HB0616 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 06932 JAM 37047 b

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.

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 adding Section 17-50 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/17-50 new)

Sec. 17-50. Early voting. Notwithstanding any provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall permit early voting before each election in accordance with this Section.

The early voting period shall be the 15th day through the day before an election, inclusive of the 15th day and the day before the election. Early voting shall be conducted during the early voting period at times established by each election authority, provided that early voting is conducted at least 8 consecutive hours between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. each weekday and at least 8 hours aggregate between 7:00 a.m. each Saturday and 7:00 p.m. the immediately consecutive Sunday during each early voting period.

Early voting shall be conducted at the office or each office of the election authority and at county and municipal buildings and public libraries in the election jurisdiction designated by the election authority in a reasonable number and a geographic range that permit, to the extent practical, an equal opportunity for each voter in the election jurisdiction to participate in early voting.

Registered voters of the election jurisdiction who are eligible to vote at an election may vote during the early voting period preceding that election. The voter must complete and sign an early voting voter's certificate on a form prescribed by the election authority that is substantially as follows: "I, (insert name), am a qualified elector in this election and a registered voter of (insert name of election jurisdiction), Illinois. I do solemnly swear or affirm that I am the person listed in the voter registration records of (insert election jurisdiction) and that I reside at the listed address. I understand that if I commit perjury in connection with voting or vote more than once at an election, I could be convicted of a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $25,000 or more. I understand that my failure to sign this certificate invalidates my ballot." The certificate must state the voter's residence address.

Persons voting during the early voting period are eligible to cast provisional ballots on the same bases and under the same procedures as persons seeking to vote on election day.

The provisions of this Code with respect to the physical accessibility of polling places, electioneering at polling places, pollwatchers, and any other aspect of the conduct of an election shall apply to the conduct of early voting.

The counting and canvassing of early voting period ballots shall be the same as the counting and canvassing of ballots cast on election day.

Each election authority shall adopt rules for the implementation of this Section. Each election authority by rule may modify the requirements of this Code or of rules of the State Board of Elections to the extent that this Code or a rule conflicts with the requirements of this Section, but that modification shall be only to the extent necessary to implement the requirements of this Section.