10 ILCS 5/ Election Code.

(10 ILCS 5/13-2.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-2.2)

Sec. 13-2.2. Such course shall be devised so as to instruct its students in the duties of an election judge and shall consist of at least 4 hours of instruction and an examination which tests reading skills, ability to work with poll lists, ability to add and knowledge of election laws governing the operation of polling places.

Such course shall be conducted at least once after the day the report of the selection of election judges is filed in the circuit court, but before the day fixed by the court for confirmation of such selection, and once as soon as practicable after the day fixed by the court for such confirmation. Every person reported as selected to be an election judge shall be notified in good time of the place and time each such course is to be conducted. All such persons may attend such course and, upon satisfactory completion thereof, shall be entitled to a certificate of such completion.

Not later than March 1, 1981 the election authorities shall also conduct special training courses for election judges concerning the administration of the nonpartisan and consolidated elections. The State shall reimburse each county and each municipality under the jurisdiction of a board of election commissioners (except in municipalities with a population of more than 500,000) for the payment of a $10 stipend to each judge of election for attendance at such special training course.

(Source: P.A. 81-1535.)

(10 ILCS 5/13-2.5)

Sec. 13-2.5. Time off from work to serve as election judge. Any person who is appointed as an election judge under Section 13-1 or 13-2 may, after giving his or her employer at least 20 days' written notice, be absent from his or her place of work for the purpose of serving as an election judge. An employer may not penalize an employee for that absence other than a deduction in salary for the time the employee was absent from his or her place of employment. An employer may not require an employee to use earned vacation time or any form of paid leave time to serve as an election judge.

This Section does not apply to an employer with fewer than 25 employees. An employer with more than 25 employees shall not be required to permit more than 10% of the employees to be absent under this Section on the same election day.

(Source: P.A. 98-691, eff. 7-1-14.)

(10 ILCS 5/13-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-3)

Sec. 13-3. After the judges of election have been selected and approved as hereinbefore provided, a report of such selections shall be made by the county board and filed in the circuit court, and application shall then be made by the county board to the court for their confirmation and appointment, whereupon the court shall enter an order that cause be shown, if any exists, against the confirmation and appointment of such persons so named on or before the opening of the court on a day to be fixed by the court. The county board shall immediately give notice of such order and the names of all such judges so reported to such court for confirmation and their residence and the precinct for which they were selected by causing a notice to be published in one or more newspapers in the county and if no newspaper be published therein then by posting such notice in 5 of the most public places in the county. The notice shall state that a list of judges of election is available for public inspection in the office of the election authority. If no cause to the contrary is shown prior to the day fixed, and if, in each precinct, at least one judge representing each of the two major political parties has been certified by the county clerk as having satisfactorily completed within the preceding 6 months the training course and examination for judges of election, as provided in Section 13-2.1 and 13-2.2 of this Act, such appointment shall be confirmed by order entered by that court.

If in any precinct the requisite 2 judges have not been so certified by the county clerk as having satisfactorily completed such course and examination, the county clerk shall immediately notify all judges in that precinct, to whose appointment there is no other objection, that all such judges shall attend the next such course. The county clerk shall then certify to the court that all such judges have been so notified (and such certification need contain no detail other than a mere recital). The appointment of such judges shall then be confirmed by order entered by the court. If any judge so notified and so confirmed fails to attend the next such course, such failure shall subject such judge to possible removal from office at the option of the election authority.

