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.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB0616 LRB094 06932 JAM 37047 b

1     AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Election Code is amended by adding Section
5 17-50 as follows:
 
6     (10 ILCS 5/17-50 new)
7     Sec. 17-50. Early voting. Notwithstanding any provision of
8 this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall permit
9 early voting before each election in accordance with this
10 Section.
11     The early voting period shall be the 15th day through the
12 day before an election, inclusive of the 15th day and the day
13 before the election. Early voting shall be conducted during the
14 early voting period at times established by each election
15 authority, provided that early voting is conducted at least 8
16 consecutive hours between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
17 each weekday and at least 8 hours aggregate between 7:00 a.m.
18 each Saturday and 7:00 p.m. the immediately consecutive Sunday
19 during each early voting period.
20     Early voting shall be conducted at the office or each
21 office of the election authority and at county and municipal
22 buildings and public libraries in the election jurisdiction
23 designated by the election authority in a reasonable number and
24 a geographic range that permit, to the extent practical, an
25 equal opportunity for each voter in the election jurisdiction
26 to participate in early voting.
27     Registered voters of the election jurisdiction who are
28 eligible to vote at an election may vote during the early
29 voting period preceding that election. The voter must complete
30 and sign an early voting voter's certificate on a form
31 prescribed by the election authority that is substantially as
32 follows: "I, (insert name), am a qualified elector in this

 

 

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