HB0502 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 04678 JAM 14739 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB0502

Introduced 2/4/2009, by Rep. Keith Farnham

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/4-50
10 ILCS 5/5-50
10 ILCS 5/6-100
10 ILCS 5/17-7.5 new
10 ILCS 5/18-4.5 new
10 ILCS 5/19-2.3 new
10 ILCS 5/19A-30.5 new

Amends the Election Code. At polling places, authorizes persons aged 75 or older to request preference over other persons in obtaining and casting ballots. Requires that election authorities give that requested preference, and sets forth steps election authorities must take to make older persons aware of that preference.

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 changing Sections 4-50, 5-50, and 6-100 and by adding Sections 17-7.5, 18-4.5, 19-2.3, and 19A-30.5 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/4-50)

Sec. 4-50. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and for change of address during the period from the close of registration for a primary or election and until the 14th day before the primary or election. During this grace period, an unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person in the office of the election authority or at a voter registration location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority. The election authority shall register that individual, or change a registered voter's address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this Article for registration and change of address.

If a voter who registers or changes address during this grace period wishes to vote at the first election or primary occurring after the grace period, he or she must do so by grace period voting, either in person in the office of the election authority or at a location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority, or by mail, at the discretion of the election authority. Grace period voting shall be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article 19.

Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot, the election authority shall transmit the voter's name, street address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees. The name of each person issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the appropriate precinct list of persons to whom absentee and early ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9 and 18-5.

A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons who register or change address during the grace period must be transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and counted at precinct polling places. The grace period ballots determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which the ballots were opened.

Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to obtain and cast a grace period ballot may request, and shall be given, preference at the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and cast grace period ballots. The purpose of this provision is to eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in lines, either inside or outside polling places. Each election authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside each grace period polling place, at least one clearly legible sign informing voters of the right of older persons to preferential treatment. Each election authority shall designate at least one election judge or official at each grace period polling place of whom an older person may request preferential treatment pursuant to this paragraph. Each election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify that election judge or official to persons within the polling place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.

(Source: P.A. 93-1082, eff. 7-1-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06.)

(10 ILCS 5/5-50)

Sec. 5-50. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and for change of address during the period from the close of registration for a primary or election and until the 14th day before the primary or election. During this grace period, an unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person in the office of the election authority or at a voter registration location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority. The election authority shall register that individual, or change a registered voter's address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this Article for registration and change of address.

If a voter who registers or changes address during this grace period wishes to vote at the first election or primary occurring after the grace period, he or she must do so by grace period voting, either in person in the office of the election authority or at a location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority, or by mail, at the discretion of the election authority. Grace period voting shall be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article 19.

Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot, the election authority shall transmit the voter's name, street address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees. The name of each person issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the appropriate precinct list of persons to whom absentee and early ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9 and 18-5.

A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons who register or change address during the grace period must be transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and counted at precinct polling places. The grace period ballots determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which the ballots were opened.

Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to obtain and cast a grace period ballot may request, and shall be given, preference at the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and cast grace period ballots. The purpose of this provision is to eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in lines, either inside or outside polling places. Each election authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside each grace period polling place, at least one clearly legible sign informing voters of the right of older persons to preferential treatment. Each election authority shall designate at least one election judge or official at each grace period polling place of whom an older person may request preferential treatment pursuant to this paragraph. Each election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify that election judge or official to persons within the polling place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.

(Source: P.A. 93-1082, eff. 7-1-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06.)

(10 ILCS 5/6-100)

Sec. 6-100. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and for change of address during the period from the close of registration for a primary or election and until the 14th day before the primary or election. During this grace period, an unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person in the office of the election authority or at a voter registration location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority. The election authority shall register that individual, or change a registered voter's address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this Article for registration and change of address.

If a voter who registers or changes address during this grace period wishes to vote at the first election or primary occurring after the grace period, he or she must do so by grace period voting, either in person in the office of the election authority or at a location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority, or by mail, at the discretion of the election authority. Grace period voting shall be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article 19.

Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot, the election authority shall transmit the voter's name, street address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees. The name of each person issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the appropriate precinct list of persons to whom absentee and early ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9 and 18-5.

A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons who register or change address during the grace period must be transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and counted at precinct polling places. The grace period ballots determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which the ballots were opened.

Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to obtain and cast a grace period ballot may request, and shall be given, preference at the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and cast grace period ballots. The purpose of this provision is to eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in lines, either inside or outside polling places. Each election authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside each grace period polling place, at least one clearly legible sign informing voters of the right of older persons to preferential treatment. Each election authority shall designate at least one election judge or official at each grace period polling place of whom an older person may request preferential treatment pursuant to this paragraph. Each election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify that election judge or official to persons within the polling place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.

(Source: P.A. 93-1082, eff. 7-1-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06.)

(10 ILCS 5/17-7.5 new)

Sec. 17-7.5. Senior voters. Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to vote may request, and shall be given, preference at the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and cast ballots. The purpose of this Section is to eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in lines, either inside or outside polling places.

Each election authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside each polling place, at least one clearly legible sign informing voters of the right of older persons to preferential treatment. Each election authority shall designate at least one election judge or official at each polling place of whom an older person may request preferential treatment pursuant to this Section. Each election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify that election judge or official to persons within the polling place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.

(10 ILCS 5/18-4.5 new)

Sec. 18-4.5. Senior voters. Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to vote may request, and shall be given, preference at the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and cast ballots. The purpose of this Section is to eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in lines, either inside or outside polling places.

Each election authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside each polling place, at least one clearly legible sign informing voters of the right of older persons to preferential treatment. Each election authority shall designate at least one election judge or official at each polling place of whom an older person may request preferential treatment pursuant to this Section. Each election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify that election judge or official to persons within the polling place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.

(10 ILCS 5/19-2.3 new)

Sec. 19-2.3. Senior voters. Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to obtain or cast an absentee ballot in person may request, and shall be given, preference at the in-person absentee polling place over other persons waiting to obtain or cast absentee ballots. The purpose of this Section is to eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in lines, either inside or outside polling places.

Each election authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside each in-person absentee polling place, at least one clearly legible sign informing voters of the right of older persons to preferential treatment. Each election authority shall designate at least one election judge or official at each such polling place of whom an older person may request preferential treatment pursuant to this Section. Each election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify that election judge or official to persons within the polling place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.

(10 ILCS 5/19A-30.5 new)

Sec. 19A-30.5. Senior voters. Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to vote may request, and shall be given, preference at the early voting polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and cast ballots. The purpose of this Section is to eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in lines, either inside or outside polling places.

Each election authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside each early voting polling place, at least one clearly legible sign informing voters of the right of older persons to preferential treatment. Each election authority shall designate at least one election judge or official at each early voting polling place of whom an older person may request preferential treatment pursuant to this Section. Each election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify that election judge or official to persons within the polling place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.