Sen. Debbie DeFrancesco Halvorson

Filed: 1/27/2006

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2397

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2397 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
5 Sections 7-34 and 17-23 as follows:
 
6     (10 ILCS 5/7-34)  (from Ch. 46, par. 7-34)
7     Sec. 7-34. Pollwatchers in a primary election shall be
8 authorized in the following manner:
9     (1) Each established political party shall be entitled to
10 appoint one pollwatcher per precinct. Such pollwatchers must be
11 affiliated with the political party for which they are
12 pollwatching and must be a registered voter in Illinois.
13     (2) Each candidate shall be entitled to appoint two
14 pollwatchers per precinct. For Federal, State, county,
15 township, and municipal primary elections, the pollwatchers
16 must be registered to vote in Illinois.
17     (3) Each organization of citizens within the county or
18 political subdivision, which has among its purposes or
19 interests the investigation or prosecution of election frauds,
20 and which shall have registered its name and address and the
21 names and addresses of its principal officers with the proper
22 election authority at least 40 days before the primary
23 election, shall be entitled to appoint one pollwatcher per
24 precinct. For all primary elections, the pollwatcher must be

 

 

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1 registered to vote in Illinois.
2     (3.5) Each State non-partisan civic organization within
3 the county or political subdivision, that has among its written
4 purposes the provision of voter information and education, the
5 protection of individual voters' rights, and the provision of
6 free and equal elections, shall be entitled to appoint one
7 pollwatcher per precinct, provided that no more than 2
8 pollwatchers appointed by non-partisan civic organizations
9 shall be present in a precinct polling place at the same time.
10 Each organization shall have registered the names and addresses
11 of its principal officers with the proper election authority at
12 least 40 days before the primary election. The pollwatchers
13 must be registered to vote in Illinois.
14     (4) Each organized group of proponents or opponents of a
15 ballot proposition, which shall have registered the name and
16 address of its organization or committee and the name and
17 address of its chairman with the proper election authority at
18 least 40 days before the primary election, shall be entitled to
19 appoint one pollwatcher per precinct. The pollwatcher must be
20 registered to vote in Illinois.
21     (5) In any primary election held to nominate candidates for
22 the offices of a municipality of less than 3,000,000 population
23 that is situated in 2 or more counties, a pollwatcher who is a
24 resident of a county in which any part of the municipality is
25 situated shall be eligible to serve as a pollwatcher in any
26 polling place located within such municipality, provided that
27 such pollwatcher otherwise complies with the respective
28 requirements of subsections (1) through (4) of this Section and
29 is a registered voter whose residence is within Illinois.
30     All pollwatchers shall be required to have proper
31 credentials. Such credentials shall be printed in sufficient
32 quantities, shall be issued by and under the facsimile
33 signature(s) of the election authority and shall be available
34 for distribution at least 2 weeks prior to the election. Such

 

 

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1 credentials shall be authorized by the real or facsimile
2 signature of the State or local party official or the candidate
3 or the presiding officer of the civic organization or the
4 chairman of the proponent or opponent group, as the case may
5 be.
6     Pollwatcher credentials shall be in substantially the
7 following form:
 
8
POLLWATCHER CREDENTIALS
9 TO THE JUDGES OF ELECTION:
10     In accordance with the provisions of the Election Code, the
11 undersigned hereby appoints ........... (name of pollwatcher)
12 at .......... (address) in the county of ...........,
13 .......... (township or municipality) of ........... (name),
14 State of Illinois and who is duly registered to vote from this
15 address, to act as a pollwatcher in the ........... precinct of
16 the .......... ward (if applicable) of the ...........
17 (township or municipality) of ........... at the ...........
18 election to be held on (insert date).
19 ........................  (Signature of Appointing Authority)
20 ........................  TITLE  (party official,  candidate,
21                                 civic organization president,
22                         proponent or opponent group chairman)
23     Under penalties provided by law pursuant to Section 29-10
24 of the Election Code, the undersigned pollwatcher certifies
25 that he or she resides at .............. (address) in the
26 county of ........., ......... (township or municipality) of
27 .......... (name), State of Illinois, and is duly registered to
28 vote in Illinois.
29 ...........................       ..........................
30 (Precinct and/or Ward in          (Signature of Pollwatcher)
31 Which Pollwatcher Resides)
 
32     Pollwatchers must present their credentials to the Judges

 

 

