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Illinois Compiled Statutes

Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

ELECTIONS
(10 ILCS 5/) Election Code.

10 ILCS 5/7-48

    (10 ILCS 5/7-48) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-48)
    Sec. 7-48. Any primary elector who may declare upon oath, properly witnessed and with his or her signature or mark affixed, that he or she requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, physical disability or inability to read, write or speak the English language, shall, upon request, be assisted in marking his or her primary ballot in the same manner as provided by this Act for general elections.
(Source: P.A. 84-808.)

10 ILCS 5/7-49

    (10 ILCS 5/7-49) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-49)
    Sec. 7-49. After the opening of the polls at a primary no adjournment shall be had nor recess taken until the canvass of all the votes is completed and the returns carefully enveloped and sealed.
    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: Laws 1965, p. 2220.)

10 ILCS 5/7-50

    (10 ILCS 5/7-50) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-50)
    Sec. 7-50. The votes shall be canvassed in the room or place where the primary is held and the primary judges shall not allow the ballot box or any of the ballots, or the primary poll book, or any of the tally sheets to be removed or carried away from such room or polling place until the canvass of the votes is completed and the returns carefully enveloped and sealed.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)

10 ILCS 5/7-51

    (10 ILCS 5/7-51) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-51)
    Sec. 7-51. If the primary elector marks more names upon the primary ballot than there are persons to be nominated as candidates for an office, or for State central committeepersons, or precinct committeepersons, or township committeepersons, or ward committeepersons, or delegates or alternate delegates to National nominating conventions, or if for any reason it is impossible to determine the primary elector's choice of a candidate for the nomination for an office, or committeeperson, or delegate, his primary ballot shall not be counted for the nomination for such office or committeeperson.
    No primary ballot, without the endorsement of the judge's initials thereon, shall be counted.
    No judge shall omit to endorse his initials on a primary ballot, as required by this Article, nor shall any person not authorized so to do initial a primary ballot knowing that he is not so authorized.
    Primary ballots not counted shall be marked "defective" on the back thereof; and primary ballots to which objections have been made by either of the primary judges or challengers shall be marked "objected to" on the back thereof; and a memorandum, signed by the primary judges, stating how it was counted, shall be written on the back of each primary ballot so marked; and all primary ballots marked "defective" or "objected to" shall be enclosed in an envelope and securely sealed, and so marked and endorsed as to clearly disclose its contents. The envelope to be used for enclosing ballots marked "defective" or "objected to" shall bear upon its face, in not less than 1 1/2 inch type, the legend: "This envelope is for use after 6:00 P.M. only." The envelope to be used for enclosing ballots spoiled by voters while attempting to vote shall bear upon its face, in not less than 1 1/2 inch type, the legend: "This envelope is for use before 6:00 P.M. only."
    All primary ballots not voted, and all that have been spoiled by voters while attempting to vote, shall be returned to the proper election authority by the primary judges, and a receipt taken therefor, and shall be preserved 2 months. Such official shall keep a record of the number of primary ballots delivered for each polling place, and he or they shall also enter upon such record the number and character of primary ballots returned, with the time when and the persons by whom they are returned.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

10 ILCS 5/7-52

    (10 ILCS 5/7-52) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-52)
    Sec. 7-52. Immediately upon closing the polls, the primary judges shall proceed to canvass the votes in the manner following:
        (1) They shall separate and count the ballots of each
    
political party.
        (2) They shall then proceed to ascertain the number
    
of names entered on the applications for ballot under each party affiliation.
        (3) If the primary ballots of any political party
    
exceed the number of applications for ballot by voters of such political party, the primary ballots of such political party shall be folded and replaced in the ballot box, the box closed, well shaken and again opened and one of the primary judges, who shall be blindfolded, shall draw out so many of the primary ballots of such political party as shall be equal to such excess. Such excess ballots shall be marked "Excess-Not Counted" and signed by a majority of the judges and shall be placed in the "After 6:00 p.m. Defective Ballots Envelope". The number of excess ballots shall be noted in the remarks section of the Certificate of Results. "Excess" ballots shall not be counted in the total of "defective" ballots.
        (4) The primary judges shall then proceed to count
    
the primary ballots of each political party separately; and as the primary judges shall open and read the primary ballots, 3 of the judges shall carefully and correctly mark upon separate tally sheets the votes which each candidate of the party whose name is written or printed on the primary ballot has received, in a separate column for that purpose, with the name of such candidate, the name of his political party and the name of the office for which he is a candidate for nomination at the head of such column. The same column, however, shall be used for both names of the same team of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor.
    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. 96-1018, eff. 1-1-11; 97-333, eff. 8-12-11.)

