Public Act 0115 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2418 Enrolled LRB098 07643 HLH 37715 b

Public Act 098-0115

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 changing Sections 1A-16, 1A-25, 4-8, 4-10, 4-12, 4-15, 4-33, 4-50, 5-7, 5-9, 5-15, 5-21, 5-43, 5-50, 6-29, 6-35, 6-40, 6-57, 6-79, 6-100, 6A-1, 6A-2, 6A-3, 6A-4, 8-9, 9-1.8, 9-8.5, 9-9.5, 10-6.2, 10-7, 10-9, 10-10, 17-23, 18A-15, 19-2, 19-2.1, 19-3, 19-4, 19-7, 19A-15, 19A-70, 22-6, 24A-16, and 28-8 and by adding Sections 1-12, 1A-16.5, 6-19.5, 24A-6.2, 24B-6.2, and 24C-6.2 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/1-12 new)

Sec. 1-12. Public university voting. Each appropriate election authority shall, in addition to the early voting conducted at locations otherwise required by law, conduct early voting in a high traffic location on the campus of a public university within the election authority's jurisdiction. For the purposes of this Section, "public university" means the University of Illinois at its campuses in Urbana-Champaign and Springfield, Southern Illinois University at its campuses in Carbondale and Edwardsville, Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University at its campuses in Macomb and Moline. The voting required by this Section to be conducted on campus must be conducted as otherwise required by Article 19A of this Code. If an election authority has voting equipment that can accommodate a ballot in every form required in the election authority's jurisdiction, then the election authority shall extend early voting under this Section to any registered voter in the election authority's jurisdiction. However, if the election authority does not have voting equipment that can accommodate a ballot in every form required in the election authority's jurisdiction, then the election authority may limit early voting under this Section to registered voters in precincts where the public university is located and precincts bordering the university. Each public university shall make the space available in a high traffic area for, and cooperate and coordinate with the appropriate election authority in, the implementation of this Section.

(10 ILCS 5/1A-16)

Sec. 1A-16. Voter registration information; internet posting; processing of voter registration forms; content of such forms. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the following provisions shall apply to voter registration under this Code.

(a) Voter registration information; Internet posting of voter registration form. Within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the State Board of Elections shall post on its World Wide Web site the following information:

(1) A comprehensive list of the names, addresses, phone numbers, and websites, if applicable, of all county clerks and boards of election commissioners in Illinois.

(2) A schedule of upcoming elections and the deadline for voter registration.

(3) A downloadable, printable voter registration form, in at least English and in Spanish versions, that a person may complete and mail or submit to the State Board of Elections or the appropriate county clerk or board of election commissioners.

Any forms described under paragraph (3) must state the following:

If you do not have a driver's license or social security number, and this form is submitted by mail, and you have never registered to vote in the jurisdiction you are now registering in, then you must send, with this application, either (i) a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or (ii) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. If you do not provide the information required above, then you will be required to provide election officials with either (i) or (ii) described above the first time you vote at a voting place or by absentee ballot.

(b) Acceptance of registration forms by the State Board of Elections and county clerks and board of election commissioners. The State Board of Elections, county clerks, and board of election commissioners shall accept all completed voter registration forms described in subsection (a)(3) of this Section and Sections 1A-17 and 1A-30 that are:

(1) postmarked on or before the day that voter registration is closed under the Election Code;

(2) not postmarked, but arrives no later than 5 days after the close of registration;

(3) submitted in person by a person using the form on or before the day that voter registration is closed under the Election Code; or

(4) submitted in person by a person who submits one or more forms on behalf of one or more persons who used the form on or before the day that voter registration is closed under the Election Code.

Upon the receipt of a registration form, the State Board of Elections shall mark the date on which the form was received and send the form via first class mail to the appropriate county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, within 2 business days based upon the home address of the person submitting the registration form. The county clerk and board of election commissioners shall accept and process any form received from the State Board of Elections.

