Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB1576

LRB104 09988 SPS 20058 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1576

Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Doris Turner

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/1-26 new

Amends the Election Code. Creates the "I Voted" Sticker Commission. Provides that the purposes of the Commission are to develop guidelines for the "I Voted" Sticker Contest and to select sticker designs to be used by election authorities in the State for the 2026 General Election. Provides that the Commission shall establish a process for the submission of proposed designs for the "I Voted" Sticker Contest and guidelines for the assessment of those proposed designs. Provides that, on or before July 1, 2026, the Commission shall conduct a public survey to select the 10 designs that will be used by election authorities in the State for the 2026 General Election. Sets forth provisions concerning membership; terms; compensation; and administrative support. Effective immediately.

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 adding Section 1-26 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/1-26 new)

Sec. 1-26. "I Voted" Sticker Contest.

(a) The "I Voted" Sticker Commission is created. The purposes of the Commission are to develop guidelines for the "I Voted" Sticker Contest and to select 10 designs to be used by election authorities in this State for the 2026 General Election.

(b) The Commission shall consist of the following members:

(1) the Secretary of State or the Secretary of State's designee, who shall serve as Chair of the Commission;

(2) 3 members appointed by the Governor;

(3) 4 members appointed by the President of the Senate, not more than one of whom may be a current member of the General Assembly;

(4) 4 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, not more than one of whom may be a current member of the General Assembly;

(5) 4 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, not more than one of whom may be a current member of the General Assembly;

(6) 4 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, not more than one of whom may be a current member of the General Assembly;

(7) the State Superintendent of Education or the Superintendent's designee; and

(8) the Chairperson of the Board of the Illinois State Museum or the Chairperson's designee.

(c) The Commission shall have the following duties:

(1) to establish and adopt goals and guiding principles for the "I Voted" Sticker Contest;

(2) to establish a process for the submission of proposed designs for the "I Voted" Sticker Contest and guidelines for the assessment of those proposed designs;

(3) to create a publicly accessibly website that provides:

(A) the guidelines for submissions to the "I Voted" Sticker Contest;

(B) a timeline and explanation of the process to be used by the Commission to select the winning "I Voted" sticker;

(C) an online suggestion box through which residents can offer submissions to the "I Voted" Sticker Contest that shall close no later than November 1, 2025;

(D) a survey function through which residents can vote on "I Voted" Sticker designs submitted for the contest;

(E) for a voting period for residents to use the survey function to vote for their favorite "I Voted" sticker submissions that comply with this Section; and

(F) after the final 10 submissions are selected, a display of the 10 designs;

(4) to engage in a public awareness campaign with the design community and advocacy groups, as well as schools, universities, and public libraries in this State, concerning the "I Voted" Sticker Contest;

(5) to select, on or before January 1, 2026, a group of no more than 50 submissions that:

(A) engage voters; and

(B) adhere to the guiding principles established by the Commission established under paragraph (1);

(6) develop a review and selection process for submissions that incorporates the input of children and young people in the State;

(7) on or before February 2, 2026, to submit to the General Assembly a written report that describes:

(A) the submissions provided to the Commission through the "I Voted" Sticker Contest;

(B) the process used by the Commission to review the submissions; and

(C) the group of no more than 50 submissions selected by the Commission for voting;

(8) to open a voting period for residents to use the survey function to vote for their favorite "I Voted" sticker submissions; and

(9) to select, on or before July 1, 2026, the 10 designs that will be used by election authorities in this State State for the 2026 General Election.

(c) The appointing authorities shall make appointments to the Commission as soon as practicable after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, and the Chair of the Commission shall convene the first meeting of the Commission no later than June 30, 2025. Subsequent meetings of the Commission shall convene at the call of the Chair of the Commission. A majority of all the appointed members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and all recommendations of the Commission shall require approval of a majority of the members of the Commission. Meetings of the Commission are subject to the Open Meetings Act.

(d) Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation.

(e) The State Board of Elections shall provide administrative and other support to the Commission.

(f) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2027.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.