10 ILCS 5/7-53

    (10 ILCS 5/7-53) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-53)
    Sec. 7-53. As soon as the ballots of a political party shall have been read and the votes of the political party counted, as provided in the last above section, the 3 judges in charge of the tally sheets shall foot up the tally sheets so as to show the total number of votes cast for each candidate of the political party and for each candidate for State Central committeeperson and precinct committeeperson, township committeeperson or ward committeeperson, and delegate and alternate delegate to National nominating conventions, and certify the same to be correct. Thereupon, the primary judges shall set down in a certificate of results on the tally sheet, under the name of the political party, the name of each candidate voted for upon the primary ballot, written at full length, the name of the office for which he is a candidate for nomination or for committeeperson, or delegate or alternate delegate to National nominating conventions, the total number of votes which the candidate received, and they shall also set down the total number of ballots voted by the primary electors of the political party in the precinct. The certificate of results shall be made substantially in the following form:
................ Party
    At the primary election held in the .... precinct of the (1) *township of ...., or (2) *City of ...., or (3) *.... ward in the city of .... on (insert date), the primary electors of the .... party voted .... ballots, and the respective candidates whose names were written or printed on the primary ballot of the .... party, received respectively the following votes:
Name ofNo. of
Candidate,Title of Office,Votes
John JonesGovernor100
Jane James Lieutenant Governor 100
Sam SmithGovernor70
Samantha Smythe Lieutenant Governor 70
Frank MartinAttorney General150
William PrestonRep. in Congress200
Frederick JohnCircuit Judge50
    *Fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
    And so on for each candidate.
    We hereby certify the above and foregoing to be true and correct.
    Dated (insert date).
...................................
                           Name                       Address
...................................
                           Name                       Address
...................................
                           Name                       Address
...................................
                           Name                       Address
...................................
                           Name                       Address
                                 Judges of Primary
 
    Where voting machines or electronic voting systems are used, the provisions of this Section may be modified as required or authorized by Article 24 and Article 24A, whichever is applicable.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

10 ILCS 5/7-54

    (10 ILCS 5/7-54) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-54)
    Sec. 7-54. After the votes of a political party have been counted and set down and the tally sheets footed and the entry made in the primary poll books or return, as above provided, all the primary ballots of said political party, except those marked "defective" or "objected to" shall be securely bound, lengthwise and in width, with a soft cord having a minimum tensile strength of 60 pounds separately for each political party in the order in which said primary ballots have been read, and shall thereupon be carefully sealed in an envelope, which envelope shall be endorsed as follows:
    "Primary ballots of the.... party of the.... precinct of the county of.... and State of Illinois."
    Below each endorsement, each primary judge shall write his name.
    Immediately thereafter the judges shall designate one of their number to go to the nearest telephone and report to the office of the county clerk or board of election commissioners (as the case may be) the results of such primary. Such clerk or board shall keep his or its office open after the close of the polls until he or it has received from each precinct under his or its jurisdiction the report above provided for. Immediately upon receiving such report such clerk or board shall cause the same to be posted in a public place in his or its office for inspection by the public. Immediately after making such report such judge shall return to the polling place.
    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. 81-1433.)

10 ILCS 5/7-55

    (10 ILCS 5/7-55) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-55)
    Sec. 7-55. The primary poll books or the official poll record, and the tally sheets with the certificates of the primary judges written thereon, together with the envelopes containing the ballots, including the envelope containing the ballots marked "defective" or "objected to", shall be carefully enveloped and sealed up together, properly endorsed, and the primary judges shall elect 2 judges (one from each of the major political parties), who shall immediately deliver the same to the clerk from whom the primary ballots were obtained, which clerk shall safely keep the same for 2 months, and thereafter shall safely keep the poll books until the next primary. Each election authority shall keep the office of the election authority, or any receiving stations designated by such authority, open for at least 12 consecutive hours after the polls close, or until the judges of each precinct under the jurisdiction of the election authority have delivered to the election authority all the above materials sealed up together and properly endorsed as provided herein. Materials delivered to the election authority which are not in the condition required by this Section shall not be accepted by the election authority until the judges delivering the same make and sign the necessary corrections. Upon acceptance of the materials by the election authority, the judges delivering the same shall take a receipt signed by the election authority and stamped with the time and date of such delivery. The election judges whose duty it is to deliver any materials as above provided shall, in the event such materials cannot be found when needed, on proper request, produce the receipt which they are to take as above provided.
    The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall deliver a copy of each tally sheet to the county chairmen of the two largest political parties.
    Where voting machines or electronic voting systems are used, the provisions of this section may be modified as required or authorized by Article 24 and Article 24A, whichever is applicable.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