(c) Processing of registration forms by county clerks and boards of election commissioners. The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall promulgate procedures for processing the voter registration form.

(d) Contents of the voter registration form. The State Board shall create a voter registration form, which must contain the following content:

(1) Instructions for completing the form.

(2) A summary of the qualifications to register to vote in Illinois.

(3) Instructions for mailing in or submitting the form in person.

(4) The phone number for the State Board of Elections should a person submitting the form have questions.

(5) A box for the person to check that explains one of 3 reasons for submitting the form:

(a) new registration;

(b) change of address; or

(c) change of name.

(6) a box for the person to check yes or no that asks, "Are you a citizen of the United States?", a box for the person to check yes or no that asks, "Will you be 18 years of age on or before election day?", and a statement of "If you checked 'no' in response to either of these questions, then do not complete this form.".

(7) A space for the person to fill in his or her home telephone number.

(8) Spaces for the person to fill in his or her first, middle, and last names, street address (principal place of residence), county, city, state, and zip code.

(9) Spaces for the person to fill in his or her mailing address, city, state, and zip code if different from his or her principal place of residence.

(10) A space for the person to fill in his or her Illinois driver's license number if the person has a driver's license.

(11) A space for a person without a driver's license to fill in the last four digits of his or her social security number if the person has a social security number.

(12) A space for a person without an Illinois driver's license to fill in his or her identification number from his or her State Identification card issued by the Secretary of State.

(13) A space for the person to fill the name appearing on his or her last voter registration, the street address of his or her last registration, including the city, county, state, and zip code.

(14) A space where the person swears or affirms the following under penalty of perjury with his or her signature:

(a) "I am a citizen of the United States.";

(b) "I will be at least 18 years old on or before the next election.";

(c) "I will have lived in the State of Illinois and in my election precinct at least 30 days as of the date of the next election."; and

"The information I have provided is true to the best of my knowledge under penalty of perjury. If I have provided false information, then I may be fined, imprisoned, or if I am not a U.S. citizen, deported from or refused entry into the United States."

(15) A space for the person to fill in his or her e-mail address if he or she chooses to provide that information.

(d-5) Compliance with federal law; rulemaking authority. The voter registration form described in this Section shall be consistent with the form prescribed by the Federal Election Commission under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, P.L. 107-252, in all relevant respects. The State Board of Elections shall periodically update the form based on changes to federal or State law. The State Board of Elections shall promulgate any rules necessary for the implementation of this Section; provided that the rules comport with the letter and spirit of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and Help America Vote Act of 2002 and maximize the opportunity for a person to register to vote.

(e) Forms available in paper form. The State Board of Elections shall make the voter registration form available in regular paper stock and form in sufficient quantities for the general public. The State Board of Elections may provide the voter registration form to the Secretary of State, county clerks, boards of election commissioners, designated agencies of the State of Illinois, and any other person or entity designated to have these forms by the Election Code in regular paper stock and form or some other format deemed suitable by the Board. Each county clerk or board of election commissioners has the authority to design and print its own voter registration form so long as the form complies with the requirements of this Section. The State Board of Elections, county clerks, boards of election commissioners, or other designated agencies of the State of Illinois required to have these forms under the Election Code shall provide a member of the public with any reasonable number of forms that he or she may request. Nothing in this Section shall permit the State Board of Elections, county clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate election official who may accept a voter registration form to refuse to accept a voter registration form because the form is printed on photocopier or regular paper stock and form.

(f) (Blank). Internet voter registration study. The State Board of Elections shall investigate the feasibility of offering voter registration on its website and consider voter registration methods of other states in an effort to maximize the opportunity for all Illinois citizens to register to vote. The State Board of Elections shall assemble its findings in a report and submit it to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2006. The report shall contain legislative recommendations to the General Assembly on improving voter registration in Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 94-492, eff. 1-1-06; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05; 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

(10 ILCS 5/1A-16.5 new)

Sec. 1A-16.5. Online voter registration.

