102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4467

 

Introduced 1/21/2022, by Rep. Mark Batinick

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/16-3  from Ch. 46, par. 16-3
10 ILCS 5/16-3.1 new
10 ILCS 5/16-4.1  from Ch. 46, par. 16-4.1

    Amends the Election Code. Provides that, when the names of candidates in a primary election, general election, or consolidated election to be voted for in each election district or precinct are printed on one ballot, the order of names for each office shall be set forth in random order within each election district or precinct. Provides that, to the extent that it is mathematically possible, each random order shall be different between all of the precincts or election districts that are electing the name or names contained in each race on the ballot. Provides that, before the names of the candidates of the several political parties are certified by the State Board of Elections to the several county clerks, the State Board of Elections shall follow the randomization requirements before certifying. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall select a vendor for a computer software program that shall be used by each election authority and the State Board of Elections to conduct the randomization for election contests. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately


LRB102 23129 AWJ 32289 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4467LRB102 23129 AWJ 32289 b

1    AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
5Sections 16-3, 16-4.1 and by adding Section 16-3.1 as follows:
 
6    (10 ILCS 5/16-3)  (from Ch. 46, par. 16-3)
7    Sec. 16-3. (a) The names of all candidates to be voted for
8in each election district or precinct shall be printed on one
9ballot, except as is provided in Sections 16-6.1 and 21-1.01
10of this Act and except as otherwise provided in this Act with
11respect to the odd year regular elections and the emergency
12referenda; all nominations of any political party being placed
13under the party appellation or title of such party as
14designated in the certificates of nomination or petitions. The
15names of all independent candidates shall be printed upon the
16ballot in a column or columns under the heading "independent"
17arranged under the names or titles of the respective offices
18for which such independent candidates shall have been
19nominated and so far as practicable, the name or names of any
20independent candidate or candidates for any office shall be
21printed upon the ballot opposite the name or names of any
22candidate or candidates for the same office contained in any
23party column or columns upon said ballot. The ballot shall

 

 

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1contain no other names, except that in cases of electors for
2President and Vice-President of the United States, the names
3of the candidates for President and Vice-President may be
4added to the party designation and words calculated to aid the
5voter in his choice of candidates may be added, such as "Vote
6for one," "Vote for not more than three." If no candidate or
7candidates file for an office and if no person or persons file
8a declaration as a write-in candidate for that office, then
9below the title of that office the election authority instead
10shall print "No Candidate". When an electronic voting system
11is used which utilizes a ballot label booklet, the candidates
12and questions shall appear on the pages of such booklet in the
13order provided by this Code; and, in any case where candidates
14for an office appear on a page which does not contain the name
15of any candidate for another office, and where less than 50% of
16the page is utilized, the name of no candidate shall be printed
17on the lowest 25% of such page. On the back or outside of the
18ballot, so as to appear when folded, shall be printed the words
19"Official Ballot", followed by the designation of the polling
20place for which the ballot is prepared, the date of the
21election and a facsimile of the signature of the election
22authority who has caused the ballots to be printed. The
23ballots shall be of plain white paper, through which the
24printing or writing cannot be read. However, ballots for use
25at the nonpartisan and consolidated elections may be printed
26on different color paper, except blue paper, whenever

 

 

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1necessary or desirable to facilitate distinguishing between
2ballots for different political subdivisions. In the case of
3nonpartisan elections for officers of a political subdivision,
4unless the statute or an ordinance adopted pursuant to Article
5VII of the Constitution providing the form of government
6therefor requires otherwise, the column listing such
7nonpartisan candidates shall be printed with no appellation or
8circle at its head. The party appellation or title, or the word
9"independent" at the head of any column provided for
10independent candidates, shall be printed in letters not less
11than one-fourth of an inch in height and a circle one-half inch
12in diameter shall be printed at the beginning of the line in
13which such appellation or title is printed, provided, however,
14that no such circle shall be printed at the head of any column
15or columns provided for such independent candidates. The names
16of candidates shall be printed in letters not less than
17one-eighth nor more than one-fourth of an inch in height, and
18at the beginning of each line in which a name of a candidate is
19printed a square shall be printed, the sides of which shall be
20not less than one-fourth of an inch in length. However, the
21names of the candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor
22on the same ticket shall be printed within a bracket and a
23single square shall be printed in front of the bracket. The
24list of candidates of the several parties and any such list of
25independent candidates shall be placed in separate columns on
26the ballot in such order as provided in Section 16-3.1 the

 

 