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1 of Election upon entering the polling place. Pollwatcher
2 credentials properly executed and signed shall be proof of the
3 qualifications of the pollwatcher authorized thereby. Such
4 credentials are retained by the Judges and returned to the
5 Election Authority at the end of the day of election with the
6 other election materials. Once a pollwatcher has surrendered a
7 valid credential, he may leave and reenter the polling place
8 provided that such continuing action does not disrupt the
9 conduct of the election. Pollwatchers may be substituted during
10 the course of the day, but established political parties,
11 candidates, qualified civic organizations and proponents and
12 opponents of a ballot proposition can have only as many
13 pollwatchers at any given time as are authorized in this
14 Article. A substitute must present his signed credential to the
15 judges of election upon entering the polling place. Election
16 authorities must provide a sufficient number of credentials to
17 allow for substitution of pollwatchers. After the polls have
18 closed, pollwatchers shall be allowed to remain until the
19 canvass of votes is completed; but may leave and reenter only
20 in cases of necessity, provided that such action is not so
21 continuous as to disrupt the canvass of votes.
22     Candidates seeking office in a district or municipality
23 encompassing 2 or more counties shall be admitted to any and
24 all polling places throughout such district or municipality
25 without regard to the counties in which such candidates are
26 registered to vote. Actions of such candidates shall be
27 governed in each polling place by the same privileges and
28 limitations that apply to pollwatchers as provided in this
29 Section. Any such candidate who engages in an activity in a
30 polling place which could reasonably be construed by a majority
31 of the judges of election as campaign activity shall be removed
32 forthwith from such polling place.
33     Candidates seeking office in a district or municipality
34 encompassing 2 or more counties who desire to be admitted to

 

 

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1 polling places on election day in such district or municipality
2 shall be required to have proper credentials. Such credentials
3 shall be printed in sufficient quantities, shall be issued by
4 and under the facsimile signature of the election authority of
5 the election jurisdiction where the polling place in which the
6 candidate seeks admittance is located, and shall be available
7 for distribution at least 2 weeks prior to the election. Such
8 credentials shall be signed by the candidate.
9     Candidate credentials shall be in substantially the
10 following form:
 
11
CANDIDATE CREDENTIALS
12     TO THE JUDGES OF ELECTION:
13     In accordance with the provisions of the Election Code, I
14 ...... (name of candidate) hereby certify that I am a candidate
15 for ....... (name of office) and seek admittance to .......
16 precinct of the ....... ward (if applicable) of the .......
17 (township or municipality) of ....... at the ....... election
18 to be held on (insert date).
19 .........................             .......................
20 (Signature of Candidate)              OFFICE FOR WHICH
21                                       CANDIDATE SEEKS
22                                       NOMINATION OR
23                                       ELECTION
 
24     Pollwatchers shall be permitted to observe all proceedings
25 and view all reasonably requested records relating to the
26 conduct of the election, provided the secrecy of the ballot is
27 not impinged, and to station themselves in a position in the
28 voting room as will enable them to observe the judges making
29 the signature comparison between the voter application and the
30 voter registration record card; provided, however, that such
31 pollwatchers shall not be permitted to station themselves in
32 such close proximity to the judges of election so as to

 

 

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1 interfere with the orderly conduct of the election and shall
2 not, in any event, be permitted to handle election materials.
3 Pollwatchers may challenge for cause the voting qualifications
4 of a person offering to vote and may call to the attention of
5 the judges of election any incorrect procedure or apparent
6 violations of this Code.
7     If a majority of the judges of election determine that the
8 polling place has become too overcrowded with pollwatchers so
9 as to interfere with the orderly conduct of the election, the
10 judges shall, by lot, limit such pollwatchers to a reasonable
11 number, except that each candidate and each established or new
12 political party shall be permitted to have at least one
13 pollwatcher present.
14     Representatives of an election authority, with regard to an
15 election under its jurisdiction, the State Board of Elections,
16 and law enforcement agencies, including but not limited to a
17 United States Attorney, a State's attorney, the Attorney
18 General, and a State, county, or local police department, in
19 the performance of their official election duties, shall be
20 permitted at all times to enter and remain in the polling
21 place. Upon entering the polling place, such representatives
22 shall display their official credentials or other
23 identification to the judges of election.
24     Uniformed police officers assigned to polling place duty
25 shall follow all lawful instructions of the judges of election.
26     The provisions of this Section shall also apply to
27 supervised casting of absentee ballots as provided in Section
28 19-12.2 of this Act.
29 (Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)
 