(a) The State Board of Elections shall establish and maintain a system for online voter registration that permits a person to apply to register to vote or to update his or her existing voter registration. In accordance with technical specifications provided by the State Board of Elections, each election authority shall maintain a voter registration system capable of receiving and processing voter registration application information, including electronic signatures, from the online voter registration system established by the State Board of Elections.

(b) The online voter registration system shall employ security measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of voter registration applications submitted electronically pursuant to this Section.

(c) The Board may receive voter registration information provided by applicants using the State Board of Elections' website, may cross reference that information with data or information contained in the Secretary of State's database in order to match the information submitted by applicants, and may receive from the Secretary of State the applicant's digitized signature upon a successful match of that applicant's information with that contained in the Secretary of State's database.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who is qualified to register to vote and who has an authentic Illinois driver's license or State identification card issued by the Secretary of State may submit an application to register to vote electronically on a website maintained by the State Board of Elections.

(e) An online voter registration application shall contain all of the information that is required for a paper application as provided in Section 1A-16 of this Code, except that the applicant shall be required to provide:

(1) the applicant's full Illinois driver's license or State identification card number;

(2) the last 4 digits of the applicant's social security number; and

(3) the date the Illinois driver's license or State identification card was issued.

(f) For an applicant's registration or change in registration to be accepted, the applicant shall mark the box associated with the following statement included as part of the online voter registration application:

By clicking on the box below, I swear or affirm all of the following:

(1) I am the person whose name and identifying information is provided on this form, and I desire to register to vote in the State of Illinois.

(2) All the information I have provided on this form is true and correct as of the date I am submitting this form.

(3) I authorize the Secretary of State to transmit to the State Board of Elections my signature that is on file with the Secretary of State and understand that such signature will be used by my local election authority on this online voter registration application for admission as an elector as if I had signed this form personally.".

(g) Immediately upon receiving a completed online voter registration application, the online voter registration system shall send, by electronic mail, a confirmation notice that the application has been received. Within 48 hours of receiving such an application, the online voter registration system shall send by electronic mail, a notice informing the applicant of whether the following information has been matched with the Secretary of State database:

(1) that the applicant has an authentic Illinois driver's license or State identification card issued by the Secretary of State and that the driver's license or State identification number provided by the applicant matches the driver's license or State identification card number for that person on file with the Secretary of State;

(2) that the date of issuance of the Illinois driver's license or State identification card listed on the application matches the date of issuance of that card for that person on file with the Secretary of State;

(3) that the date of birth provided by the applicant matches the date of birth for that person on file with the Secretary of State; and

(4) that the last 4 digits of the applicant's social security number matches the last four digits for that person on file with the Secretary of State.

(h) If the information provided by the applicant matches the information on the Secretary of State's databases for any driver's license and State identification card holder and is matched as provided in subsection (g) above, the online voter registration system shall:

(1) retrieve from the Secretary of State's database files an electronic copy of the applicant's signature from his or her Illinois driver's license or State identification card and such signature shall be deemed to be the applicant's signature on his or her online voter registration application;

(2) within 2 days of receiving the application, forward to the county clerk or board of election commissioners having jurisdiction over the applicant's voter registration: (i) the application, along with the applicant's relevant data that can be directly loaded into the jurisdiction's voter registration system and (ii) a copy of the applicant's electronic signature and a certification from the State Board of Elections that the applicant's driver's license or State identification card number, driver's license or State identification card date of issuance, and date of birth and social security information have been successfully matched.