If objections to the appointment of any judge be filed prior to the day fixed by the court for confirmation of judges, the court shall hear such objections and the evidence introduced in support thereof, and shall confirm or refuse to confirm such nominations as the interests of the public may require. No reasons may be given for the refusal to confirm. If any vacancy exists at any time the county board shall, subject to the provisions of Section 13-1.1, further report and nominate persons to fill such vacancies so existing in the manner aforesaid, and a court in the same way shall consider such nominations and shall confirm or refuse to confirm the same in the manner aforesaid. Upon the confirmation of such judges, at any time, a commission shall issue to each of such judges, under the seal of such court, and appropriate forms shall be prepared by the county clerk of each county for such purpose and furnished to the county board, and after confirmation and acceptance of such commission, such judges shall thereupon become officers of such court. If a vacancy occurs so late that nomination by the county board and application to and confirmation by the court cannot be had before the election, then the court shall, subject to the provisions of Section 13-1.1, make an appointment and issue a commission to such officer or officers, and when thus appointed such officer shall be considered an officer of the court and subject to the same rules as if nominated by the county board and confirmed by the court, and any judge, however appointed, and at whatever time, shall be considered an officer of court and be subject to the same control and punishment in case of misbehavior. Not more than 10 business days after the day of election, the county clerk shall compile a list containing the name, address and party affiliation of each judge of election who served on the day of election, and shall preserve such list and make it available for public inspection and copying for a period of not more than one year from the date of receipt of such list. Copies of such list shall be available for purchase at a cost not to exceed the cost of duplication. The board has the right, at any time, in case of misbehavior or neglect of duty, to remove any judge of election and cause such vacancy to be filled in accordance with this Act. Except for judges appointed under subsection (b) of Section 13-4, the board shall have the right, at any time, to remove any judge of election for failing to vote the primary ballot of the political party he represents, at a primary election at which he served as such judge, and shall cause such vacancy to be filled in accordance with this Act. The board shall remove any judge of election who, twice during the same term of office, fails to provide for the opening of the polling place at the time prescribed in Section 17-1 or Section 18-2, whichever is applicable, unless such delay can be demonstrated by the judge of election to be beyond his or her control. In the event that any judge of election is removed for cause, the board shall specify such cause in writing and make such writing a matter of public record, with a copy to be sent to the appropriate county chair who made the initial recommendation of the election judge. If any vacancies occur or exist more than 15 days before election the judges appointed to such places must be confirmed by such court. The county board shall not voluntarily remove any judge within 15 days of such election except for flagrant misbehavior, incapacity or dishonesty, and the reason therefor must afterward be reported in writing to such court and made a matter of public record, with a copy to be sent to the appropriate county chair who made the initial recommendation of the election judge. Provided further that where a vacancy in the office of judge of election exists 20 days or less prior to any election in counties having a population of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, or where such vacancy exists 10 days or less prior to any election in counties having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the county clerk shall, subject to the provisions of Section 13-1.1, appoint a person of the same major political party to fill such vacancy and issue a commission thereto. The name of the officer so appointed shall be reported to the court as a matter of record and after acceptance of such commission such person shall be liable in the same manner as officers regularly appointed by the county board and confirmed by the court. The county clerk shall have the power on election day to remove without cause any judge of election appointed by the other judges of election pursuant to Section 13-7 and to appoint another judge of election to serve for that election. Such substitute judge of election must be selected, where possible, pursuant to the provisions of Section 13-1.1 and must be qualified in accordance with Section 13-4.

If any precinct has increased in voter registration beyond the maximum of 800 provided in Section 11-2, the county clerk may appoint one additional judge of election from each political party for each 200 voters in excess of 800.

(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

(10 ILCS 5/13-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-4)

Sec. 13-4. Qualifications.

(a) All persons elected or chosen judge of election must: (1) be citizens of the United States and entitled to vote at the next election, except as provided in subsection (b) or (c); (2) be of good repute and character and not subject to the registration requirement of the Sex Offender Registration Act; (3) be able to speak, read and write the English language; (4) be skilled in the four fundamental rules of arithmetic; (5) be of good understanding and capable; (6) not be candidates for any office at the election and not be elected committeepersons; and (7) reside in the precinct in which they are selected to act, except that in each precinct, not more than one judge of each party may be appointed from outside such precinct. Any judge selected to serve in any precinct in which he is not entitled to vote must reside within and be entitled to vote elsewhere within the county which encompasses the precinct in which such judge is appointed, except as provided in subsection (b) or (c). Such judge must meet the other qualifications of this Section.

(b) An election authority may establish a program to permit a person who is not entitled to vote to be appointed as an election judge if, as of the date of the election at which the person serves as a judge, he or she:

(1) is a U.S. citizen;

(2) is a junior or senior in good standing enrolled in a public or private secondary school;

(3) has a cumulative grade point average equivalent to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;

(4) has the written approval of the principal of the secondary school he or she attends at the time of appointment;

(5) has the written approval of his or her parent or legal guardian;

(6) has satisfactorily completed the training course for judges of election described in Sections 13-2.1 and 13-2.2; and

(7) meets all other qualifications for appointment and service as an election judge.

No more than one election judge qualifying under this subsection may serve per political party per precinct. Prior to appointment, a judge qualifying under this subsection must certify in writing to the election authority the political party the judge chooses to affiliate with.

Students appointed as election judges under this subsection shall not be counted as absent from school on the day they serve as judges.

(c) An election authority may establish a program to permit a person who is not entitled to vote in that precinct or county to be appointed as an election judge if, as of the date of the election at which the person serves as a judge, he or she:

(1) is a U.S. citizen;

(2) is currently enrolled in a community college, as defined in the Public Community College Act, or a public or private Illinois university or college;

(3) has a cumulative grade point average equivalent to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;

(4) has satisfactorily completed the training course for judges of election described in Sections 13-2.1 and 13-2.2; and

(5) meets all other qualifications for appointment and service as an election judge.

No more than one election judge qualifying under this subsection may serve per political party per precinct. Prior to appointment, a judge qualifying under this subsection must certify in writing to the election authority the political party the judge chooses to affiliate with.

Students appointed as election judges under this subsection shall not be counted as absent from school on the day they serve as judges.

(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

(10 ILCS 5/13-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-5)

Sec. 13-5. Immediately on the appointment of such judges, the county clerk shall notify each judge of election of his appointment.

(Source: Laws 1957, p. 1450.)

(10 ILCS 5/13-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-6)

Sec. 13-6. The judges so appointed shall be and continue judges of all elections held within their respective precincts or districts, until other judges shall be appointed in like manner.

(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)