10 ILCS 5/7-56

    (10 ILCS 5/7-56) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-56)
    Sec. 7-56. As soon as complete returns are delivered to the proper election authority, the returns shall be canvassed for all primary elections as follows. The election authority acting as the canvassing board pursuant to Section 1-8 of this Code shall also open and canvass the returns of a primary. Upon the completion of the canvass of the returns by the election authority, the election authority shall make a tabulated statement of the returns for each political party separately, stating in appropriate columns and under proper headings, the total number of votes cast in said county for each candidate for nomination or election by said party, including candidates for President of the United States and for State central committeepersons, and for delegates and alternate delegates to National nominating conventions, and for precinct committeepersons, township committeepersons, and for ward committeepersons. Within 2 days after the completion of said canvass by the election authority, the county clerk shall mail to the State Board of Elections a certified copy of such tabulated statement of returns. The election authority shall also determine and set down as to each precinct the number of ballots voted by the primary electors of each party at the primary.
    In the case of the nomination or election of candidates for offices, including President of the United States and the State central committeepersons, and delegates and alternate delegates to National nominating conventions, certified tabulated statement of returns for which are filed with the State Board of Elections, said returns shall be canvassed by the election authority. And, provided, further, that within 5 days after said returns shall be canvassed by the said Board, the Board shall cause to be published in one daily newspaper of general circulation at the seat of the State government in Springfield a certified statement of the returns filed in its office, showing the total vote cast in the State for each candidate of each political party for President of the United States, and showing the total vote for each candidate of each political party for President of the United States, cast in each of the several congressional districts in the State.
    Within 48 hours of conducting a canvass, as required by this Code, of the consolidated primary, the election authority shall deliver an original certificate of results to each local election official, with respect to whose political subdivisions nominations were made at such primary, for each precinct in his jurisdiction in which such nominations were on the ballot. Such original certificate of results need not include any offices or nominations for any other political subdivisions.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

10 ILCS 5/7-56.1

    (10 ILCS 5/7-56.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-56.1)
    Sec. 7-56.1. The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall, upon request, and by mail if so requested, furnish free of charge to any candidate for State office, including State Senator and Representative in the General Assembly, whose name appeared upon the primary ballot within the jurisdiction of the county clerk or board of election commissioners, a copy of the abstract of votes by precinct for all candidates for the office for which such person was a candidate. Such abstract shall be furnished no later than 2 days after the receipt of the request or 8 days after the completing of the canvass, whichever is later.
(Source: P.A. 78-775.)

10 ILCS 5/7-56.2

    (10 ILCS 5/7-56.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-56.2)
    Sec. 7-56.2. The provisions of this Article 7 governing the conduct of primaries for the nomination of officers of units of local government at the consolidated primary of odd numbered years, shall also govern the conduct of those municipal primaries held in even numbered years 6 weeks before the date of the general primary election pursuant to Article 2A of this Code. In applying the provisions of this Article to those even numbered year municipal elections, references to the "election" shall be construed to refer to the municipal election to be held on the day of the general primary, and references to the "consolidated primary" shall be construed to refer to the municipal primary of the even numbered year.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)

10 ILCS 5/7-57

    (10 ILCS 5/7-57) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-57)
    Sec. 7-57. The death of any candidate prior to, or on, the date of the primary shall not affect the canvass of the ballots. If the result of such canvass discloses that such candidate, if he had lived, would have been nominated, such candidate shall be declared nominated.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)