(i) Upon receipt of the online voter registration application, the county clerk or board of election commissioners having jurisdiction over the applicant's voter registration shall promptly search its voter registration database to determine whether the applicant is already registered to vote at the address on the application and whether the new registration would create a duplicate registration. If the applicant is already registered to vote at the address on the application, the clerk or board, as the case may be, shall send the applicant by first class mail, and electronic mail if the applicant has provided an electronic mail address on the original voter registration form for that address, a disposition notice as otherwise required by law informing the applicant that he or she is already registered to vote at such address. If the applicant is not already registered to vote at the address on the application and the applicant is otherwise eligible to register to vote, the clerk or board, as the case may be, shall:

(1) enter the name and address of the applicant on the list of registered voters in the jurisdiction; and

(2) send by mail, and electronic mail if the applicant has provided an electronic mail address on the voter registration form, a disposition notice to the applicant as otherwise provided by law setting forth the applicant's name and address as it appears on the application and stating that the person is registered to vote.

(j) An electronic signature of the person submitting a duplicate registration application or a change of address form that is retrieved and imported from the Secretary of State's driver's license or State identification card database as provided herein may, in the discretion of the clerk or board, be substituted for and replace any existing signature for that individual in the voter registration database of the county clerk or board of election commissioners.

(k) Any new registration or change of address submitted electronically as provided in this Section shall become effective as of the date it is received by the county clerk or board of election commissioners having jurisdiction over said registration. Disposition notices prescribed in this Section shall be sent within 5 business days of receipt of the online application or change of address by the county clerk or board of election commissioners.

(l) All provisions of this Code governing voter registration and applicable thereto and not inconsistent with this Section shall apply to online voter registration under this Section. All applications submitted on a website maintained by the State Board of Elections shall be deemed timely filed if they are submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on the final day for voter registration prior to an election. After the registration period for an upcoming election has ended and until the 2nd day following such election, the web page containing the online voter registration form on the State Board of Elections website shall inform users of the procedure for grace period voting.

(m) The State Board of Elections shall maintain a list of the name, street address, e-mail address, and likely precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, of people who apply to vote online through the voter registration system and those names and that information shall be stored in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees.

(n) The Illinois State Board of Elections shall submit a report to the General Assembly and the Governor by January 31, 2014 detailing the progress made to implement the online voter registration system described in this Section.

(o) The online voter registration system provided for in this Section shall be fully operational by July 1, 2014.

(10 ILCS 5/1A-25)

Sec. 1A-25. Centralized statewide voter registration list. The centralized statewide voter registration list required by Title III, Subtitle A, Section 303 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 shall be created and maintained by the State Board of Elections as provided in this Section.

(1) The centralized statewide voter registration list shall be compiled from the voter registration data bases of each election authority in this State.

(2) With the exception of voter registration forms submitted electronically through an online voter registration system, all All new voter registration forms and applications to register to vote, including those reviewed by the Secretary of State at a driver services facility, shall be transmitted only to the appropriate election authority as required by Articles 4, 5, and 6 of this Code and not to the State Board of Elections. All voter registration forms submitted electronically to the State Board of Elections through an online voter registration system shall be transmitted to the appropriate election authority as required by Section 1A-16.5. The election authority shall process and verify each voter registration form and electronically enter verified registrations on an expedited basis onto the statewide voter registration list. All original registration cards shall remain permanently in the office of the election authority as required by this Code.

(3) The centralized statewide voter registration list shall:

(i) Be designed to allow election authorities to utilize the registration data on the statewide voter registration list pertinent to voters registered in their election jurisdiction on locally maintained software programs that are unique to each jurisdiction.

(ii) Allow each election authority to perform essential election management functions, including but not limited to production of voter lists, processing of absentee voters, production of individual, pre-printed applications to vote, administration of election judges, and polling place administration, but shall not prevent any election authority from using information from that election authority's own systems.

(4) The registration information maintained by each election authority shall be synchronized with that authority's information on the statewide list at least once every 24 hours.