30     (10 ILCS 5/17-23)  (from Ch. 46, par. 17-23)
31     Sec. 17-23. Pollwatchers in a general election shall be
32 authorized in the following manner:
33     (1) Each established political party shall be entitled to

 

 

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1 appoint two pollwatchers per precinct. Such pollwatchers must
2 be affiliated with the political party for which they are
3 pollwatching. For all elections, the pollwatchers must be
4 registered to vote in Illinois.
5     (2) Each candidate shall be entitled to appoint two
6 pollwatchers per precinct. For all elections, the pollwatchers
7 must be registered to vote in Illinois.
8     (3) Each organization of citizens within the county or
9 political subdivision, which has among its purposes or
10 interests the investigation or prosecution of election frauds,
11 and which shall have registered its name and address and the
12 name and addresses of its principal officers with the proper
13 election authority at least 40 days before the election, shall
14 be entitled to appoint one pollwatcher per precinct. For all
15 elections, the pollwatcher must be registered to vote in
16 Illinois.
17     (3.5) Each State non-partisan civic organization within
18 the county or political subdivision, that has among its written
19 purposes the provision of voter information and education, the
20 protection of individual voters' rights, and the provision of
21 free and equal elections, shall be entitled to appoint one
22 pollwatcher per precinct, provided that no more than 2
23 pollwatchers appointed by non-partisan civic organizations
24 shall be present in a precinct polling place at the same time.
25 Each organization shall have registered the names and addresses
26 of its principal officers with the proper election authority at
27 least 40 days before the election. The pollwatchers must be
28 registered to vote in Illinois.
29     (4) In any general election held to elect candidates for
30 the offices of a municipality of less than 3,000,000 population
31 that is situated in 2 or more counties, a pollwatcher who is a
32 resident of Illinois shall be eligible to serve as a
33 pollwatcher in any poll located within such municipality,
34 provided that such pollwatcher otherwise complies with the

 

 

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1 respective requirements of subsections (1) through (3) of this
2 Section and is a registered voter in Illinois.
3     (5) Each organized group of proponents or opponents of a
4 ballot proposition, which shall have registered the name and
5 address of its organization or committee and the name and
6 address of its chairman with the proper election authority at
7 least 40 days before the election, shall be entitled to appoint
8 one pollwatcher per precinct. The pollwatcher must be
9 registered to vote in Illinois.
10     All pollwatchers shall be required to have proper
11 credentials. Such credentials shall be printed in sufficient
12 quantities, shall be issued by and under the facsimile
13 signature(s) of the election authority and shall be available
14 for distribution at least 2 weeks prior to the election. Such
15 credentials shall be authorized by the real or facsimile
16 signature of the State or local party official or the candidate
17 or the presiding officer of the civic organization or the
18 chairman of the proponent or opponent group, as the case may
19 be.
20     Pollwatcher credentials shall be in substantially the
21 following form:
 
22
POLLWATCHER CREDENTIALS
23 TO THE JUDGES OF ELECTION:
24     In accordance with the provisions of the Election Code, the
25 undersigned hereby appoints .......... (name of pollwatcher)
26 who resides at ........... (address) in the county of
27 ..........., .......... (township or municipality) of
28 ........... (name), State of Illinois and who is duly
29 registered to vote from this address, to act as a pollwatcher
30 in the ........... precinct of the ........... ward (if
31 applicable) of the ........... (township or municipality) of
32 ........... at the ........... election to be held on (insert
33 date).

 

 

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1 ........................  (Signature of Appointing Authority)
2 ......................... TITLE  (party official,  candidate,
3                                 civic organization president,
4                         proponent or opponent group chairman)
 
5     Under penalties provided by law pursuant to Section 29-10
6 of the Election Code, the undersigned pollwatcher certifies
7 that he or she resides at ................ (address) in the
8 county of ............, ......... (township or municipality)
9 of ........... (name), State of Illinois, and is duly
10 registered to vote in Illinois.
11 ..........................           .......................
12 (Precinct and/or Ward in          (Signature of Pollwatcher)
13 Which Pollwatcher Resides)
 