10 ILCS 5/7-58

    (10 ILCS 5/7-58) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-58)
    Sec. 7-58. Each county clerk or board of election commissioners shall, upon completion of the canvassing of the returns, make and transmit to the State Board of Elections and to each election authority whose duty it is to print the official ballot for the election for which the nomination is made a proclamation of the results of the primary. The proclamation shall state the name of each candidate of each political party so nominated or elected, as shown by the returns, together with the name of the office for which he or she was nominated or elected, including precinct, township and ward committeepersons, and including in the case of the State Board of Elections, candidates for State central committeepersons, and delegates and alternate delegates to National nominating conventions. If a notice of contest is filed, the election authority shall, within one business day after receiving a certified copy of the court's judgment or order, amend its proclamation accordingly and proceed to file an amended proclamation with the appropriate election authorities and with the State Board of Elections.
    The State Board of Elections shall issue a certificate of election to each of the persons shown by the returns and the proclamation thereof to be elected State central committeepersons, and delegates and alternate delegates to National nominating conventions; and the county clerk shall issue a certificate of election to each person shown by the returns to be elected precinct, township or ward committeeperson. The certificate issued to such precinct committeeperson shall state the number of ballots voted in his or her precinct by the primary electors of his or her party at the primary at which he or she was elected. The certificate issued to such township committeeperson shall state the number of ballots voted in his or her township or part of a township, as the case may be, by the primary electors of his or her party at the primary at which he or she was elected. The certificate issued to such ward committeeperson shall state the number of ballots voted in his or her ward by the primary electors of his or her party at the primary at which he or she was elected.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)

10 ILCS 5/7-59

    (10 ILCS 5/7-59) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-59)
    Sec. 7-59. (a) The person receiving the highest number of votes at a primary as a candidate of a party for the nomination for an office shall be the candidate of that party for such office, and his name as such candidate shall be placed on the official ballot at the election then next ensuing; provided that where there are 2 or more persons to be nominated for the same office or board, the requisite number of persons receiving the highest number of votes shall be nominated, and their names shall be placed on the official ballot at the following election.
    Except as otherwise provided by Section 7-8 of this Code, the person receiving the highest number of votes of his party for State central committeeperson of his congressional district shall be declared elected State central committeeperson from said congressional district.
    Unless a national political party specifies that delegates and alternate delegates to a National nominating convention be allocated by proportional selection representation according to the results of a Presidential preference primary, the requisite number of persons receiving the highest number of votes of their party for delegates and alternate delegates to National nominating conventions from the State at large, and the requisite number of persons receiving the highest number of votes of their party for delegates and alternate delegates to National nominating conventions in their respective congressional districts shall be declared elected delegates and alternate delegates to the National nominating conventions of their party.
    A political party which elects the members to its State Central Committee by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of Section 7-8 shall select its congressional district delegates and alternate delegates to its national nominating convention by proportional selection representation according to the results of a Presidential preference primary in each congressional district in the manner provided by the rules of the national political party and the State Central Committee, when the rules and policies of the national political party so require.
    A political party which elects the members to its State Central Committee by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of Section 7-8 shall select its at large delegates and alternate delegates to its national nominating convention by proportional selection representation according to the results of a Presidential preference primary in the whole State in the manner provided by the rules of the national political party and the State Central Committee, when the rules and policies of the national political party so require.
    The person receiving the highest number of votes of his party for precinct committeeperson of his precinct shall be declared elected precinct committeeperson from said precinct.
    The person receiving the highest number of votes of his party for township committeeperson of his township or part of a township as the case may be, shall be declared elected township committeeperson from said township or part of a township as the case may be. In cities where ward committeepersons are elected, the person receiving the highest number of votes of his party for ward committeeperson of his ward shall be declared elected ward committeeperson from said ward.
    When 2 or more persons receive an equal and the highest number of votes for the nomination for the same office or for committeeperson of the same political party, or where more than one person of the same political party is to be nominated as a candidate for office or committeeperson, if it appears that more than the number of persons to be nominated for an office or elected committeeperson have the highest and an equal number of votes for the nomination for the same office or for election as committeeperson, the election authority by which the returns of the primary are canvassed shall decide by lot which of said persons shall be nominated or elected, as the case may be. In such case the election authority shall issue notice in writing to such persons of such tie vote stating therein the place, the day (which shall not be more than 5 days thereafter) and the hour when such nomination or election shall be so determined.
    (b) Except as otherwise provided in this Code, write-in votes shall be counted only for persons who have filed notarized declarations of intent to be write-in candidates with the proper election authority or authorities not later than 61 days prior to the primary. However, whenever an objection to a candidate's nominating papers or petitions for any office is sustained under Section 10-10 after the 61st day before the election, then write-in votes shall be counted for that candidate if he or she has filed a notarized declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for that office with the proper election authority or authorities not later than 7 days prior to the election.
    Forms for the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate shall be supplied by the election authorities. Such declaration shall specify the office for which the person seeks nomination or election as a write-in candidate.
    The election authority or authorities shall deliver a list of all persons who have filed such declarations to the election judges in the appropriate precincts prior to the primary.
    (c) (1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, where the number of candidates whose names have been printed on a party's ballot for nomination for or election to an office at a primary is less than the number of persons the party is entitled to nominate for or elect to the office at the primary, a person whose name was not printed on the party's primary ballot as a candidate for nomination for or election to the office, is not nominated for or elected to that office as a result of a write-in vote at the primary unless the number of votes he received equals or exceeds the number of signatures required on a petition for nomination for that office; or unless the number of votes he receives exceeds the number of votes received by at least one of the candidates whose names were printed on the primary ballot for nomination for or election to the same office.
    (2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not apply where the number of candidates whose names have been printed on the party's ballot for nomination for or election to the office at the primary equals or exceeds the number of persons the party is entitled to nominate for or elect to the office at the primary.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)