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1election authorities charged with the printing of the ballots
2shall decide; provided, that the names of the candidates of
3the several political parties, certified by the State Board of
4Elections to the several county clerks shall be printed by the
5county clerk of the proper county on the official ballot in the
6order certified by the State Board of Elections. Any county
7clerk refusing, neglecting or failing to print on the official
8ballot the names of candidates of the several political
9parties in the order certified by the State Board of
10Elections, and any county clerk who prints or causes to be
11printed upon the official ballot the name of a candidate, for
12an office to be filled by the Electors of the entire State,
13whose name has not been duly certified to him upon a
14certificate signed by the State Board of Elections shall be
15guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
16    (b) When an electronic voting system is used which
17utilizes a ballot card, on the inside flap of each ballot card
18envelope there shall be printed a form for write-in voting
19which shall be substantially as follows:
20
WRITE-IN VOTES
21    (See card of instructions for specific information.
22Duplicate form below by hand for additional write-in votes.)  
23     _____________________________  
24     Title of Office
25(   )  ____________________________  
26     Name of Candidate

 

 

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1    Write-in lines equal to the number of candidates for which
2a voter may vote shall be printed for an office only if one or
3more persons filed declarations of intent to be write-in
4candidates or qualify to file declarations to be write-in
5candidates under Sections 17-16.1 and 18-9.1 when the
6certification of ballot contains the words "OBJECTION
7PENDING".
8    (c) When an electronic voting system is used which uses a
9ballot sheet, the instructions to voters on the ballot sheet
10shall refer the voter to the card of instructions for specific
11information on write-in voting. Below each office appearing on
12such ballot sheet there shall be a provision for the casting of
13a write-in vote. Write-in lines equal to the number of
14candidates for which a voter may vote shall be printed for an
15office only if one or more persons filed declarations of
16intent to be write-in candidates or qualify to file
17declarations to be write-in candidates under Sections 17-16.1
18and 18-9.1 when the certification of ballot contains the words
19"OBJECTION PENDING".
20    (d) When such electronic system is used, there shall be
21printed on the back of each ballot card, each ballot card
22envelope, and the first page of the ballot label when a ballot
23label is used, the words "Official Ballot," followed by the
24number of the precinct or other precinct identification, which
25may be stamped, in lieu thereof and, as applicable, the number
26and name of the township, ward or other election district for

 

 

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1which the ballot card, ballot card envelope, and ballot label
2are prepared, the date of the election and a facsimile of the
3signature of the election authority who has caused the ballots
4to be printed. The back of the ballot card shall also include a
5method of identifying the ballot configuration such as a
6listing of the political subdivisions and districts for which
7votes may be cast on that ballot, or a number code identifying
8the ballot configuration or color coded ballots, except that
9where there is only one ballot configuration in a precinct,
10the precinct identification, and any applicable ward
11identification, shall be sufficient. Ballot card envelopes
12used in punch card systems shall be of paper through which no
13writing or punches may be discerned and shall be of sufficient
14length to enclose all voting positions. However, the election
15authority may provide ballot card envelopes on which no
16precinct number or township, ward or other election district
17designation, or election date are preprinted, if space and a
18preprinted form are provided below the space provided for the
19names of write-in candidates where such information may be
20entered by the judges of election. Whenever an election
21authority utilizes ballot card envelopes on which the election
22date and precinct is not preprinted, a judge of election shall
23mark such information for the particular precinct and election
24on the envelope in ink before tallying and counting any
25write-in vote written thereon. If some method of insuring
26ballot secrecy other than an envelope is used, such

 

 

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1information must be provided on the ballot itself.
2    (e) In the designation of the name of a candidate on the
3ballot, the candidate's given name or names, initial or
4initials, a nickname by which the candidate is commonly known,
5or a combination thereof, may be used in addition to the
6candidate's surname. If a candidate has changed his or her
7name, whether by a statutory or common law procedure in
8Illinois or any other jurisdiction, within 3 years before the
9last day for filing the petition for nomination, nomination
10papers, or certificate of nomination for that office,
11whichever is applicable, then (i) the candidate's name on the
12ballot must be followed by "formerly known as (list all prior
13names during the 3-year period) until name changed on (list
14date of each such name change)" and (ii) the petition, papers,
15or certificate must be accompanied by the candidate's
16affidavit stating the candidate's previous names during the
17period specified in (i) and the date or dates each of those
18names was changed; failure to meet these requirements shall be
19grounds for denying certification of the candidate's name for
20the ballot or removing the candidate's name from the ballot,
21as appropriate, but these requirements do not apply to name
22changes resulting from adoption to assume an adoptive parent's
23or parents' surname, marriage or civil union to assume a
24spouse's surname, or dissolution of marriage or civil union or
25declaration of invalidity of marriage or civil union to assume
26a former surname or a name change that conforms the

 

 