To protect the privacy and confidentiality of voter registration information, the disclosure of any portion of the centralized statewide voter registration list to any person or entity other than to a State or local political committee and other than to a governmental entity for a governmental purpose is specifically prohibited except as follows: subject to security measures adopted by the State Board of Elections which, at a minimum, shall include the keeping of a catalog or database, available for public view, including the name, address, and telephone number of the person viewing the list as well as the time of that viewing, any person may view the list on a computer screen at the Springfield office of the State Board of Elections, during normal business hours other than during the 27 days before an election, but the person viewing the list under this exception may not print, duplicate, transmit, or alter the list.

(Source: P.A. 94-136, eff. 7-7-05; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05; 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

(10 ILCS 5/4-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 4-8)

Sec. 4-8. The county clerk shall provide a sufficient number of blank forms for the registration of electors, which shall be known as registration record cards and which shall consist of loose leaf sheets or cards, of suitable size to contain in plain writing and figures the data hereinafter required thereon or shall consist of computer cards of suitable nature to contain the data required thereon. The registration record cards, which shall include an affidavit of registration as hereinafter provided, shall be executed in duplicate.

The registration record card shall contain the following and such other information as the county clerk may think it proper to require for the identification of the applicant for registration:

Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial for such middle name, if any.

Sex.

Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue, or other location of the dwelling, including the apartment, unit or room number, if any, and in the case of a mobile home the lot number, and such additional clear and definite description as may be necessary to determine the exact location of the dwelling of the applicant. Where the location cannot be determined by street and number, then the section, congressional township and range number may be used, or such other description as may be necessary, including post-office mailing address. In the case of a homeless individual, the individual's voting residence that is his or her mailing address shall be included on his or her registration record card.

Term of residence in the State of Illinois and precinct. This information shall be furnished by the applicant stating the place or places where he resided and the dates during which he resided in such place or places during the year next preceding the date of the next ensuing election.

Nativity. The state or country in which the applicant was born.

Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place, and date of naturalization.

Date of application for registration, i.e., the day, month and year when applicant presented himself for registration.

Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.

Physical disability of the applicant, if any, at the time of registration, which would require assistance in voting.

The county and state in which the applicant was last registered.

Electronic mail address, if any.

Signature of voter. The applicant, after the registration and in the presence of a deputy registrar or other officer of registration shall be required to sign his or her name in ink to the affidavit on both the original and duplicate registration record cards.

Signature of deputy registrar or officer of registration.

In case applicant is unable to sign his name, he may affix his mark to the affidavit. In such case the officer empowered to give the registration oath shall write a detailed description of the applicant in the space provided on the back or at the bottom of the card or sheet; and shall ask the following questions and record the answers thereto:

Father's first name.

Mother's first name.

From what address did the applicant last register?

Reason for inability to sign name.

Each applicant for registration shall make an affidavit in substantially the following form:

AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION

STATE OF ILLINOIS COUNTY OF .......

I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States; that on the date of the next election I shall have resided in the State of Illinois and in the election precinct in which I reside 30 days and that I intend that this location shall be my residence; that I am fully qualified to vote, and that the above statements are true.

..............................

(His or her signature or mark)

Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).

..................................

Signature of registration officer. (To be signed in presence of registrant.)

Space shall be provided upon the face of each registration record card for the notation of the voting record of the person registered thereon.

Each registration record card shall be numbered according to precincts, and may be serially or otherwise marked for identification in such manner as the county clerk may determine.

The registration cards shall be deemed public records and shall be open to inspection during regular business hours, except during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. On written request of any candidate or objector or any person intending to object to a petition, the election authority shall extend its hours for inspection of registration cards and other records of the election authority during the period beginning with the filing of petitions under Sections 7-10, 8-8, 10-6 or 28-3 and continuing through the termination of electoral board hearings on any objections to petitions containing signatures of registered voters in the jurisdiction of the election authority. The extension shall be for a period of hours sufficient to allow adequate opportunity for examination of the records but the election authority is not required to extend its hours beyond the period beginning at its normal opening for business and ending at midnight. If the business hours are so extended, the election authority shall post a public notice of such extended hours. Registration record cards may also be inspected, upon approval of the officer in charge of the cards, during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. Registration record cards shall also be open to inspection by certified judges and poll watchers and challengers at the polling place on election day, but only to the extent necessary to determine the question of the right of a person to vote or to serve as a judge of election. At no time shall poll watchers or challengers be allowed to physically handle the registration record cards.