10 ILCS 5/7-60

     (10 ILCS 5/7-60) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-60)
    Sec. 7-60. Not less than 74 days before the date of the general election, the State Board of Elections shall certify to the county clerks the names of each of the candidates who have been nominated as shown by the proclamation of the State Board of Elections as a canvassing board or who have been nominated to fill a vacancy in nomination and direct the election authority to place upon the official ballot for the general election the names of such candidates in the same manner and in the same order as shown upon the certification, except as otherwise provided in this Code.
    Except as otherwise provided in this Code, not less than 68 days before the date of the general election, each county clerk shall certify the names of each of the candidates for county offices who have been nominated as shown by the proclamation of the county election authority or who have been nominated to fill a vacancy in nomination and declare that the names of such candidates for the respective offices shall be placed upon the official ballot for the general election in the same manner and in the same order as shown upon the certification, except as otherwise provided by this Section. Each county clerk shall place a copy of the certification on file in his or her office and at the same time issue to the State Board of Elections a copy of such certification. In addition, each county clerk in whose county there is a board of election commissioners shall, not less than 68 days before the date of the general election, issue to such board a copy of the certification that has been filed in the county clerk's office, together with a copy of the certification that has been issued to the clerk by the State Board of Elections, with directions to the board of election commissioners to place upon the official ballot for the general election in that election jurisdiction the names of all candidates that are listed on such certifications, in the same manner and in the same order as shown upon such certifications, except as otherwise provided in this Section.
    Whenever there are two or more persons nominated by the same political party for multiple offices for any board, the name of the candidate of such party receiving the highest number of votes in the primary election as a candidate for such office, as shown by the official election returns of the primary, shall be certified first under the name of such offices, and the names of the remaining candidates of such party for such offices shall follow in the order of the number of votes received by them respectively at the primary election as shown by the official election results.
    No person who is shown by the final proclamation to have been nominated or elected at the primary as a write-in candidate shall have his or her name certified unless such person shall have filed with the certifying office or board within 10 days after the election authority's proclamation a statement of candidacy pursuant to Section 7-10, a statement pursuant to Section 7-10.1, and a receipt for the filing of a statement of economic interests in relation to the unit of government to which he or she has been elected or nominated.
    Each county clerk and board of election commissioners shall determine by a fair and impartial method of random selection the order of placement of established political party candidates for the general election ballot. Such determination shall be made within 30 days following the canvass and proclamation of the results of the general primary in the office of the county clerk or board of election commissioners and shall be open to the public. Seven days written notice of the time and place of conducting such random selection shall be given, by each such election authority, to the County Chair of each established political party, and to each organization of citizens within the election jurisdiction which was entitled, under this Article, at the next preceding election, to have pollwatchers present on the day of election. Each election authority shall post in a conspicuous, open and public place, at the entrance of the election authority office, notice of the time and place of such lottery. However, a board of election commissioners may elect to place established political party candidates on the general election ballot in the same order determined by the county clerk of the county in which the city under the jurisdiction of such board is located.
    Each certification shall indicate, where applicable, the following:
        (1) The political party affiliation of the candidates
    
for the respective offices;
        (2) If there is to be more than one candidate elected
    
to an office from the State, political subdivision or district;
        (3) If the voter has the right to vote for more than
    
one candidate for an office;
        (4) The term of office, if a vacancy is to be filled
    
for less than a full term or if the offices to be filled in a political subdivision are for different terms.
    The State Board of Elections or the county clerk, as the case may be, shall issue an amended certification whenever it is discovered that the original certification is in error.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)