14     Pollwatchers must present their credentials to the Judges
15 of Election upon entering the polling place. Pollwatcher
16 credentials properly executed and signed shall be proof of the
17 qualifications of the pollwatcher authorized thereby. Such
18 credentials are retained by the Judges and returned to the
19 Election Authority at the end of the day of election with the
20 other election materials. Once a pollwatcher has surrendered a
21 valid credential, he may leave and reenter the polling place
22 provided that such continuing action does not disrupt the
23 conduct of the election. Pollwatchers may be substituted during
24 the course of the day, but established political parties,
25 candidates and qualified civic organizations can have only as
26 many pollwatchers at any given time as are authorized in this
27 Article. A substitute must present his signed credential to the
28 judges of election upon entering the polling place. Election
29 authorities must provide a sufficient number of credentials to
30 allow for substitution of pollwatchers. After the polls have
31 closed pollwatchers shall be allowed to remain until the
32 canvass of votes is completed; but may leave and reenter only

 

 

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1 in cases of necessity, provided that such action is not so
2 continuous as to disrupt the canvass of votes.
3     Candidates seeking office in a district or municipality
4 encompassing 2 or more counties shall be admitted to any and
5 all polling places throughout such district or municipality
6 without regard to the counties in which such candidates are
7 registered to vote. Actions of such candidates shall be
8 governed in each polling place by the same privileges and
9 limitations that apply to pollwatchers as provided in this
10 Section. Any such candidate who engages in an activity in a
11 polling place which could reasonably be construed by a majority
12 of the judges of election as campaign activity shall be removed
13 forthwith from such polling place.
14     Candidates seeking office in a district or municipality
15 encompassing 2 or more counties who desire to be admitted to
16 polling places on election day in such district or municipality
17 shall be required to have proper credentials. Such credentials
18 shall be printed in sufficient quantities, shall be issued by
19 and under the facsimile signature of the election authority of
20 the election jurisdiction where the polling place in which the
21 candidate seeks admittance is located, and shall be available
22 for distribution at least 2 weeks prior to the election. Such
23 credentials shall be signed by the candidate.
24     Candidate credentials shall be in substantially the
25 following form:
 
26
CANDIDATE CREDENTIALS
27     TO THE JUDGES OF ELECTION:
28     In accordance with the provisions of the Election Code, I
29 ...... (name of candidate) hereby certify that I am a candidate
30 for ....... (name of office) and seek admittance to .......
31 precinct of the ....... ward (if applicable) of the .......
32 (township or municipality) of ....... at the ....... election
33 to be held on (insert date).

 

 

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1 .........................             .......................
2 (Signature of Candidate)              OFFICE FOR WHICH
3                                       CANDIDATE SEEKS
4                                       NOMINATION OR
5                                       ELECTION
 
6     Pollwatchers shall be permitted to observe all proceedings
7 and view all reasonably requested records relating to the
8 conduct of the election, provided the secrecy of the ballot is
9 not impinged, and to station themselves in a position in the
10 voting room as will enable them to observe the judges making
11 the signature comparison between the voter application and the
12 voter registration record card; provided, however, that such
13 pollwatchers shall not be permitted to station themselves in
14 such close proximity to the judges of election so as to
15 interfere with the orderly conduct of the election and shall
16 not, in any event, be permitted to handle election materials.
17 Pollwatchers may challenge for cause the voting qualifications
18 of a person offering to vote and may call to the attention of
19 the judges of election any incorrect procedure or apparent
20 violations of this Code.
21     If a majority of the judges of election determine that the
22 polling place has become too overcrowded with pollwatchers so
23 as to interfere with the orderly conduct of the election, the
24 judges shall, by lot, limit such pollwatchers to a reasonable
25 number, except that each established or new political party
26 shall be permitted to have at least one pollwatcher present.
27     Representatives of an election authority, with regard to an
28 election under its jurisdiction, the State Board of Elections,
29 and law enforcement agencies, including but not limited to a
30 United States Attorney, a State's attorney, the Attorney
31 General, and a State, county, or local police department, in
32 the performance of their official election duties, shall be
33 permitted at all times to enter and remain in the polling

 

 

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1 place. Upon entering the polling place, such representatives
2 shall display their official credentials or other
3 identification to the judges of election.
4     Uniformed police officers assigned to polling place duty
5 shall follow all lawful instructions of the judges of election.
6     The provisions of this Section shall also apply to
7 supervised casting of absentee ballots as provided in Section
8 19-12.2 of this Act.
9 (Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)
 
10     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11 becoming law.".