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1candidate's name to his or her gender identity. No other
2designation such as a political slogan, title, or degree or
3nickname suggesting or implying possession of a title, degree
4or professional status, or similar information may be used in
5connection with the candidate's surname. For purposes of this
6Section, a "political slogan" is defined as any word or words
7expressing or connoting a position, opinion, or belief that
8the candidate may espouse, including but not limited to, any
9word or words conveying any meaning other than that of the
10personal identity of the candidate. A candidate may not use a
11political slogan as part of his or her name on the ballot,
12notwithstanding that the political slogan may be part of the
13candidate's name.
14    (f) The State Board of Elections, a local election
15official, or an election authority shall remove any
16candidate's name designation from a ballot that is
17inconsistent with subsection (e) of this Section. In addition,
18the State Board of Elections, a local election official, or an
19election authority shall not certify to any election authority
20any candidate name designation that is inconsistent with
21subsection (e) of this Section.
22    (g) If the State Board of Elections, a local election
23official, or an election authority removes a candidate's name
24designation from a ballot under subsection (f) of this
25Section, then the aggrieved candidate may seek appropriate
26relief in circuit court.

 

 

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1    Where voting machines or electronic voting systems are
2used, the provisions of this Section may be modified as
3required or authorized by Article 24 or Article 24A, whichever
4is applicable.
5    Nothing in this Section shall prohibit election
6authorities from using or reusing ballot card envelopes which
7were printed before the effective date of this amendatory Act
8of 1985.
9(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)
 
10    (10 ILCS 5/16-3.1 new)
11    Sec. 16-3.1. Ballot position randomization.
12    (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when the
13names of candidates in a primary election, general election,
14or consolidated election to be voted for in each election
15district or precinct are printed on one ballot under the
16provisions of this Division, the order of names for each
17office shall be set forth in random order within each election
18district or precinct. To the extent that it is mathematically
19possible, each random order shall be different between all of
20the precincts or election districts that are electing the name
21or names contained in each race on the ballot.
22    (b) Before the names of the candidates of the several
23political parties are certified by the State Board of
24Elections to the several county clerks, the State Board of
25Elections shall follow the randomization requirements under

 

 

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1subsection (a) before certifying.
2    (c) The State Board of Elections shall select a vendor for
3a computer software program that shall be used by each
4election authority and the State Board of Elections to conduct
5the randomization as provided in subsections (a) and (b). Any
6program selected by the Board for this purpose shall be used
7solely for the purpose of ballot name position randomization
8and shall not be used for any other purpose under this Code.
 
9    (10 ILCS 5/16-4.1)  (from Ch. 46, par. 16-4.1)
10    Sec. 16-4.1. Ballots; Form; Consolidated Elections. This
11Section shall apply only to the consolidated primary election,
12and the consolidated election, except as otherwise expressly
13provided herein.
14    The ballot for the nomination or election of officers of
15each political subdivision shall be considered a separate
16ballot, and candidates for such offices shall be grouped
17together. Where paper ballots are used, the names of
18candidates for nomination or election to more than one
19political subdivision may be contained on a common ballot,
20provided that such ballot clearly indicates and separates each
21political subdivision from which such officers are to be
22nominated or elected.
23    At the consolidated election, the ballot for school
24district offices shall precede the ballot for community
25college district offices, and thereafter the ballot order of

 

 

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1the political subdivision officers to be elected shall be as
2determined as provided in Section 16-3.1 by the election
3authority. In the case of school districts other than
4community consolidated school districts, the ballot for
5non-high school district offices shall precede the ballot for
6high school district offices.
7    At the consolidated primary and at the consolidated
8election, the ballot for nomination or election of municipal
9officers shall precede the ballot for township officers. At
10the consolidated election, following the ballot for municipal
11and township offices shall be the ballots for park district
12and library district offices, following which shall be the
13ballots for other political subdivision offices in the order
14determined as provided in Section 16-3.1 by the election
15authority.
16    The election authority, in determining the order of ballot
17placement for offices of political subdivisions whose ballot
18placement is not specified in this Section, shall give due
19regard to the clarity of the ballot presentation to the
20voters, cost and administrative ease, and the requirement to
21provide separate ballot formats within precincts in which the
22electors are not entitled to vote for the same offices or
23propositions. At the request of a political subdivision which
24extends into more than one election jurisdiction, the election
25authority shall endeavor to coordinate placement and color of
26the ballot for such subdivision with the other election

 

 

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1authorities responsible for preparing ballots for such
2subdivision election. The election authority may conduct a
3lottery to determine the order of ballot placement of
4political subdivision ballots where such order is not
5specified in this Section. Such lottery may be conducted
6jointly by two or more election authorities.
7(Source: P.A. 89-700, eff. 1-17-97; 90-358, eff. 1-1-98;
890-655, eff. 7-30-98.)
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.