10 ILCS 5/7-60.1

    (10 ILCS 5/7-60.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-60.1)
    Sec. 7-60.1. Certification of candidates - consolidated election. Each local election official of a political subdivision in which candidates for the respective local offices are nominated at the consolidated primary shall, no later than 5 days following the canvass and proclamation of the results of the consolidated primary, certify to each election authority whose duty it is to prepare the official ballot for the consolidated election in that political subdivision the names of each of the candidates who have been nominated as shown by the proclamation of the appropriate election authority or who have been nominated to fill a vacancy in nomination and direct the election authority to place upon the official ballot for the consolidated election the names of such candidates in the same manner and in the same order as shown upon the certification, except as otherwise provided by this Section.
    Whenever there are two or more persons nominated by the same political party for multiple offices for any board, the name of the candidate of such party receiving the highest number of votes in the consolidated primary election as a candidate for such consolidated primary, shall be certified first under the name of such office, and the names of the remaining candidates of such party for such offices shall follow in the order of the number of votes received by them respectively at the consolidated primary election as shown by the official election results.
    No person who is shown by the election authority's proclamation to have been nominated at the consolidated primary as a write-in candidate shall have his or her name certified unless such person shall have filed with the certifying office or board within 5 days after the election authority's proclamation a statement of candidacy pursuant to Section 7-10 and a statement pursuant to Section 7-10.1.
    Each board of election commissioners of the cities in which established political party candidates for city offices are nominated at the consolidated primary shall determine by a fair and impartial method of random selection the order of placement of the established political party candidates for the consolidated ballot. Such determination shall be made within 5 days following the canvass and proclamation of the results of the consolidated primary and shall be open to the public. Three days written notice of the time and place of conducting such random selection shall be given, by each such election authority, to the County Chair of each established political party, and to each organization of citizens within the election jurisdiction which was entitled, under this Article, at the next preceding election, to have pollwatchers present on the day of election. Each election authority shall post in a conspicuous, open and public place, at the entrance of the election authority office, notice of the time and place of such lottery.
    Each local election official of a political subdivision in which established political party candidates for the respective local offices are nominated by primary shall determine by a fair and impartial method of random selection the order of placement of the established political party candidates for the consolidated election ballot and, in the case of certain municipalities having annual elections, on the general primary ballot for election. Such determination shall be made prior to the canvass and proclamation of results of the consolidated primary or special municipal primary, as the case may be, in the office of the local election official and shall be open to the public. Three days written notice of the time and place of conducting such random selection shall be given, by each such local election official, to the County Chair of each established political party, and to each organization of citizens within the election jurisdiction which was entitled, under this Article, at the next preceding election, to have pollwatchers present on the day of election. Each local election official shall post in a conspicuous, open and public place notice of such lottery. Immediately thereafter, the local election official shall certify the ballot placement order so determined to the proper election authorities charged with the preparation of the consolidated election, or general primary, ballot for that political subdivision.
    Not less than 68 days before the date of the consolidated election, each local election official of a political subdivision in which established political party candidates for the respective local offices have been nominated by caucus or have been nominated because no primary was required to be held shall certify to each election authority whose duty it is to prepare the official ballot for the consolidated election in that political subdivision the names of each of the candidates whose certificates of nomination or nomination papers have been filed in his or her office and direct the election authority to place upon the official ballot for the consolidated election the names of such candidates in the same manner and in the same order as shown upon the certification. Such local election official shall, prior to certification, determine by a fair and impartial method of random selection the order of placement of the established political party candidates for the consolidated election ballot. Such determination shall be made in the office of the local election official and shall be open to the public. Three days written notice of the time and place of conducting such random selection shall be given by each such local election official to the county chair of each established political party, and to each organization of citizens within the election jurisdiction which was entitled, under this Article, at the next preceding election, to have pollwatchers present on the day of election. Each local election official shall post in a conspicuous, open and public place, at the entrance of the office, notice of the time and place of such lottery. The local election official shall certify the ballot placement order so determined as part of his official certification of candidates to the election authorities whose duty it is to prepare the official ballot for the consolidated election in that political subdivision.
    The certification shall indicate, where applicable, the following:
        (1) The political party affiliation of the candidates
    
