS BALLOT MAY BE THE EQUIVALENT OF A NEGATIVE VOTE, BECAUSE A CONVENTION SHALL BE CALLED OR THE AMENDMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE IF APPROVED BY EITHER THREE-FIFTHS OF THOSE VOTING ON THE QUESTION OR A MAJORITY OF THOSE VOTING IN THE ELECTION.
(THIS IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A DIRECTION THAT YOUR VOTE IS REQUIRED
TO BE CAST EITHER IN FAVOR OF OR IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSITION HEREIN
CONTAINED.)

WHETHER YOU VOTE THIS BALLOT OR NOT YOU MUST RETURN IT TO THE
ELECTION JUDGE WHEN YOU LEAVE THE VOTING BOOTH".

If a proposition for the calling of a constitutional convention is
submitted at the same election as one or more propositions to amend the
constitution, the proposition for the calling of a constitutional
convention shall be printed at the top of the ballot.  In such case, the constitution amendment notice shall be printed the same as if it were a
proposal solely to amend the constitution.

Where voting machines or electronic voting systems are used, the
provisions of this Section may be modified as required or authorized by
Article 24 or Article 24A, whichever is applicable.

(Source: P.A. 103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)