SECTION 1. VOTING QUALIFICATIONS
Every United States citizen who has attained the age of
18 or any other voting age required by the United States for
voting in State elections and who has been a permanent
resident of this State for at least 30 days next preceding
any election shall have the right to vote at such election.
The General Assembly by law may establish registration
requirements and require permanent residence in an election
district not to exceed thirty days prior to an election. The
General Assembly by law may establish shorter residence
requirements for voting for President and Vice-President of
the United States.
(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 8,
1988.)
SECTION 2. VOTING DISQUALIFICATIONS
A person convicted of a felony, or otherwise under
sentence in a correctional institution or jail, shall lose
the right to vote, which right shall be restored not later
than upon completion of his sentence.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
SECTION 3. ELECTIONS
All elections shall be free and equal.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
SECTION 4. ELECTION LAWS
The General Assembly by law shall define permanent
residence for voting purposes, insure secrecy of voting and
the integrity of the election process, and facilitate
registration and voting by all qualified persons. Laws
governing voter registration and conduct of elections shall
be general and uniform.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
SECTION 5. BOARD OF ELECTIONS
A State Board of Elections shall have general supervision
over the administration of the registration and election laws
throughout the State. The General Assembly by law shall
determine the size, manner of selection and compensation of
the Board. No political party shall have a majority of
members of the Board.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
SECTION 6. GENERAL ELECTION
As used in all articles of this Constitution except
Article VII, "general election" means the biennial election
at which members of the General Assembly are elected. Such
election shall be held on the Tuesday following the first
Monday of November in even-numbered years or on such other
day as provided by law.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
SECTION 7. INITIATIVE TO RECALL GOVERNOR
(a) The recall of the Governor may be proposed by a
petition signed by a number of electors equal in number to
at least 15% of the total votes cast for Governor in the
preceding gubernatorial election, with at least 100
signatures from each of at least 25 separate counties. A
petition shall have been signed by the petitioning
electors not more than 150 days after an affidavit has
been filed with the State Board of Elections providing
notice of intent to circulate a petition to recall the
Governor. The affidavit may be filed no sooner than 6
months after the beginning of the Governor's term of
office. The affidavit shall have been signed by the
proponent of the recall petition, at least 20 members
of the House of Representatives, and at least 10 members
of the Senate, with no more than half of the signatures
of members of each chamber from the same established
political party.
(b) The form of the petition, circulation, and
procedure for determining the validity and sufficiency
of a petition shall be as provided by law. If the
petition is valid and sufficient, the State Board of
Elections shall certify the petition not more than 100
days after the date the petition was filed, and the
question "Shall (name) be recalled from the office of
Governor?" must be submitted to the electors at a
special election called by the State Board of Elections,
to occur not more than 100 days after certification of
the petition. A recall petition certified by the State
Board of Elections may not be withdrawn and another
recall petition may not be initiated against the
Governor during the remainder of the current term of
office. Any recall petition or recall election pending
on the date of the next general election at which a
candidate for Governor is elected is moot.
(c) If a petition to recall the Governor has been
filed with the State Board of Elections, a person
eligible to serve as Governor may propose his or her
candidacy by a petition signed by a number of electors
equal in number to the requirement for petitions for an
established party candidate for the office of Governor,
signed by petitioning electors not more than 50 days
after a recall petition has been filed with the State
Board of Elections. The form of a successor election
petition, circulation, and procedure for determining
the validity and sufficiency of a petition shall be as
provided by law. If the successor election petition is
valid and sufficient, the State Board of Elections
shall certify the petition not more than 100 days
after the date the petition to recall the Governor was
filed. Names of candidates for nomination to serve as
the candidate of an established political party must
be submitted to the electors at a special primary
election, if necessary, called by the State Board of
Elections to be held at the same time as the special
election on the question of recall established under
subsection (b). Names of candidates for the successor
election must be submitted to the electors at a
special successor election called by the State Board
of Elections, to occur not more than 60 days after
the date of the special primary election or on a date
established by law.
(d) The Governor is immediately removed upon
certification of the recall election results if a
majority of the electors voting on the question vote
to recall the Governor. If the Governor is removed,
then (i) an Acting Governor determined under
subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article V shall serve
until the Governor elected at the special successor
election is qualified and (ii) the candidate who
receives the highest number of votes in the special
successor election is elected Governor for the balance
of the term.
(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November
2, 2010.)
SECTION 8. VOTER DISCRIMINATION
No person shall be denied the right to register
to vote or to cast a ballot in an election based on
race, color, ethnicity, status as a member of a
language minority, national origin, religion, sex,
sexual orientation, or income.
(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November
4, 2014.)