Updated copies of computer tapes or computer discs or other electronic data processing information containing voter registration information shall be furnished by the county clerk within 10 days after December 15 and May 15 each year and within 10 days after each registration period is closed to the State Board of Elections in a form prescribed by the Board. For the purposes of this Section, a registration period is closed 27 days before the date of any regular or special election. Registration information shall include, but not be limited to, the following information: name, sex, residence, telephone number, if any, age, party affiliation, if applicable, precinct, ward, township, county, and representative, legislative and congressional districts. In the event of noncompliance, the State Board of Elections is directed to obtain compliance forthwith with this nondiscretionary duty of the election authority by instituting legal proceedings in the circuit court of the county in which the election authority maintains the registration information. The costs of furnishing updated copies of tapes or discs shall be paid at a rate of $.00034 per name of registered voters in the election jurisdiction, but not less than $50 per tape or disc and shall be paid from appropriations made to the State Board of Elections for reimbursement to the election authority for such purpose. The State Board shall furnish copies of such tapes, discs, other electronic data or compilations thereof to state political committees registered pursuant to the Illinois Campaign Finance Act or the Federal Election Campaign Act and to governmental entities, at their request and at a reasonable cost. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of voter registration information, the disclosure of electronic voter registration records to any person or entity other than to a State or local political committee and other than to a governmental entity for a governmental purpose is specifically prohibited except as follows: subject to security measures adopted by the State Board of Elections which, at a minimum, shall include the keeping of a catalog or database, available for public view, including the name, address, and telephone number of the person viewing the list as well as the time of that viewing, any person may view the centralized statewide voter registration list on a computer screen at the Springfield office of the State Board of Elections, during normal business hours other than during the 27 days before an election, but the person viewing the list under this exception may not print, duplicate, transmit, or alter the list. Copies of the tapes, discs, or other electronic data shall be furnished by the county clerk to local political committees and governmental entities at their request and at a reasonable cost. Reasonable cost of the tapes, discs, et cetera for this purpose would be the cost of duplication plus 15% for administration. The individual representing a political committee requesting copies of such tapes shall make a sworn affidavit that the information shall be used only for bona fide political purposes, including by or for candidates for office or incumbent office holders. Such tapes, discs or other electronic data shall not be used under any circumstances by any political committee or individuals for purposes of commercial solicitation or other business purposes. If such tapes contain information on county residents related to the operations of county government in addition to registration information, that information shall not be used under any circumstances for commercial solicitation or other business purposes. The prohibition in this Section against using the computer tapes or computer discs or other electronic data processing information containing voter registration information for purposes of commercial solicitation or other business purposes shall be prospective only from the effective date of this amended Act of 1979. Any person who violates this provision shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.

The State Board of Elections shall promulgate, by October 1, 1987, such regulations as may be necessary to ensure uniformity throughout the State in electronic data processing of voter registration information. The regulations shall include, but need not be limited to, specifications for uniform medium, communications protocol and file structure to be employed by the election authorities of this State in the electronic data processing of voter registration information. Each election authority utilizing electronic data processing of voter registration information shall comply with such regulations on and after May 15, 1988.

If the applicant for registration was last registered in another county within this State, he shall also sign a certificate authorizing cancellation of the former registration. The certificate shall be in substantially the following form:

To the County Clerk of.... County, Illinois. (or)

To the Election Commission of the City of ...., Illinois.

This is to certify that I am registered in your (county) (city) and that my residence was ............................

Having moved out of your (county) (city), I hereby authorize you to cancel said registration in your office.