for the respective offices;
        (2) If there is to be more than one candidate elected
    
or nominated to an office from the State, political subdivision or district;
        (3) If the voter has the right to vote for more than
    
one candidate for an office;
        (4) The term of office, if a vacancy is to be filled
    
for less than a full term or if the offices to be filled in a political subdivision or district are for different terms.
    The local election official shall issue an amended certification whenever it is discovered that the original certification is in error.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

10 ILCS 5/7-61

    (10 ILCS 5/7-61) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-61)
    Sec. 7-61. Whenever a special election is necessary, the provisions of this Article are applicable to the nomination of candidates to be voted for at such special election.
    In cases where a primary election is required, the officer or board or commission whose duty it is under the provisions of this Code relating to general elections to call an election shall fix a date for the primary for the nomination of candidates to be voted for at such special election. Notice of such primary shall be given at least 15 days prior to the maximum time provided for the filing of petitions for such a primary as provided in Section 7-12.
    Any vacancy in nomination under the provisions of this Article 7 occurring on or after the primary and prior to certification of candidates by the certifying board or officer must be filled prior to the date of certification. Any vacancy in nomination occurring after certification but prior to 15 days before the general election shall be filled within 8 days after the event creating the vacancy. The resolution filling the vacancy shall be sent by U. S. mail or personal delivery to the certifying officer or board within 3 days of the action by which the vacancy was filled; provided, if such resolution is sent by mail and the U. S. postmark on the envelope containing such resolution is dated prior to the expiration of such 3-day limit, the resolution shall be deemed filed within such 3-day limit. Failure to so transmit the resolution within the time specified in this Section shall authorize the certifying officer or board to certify the original candidate. Vacancies shall be filled by the officers of a local municipal or township political party as specified in subsection (h) of Section 7-8, other than a statewide political party, that is established only within a municipality or township and the managing committee (or legislative committee in case of a candidate for State Senator or representative committee in the case of a candidate for State Representative in the General Assembly or State central committee in the case of a candidate for statewide office, including, but not limited to, the office of United States Senator) of the respective political party for the territorial area in which such vacancy occurs.
    The resolution to fill a vacancy in nomination shall be duly acknowledged before an officer qualified to take acknowledgments of deeds and shall include, upon its face, the following information:
        (a) the name of the original nominee and the office
    
vacated;
        (b) the date on which the vacancy occurred;
        (c) the name and address of the nominee selected to
    
fill the vacancy and the date of selection.
    The resolution to fill a vacancy in nomination shall be accompanied by a Statement of Candidacy, as prescribed in Section 7-10, completed by the selected nominee and a receipt indicating that such nominee has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.
    The provisions of Section 10-8 through 10-10.1 relating to objections to certificates of nomination and nomination papers, hearings on objections, and judicial review, shall apply to and govern objections to resolutions for filling a vacancy in nomination.
    Any vacancy in nomination occurring 15 days or less before the consolidated election or the general election shall not be filled. In this event, the certification of the original candidate shall stand and his name shall appear on the official ballot to be voted at the general election.
    A vacancy in nomination occurs when a candidate who has been nominated under the provisions of this Article 7 dies before the election (whether death occurs prior to, on or after the day of the primary), or declines the nomination; provided that nominations may become vacant for other reasons.
    If the name of no established political party candidate was printed on the consolidated primary ballot for a particular office and if no person was nominated as a write-in candidate for such office, a vacancy in nomination shall be created which may be filled in accordance with the requirements of this Section. Except as otherwise provided in this Code, if the name of no established political party candidate was printed on the general primary ballot for a particular office and if no person was nominated as a write-in candidate for such office, a vacancy in nomination shall be filled only by a person designated by the appropriate committee of the political party and only if that designated person files nominating petitions with the number of signatures required for an established party candidate for that office within 75 days after the day of the general primary. The circulation period for those petitions begins on the day the appropriate committee designates that person. The person shall file his or her nominating petitions, statements of candidacy, notice of appointment by the appropriate committee, and receipt of filing his or her statement of economic interests together. These documents shall be filed at the same location as provided in Section 7-12. The electoral boards having jurisdiction under Section 10-9 to hear and pass upon objections to nominating petitions also shall hear and pass upon objections to nomination petitions filed by candidates under this paragraph.
    A candidate for whom a nomination paper has been filed as a partisan candidate at a primary election, and who is defeated for his or her nomination at such primary election, is ineligible to be listed on the ballot at that general or consolidated election as a candidate of another political party.
    A candidate seeking election to an office for which candidates of political parties are nominated by caucus who is a participant in the caucus and who is defeated for his or her nomination at such caucus is ineligible to be listed on the ballot at that general or consolidated election as a candidate of another political party.
    In the proceedings to nominate a candidate to fill a vacancy or to fill a vacancy in the nomination, each precinct, township, ward, county, or congressional district, as the case may be, shall, through its representative on such central or managing committee, be entitled to one vote for each ballot voted in such precinct, township, ward, county, or congressional district, as the case may be, by the primary electors of its party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting at which such vacancy is to be filled.
    For purposes of this Section, the words "certify" and "certification" shall refer to the act of officially declaring the names of candidates entitled to be printed upon the official ballot at an election and directing election authorities to place the names of such candidates upon the official ballot. "Certifying officers or board" shall refer to the local election official, the election authority, or the State Board of Elections, as the case may be, with whom nomination papers, including certificates of nomination and resolutions to fill vacancies in nomination, are filed and whose duty it is to certify candidates.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)

