94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB0616


 
Introduced 1/28/2005, by Rep. Karen May
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		













10 ILCS 5/17-50 new










    Amends the Election Code.  Requires each election authority to conduct early voting from the 15th day before an election through the day before an election.
















LRB094 06932 JAM 37047 b

















 


 


A BILL FOR









 











HB0616

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    AN ACT concerning elections.

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


 
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    Section 5. The Election Code is amended  by adding Section 
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17-50 as follows:
 
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    (10 ILCS 5/17-50  new)
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    Sec. 17-50. Early voting. Notwithstanding any provision of 
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this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall permit 
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early voting before each election in accordance with this 
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Section.
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    The early voting period shall be the 15th day through the 
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day before an election, inclusive of the 15th day and the day 
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before the election.  Early voting shall be conducted during the 
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early voting period at times established by each election 
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authority, provided that early voting is conducted at least 8 
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consecutive hours between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. 
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each weekday and at least 8 hours aggregate between 7:00 a.m. 
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each Saturday and 7:00 p.m. the immediately consecutive Sunday 
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during each early voting period.
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    Early voting shall be conducted at the office or each 
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office of the election authority and at county and municipal 
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buildings and public libraries in the election jurisdiction  
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designated by the election authority in a reasonable number and 
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a geographic range that permit, to the extent practical, an 
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equal opportunity for each voter in the election jurisdiction 
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to participate in early voting.
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    Registered voters of the election jurisdiction who are 
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eligible to vote at an election may vote during the early 
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voting period preceding that election.  The voter must complete 
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and sign an early voting voter's certificate on a form 
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prescribed by the election authority that is substantially as 
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follows:  "I, (insert name), am a qualified elector in this 
 


 






HB0616
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election and a registered voter of (insert name of election 
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jurisdiction), Illinois. I do solemnly swear or affirm that I 
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am the person listed in the voter registration records of 
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(insert election jurisdiction) and that I reside at the listed 
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address.  I understand that if I commit perjury in connection 
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with voting or vote more than once at an election, I could be 
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convicted of a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 5 years in 
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prison and a fine of $25,000 or more.  I understand that my 
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failure to sign this certificate invalidates my ballot."  The 
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certificate must state the voter's residence address.
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    Persons voting during the early voting period are eligible 
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to cast provisional ballots on the same bases and under the 
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same procedures as persons seeking to vote on election day.
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    The provisions of this Code with respect to the physical 
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accessibility of polling places, electioneering at polling 
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places, pollwatchers, and any other aspect of the conduct of an 
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election shall apply to the conduct of early voting.
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    The counting and canvassing of early voting period ballots 
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shall be the same as the counting and canvassing of ballots 
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cast on election day.
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    Each election authority shall adopt rules for the 
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implementation of this Section.  Each election authority by rule 
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may modify the requirements of this Code or of rules of the 
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State Board of Elections to the extent that this Code or a rule 
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conflicts with the requirements of this Section, but that 
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modification shall be only to the extent necessary to implement 
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the requirements of this Section.