10 ILCS 5/7-62

    (10 ILCS 5/7-62) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-62)
    Sec. 7-62. In cities having a board of election commissioners, the duties herein imposed upon the county, city, incorporated town or village clerk, as the case may be, shall be discharged by the board of election commissioners in the same manner, as near as may be, and to the same extent and with like effect that the similar duties imposed by this Article are discharged by the county, city, incorporated town or village clerk, as the case may be; and the ballots for the nomination of all candidates to be voted for in such city shall be printed by the board of election commissioners and the returns of the primary held in such city shall be made to such board of election commissioners.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)

10 ILCS 5/7-63

    (10 ILCS 5/7-63) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-63)
    Sec. 7-63. Any candidate whose name appears upon the primary ballot of any political party may contest the election of the candidate or candidates nominated for the office for which he or she was a candidate by his or her political party, upon the face of the returns, by filing with the clerk of the circuit court a petition in writing, setting forth the grounds of contest, which petition shall be verified by the affidavit of the petitioner or other person, and which petition shall be filed within 10 days after the completion of the canvass of the returns by the election authority making the final canvass of returns. The contestant shall also file with that election authority (and if for the nomination for an office, certified tabulated statements of the returns of which are to be filed with the State Board of Elections, also with the election authorities in whose jurisdiction the election was held), a notice of the pendency of the contest.
    If the contest relates to an office involving more than one county, the venue of the contest is (a) in the county in which the alleged grounds of the contest exist or (b) if grounds for the contest are alleged to exist in more than one county, then in any of those counties or in the county in which any defendant resides.
    Authority and jurisdiction are hereby vested in the circuit court, to hear and determine primary contests. When a petition to contest a primary is filed in the office of the clerk of the court, the petition shall forthwith be presented to a judge thereof, who shall note thereon the date of presentation, and shall note thereon the day when the petition will be heard, which shall not be more than 10 days thereafter.
    Summons shall forthwith issue to each defendant named in the petition and shall be served for the same manner as is provided for other civil cases. Summons may be issued and served in any county in the State. The case may be heard and determined by the circuit court at any time not less than 5 days after service of process, and shall have preference in the order of hearing to all other cases. The petitioner shall give security for all costs.
    Any defendant may file a counterclaim in the same manner as in other civil cases.
    The court shall ascertain and declare by a judgment to be entered of record, the result of such election. The judgment of the court shall be appealable as in other civil cases. A certified copy of the judgment shall forthwith be made by the clerk of the court and transmitted to the election authority canvassing the returns for such office, and in case of contest, if for nomination for an office, tabulated statements of returns for which are filed with the State Board of Elections, also in the office of the election authorities having jurisdiction. The proper election authority or authorities, as the case may be, shall correct the returns or the tabulated statement of returns in accordance with the judgment.
(Source: P.A. 94-647, eff. 1-1-06.)