Dated at ...., Illinois, on (insert date).

.................................

(Signature of Voter)

Attest: ................, County Clerk, ............. County, Illinois.

The cancellation certificate shall be mailed immediately by the County Clerk to the County Clerk (or election commission as the case may be) where the applicant was formerly registered. Receipt of such certificate shall be full authority for cancellation of any previous registration.

(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 93-847, eff. 7-30-04; 94-136, eff. 7-7-05.)

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

Sec. 4-10. Except as herein provided, no person shall be registered, unless he applies in person to a registration officer, answers such relevant questions as may be asked of him by the registration officer, and executes the affidavit of registration. The registration officer shall require the applicant to furnish two forms of identification, and except in the case of a homeless individual, one of which must include his or her residence address. These forms of identification shall include, but not be limited to, any of the following: driver's license, social security card, public aid identification card, utility bill, employee or student identification card, lease or contract for a residence, credit card, or a civic, union or professional association membership card. The registration officer shall require a homeless individual to furnish evidence of his or her use of the mailing address stated. This use may be demonstrated by a piece of mail addressed to that individual and received at that address or by a statement from a person authorizing use of the mailing address. The registration officer shall require each applicant for registration to read or have read to him the affidavit of registration before permitting him to execute the affidavit.

One of the registration officers or a deputy registration officer, county clerk, or clerk in the office of the county clerk, shall administer to all persons who shall personally apply to register the following oath or affirmation:

"You do solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will fully and truly answer all such questions as shall be put to you touching your name, place of residence, place of birth, your qualifications as an elector and your right as such to register and vote under the laws of the State of Illinois."

The registration officer shall satisfy himself that each applicant for registration is qualified to register before registering him. If the registration officer has reason to believe that the applicant is a resident of a Soldiers' and Sailors' Home or any facility which is licensed or certified pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act, or the ID/DD Community Care Act, the following question shall be put, "When you entered the home which is your present address, was it your bona fide intention to become a resident thereof?" Any voter of a township, city, village or incorporated town in which such applicant resides, shall be permitted to be present at the place of any precinct registration and shall have the right to challenge any applicant who applies to be registered.

In case the officer is not satisfied that the applicant is qualified he shall forthwith notify such applicant in writing to appear before the county clerk to complete his registration. Upon the card of such applicant shall be written the word "incomplete" and no such applicant shall be permitted to vote unless such registration is satisfactorily completed as hereinafter provided. No registration shall be taken and marked as incomplete if information to complete it can be furnished on the date of the original application.

Any person claiming to be an elector in any election precinct and whose registration card is marked "Incomplete" may make and sign an application in writing, under oath, to the county clerk in substance in the following form:

"I do solemnly swear that I, ...., did on (insert date) make application to the board of registry of the .... precinct of the township of .... (or to the county clerk of .... county) and that said board or clerk refused to complete my registration as a qualified voter in said precinct. That I reside in said precinct, that I intend to reside in said precinct, and am a duly qualified voter of said precinct and am entitled to be registered to vote in said precinct at the next election.

(Signature of applicant) ............................."

All such applications shall be presented to the county clerk or to his duly authorized representative by the applicant, in person between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on any day after the days on which the 1969 and 1970 precinct re-registrations are held but not on any day within 27 days preceding the ensuing general election and thereafter for the registration provided in Section 4-7 all such applications shall be presented to the county clerk or his duly authorized representative by the applicant in person between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on any day prior to 27 days preceding the ensuing general election. Such application shall be heard by the county clerk or his duly authorized representative at the time the application is presented. If the applicant for registration has registered with the county clerk, such application may be presented to and heard by the county clerk or by his duly authorized representative upon the dates specified above or at any time prior thereto designated by the county clerk.

Any otherwise qualified person who is absent from his county of residence either due to business of the United States or because he is temporarily outside the territorial limits of the United States may become registered by mailing an application to the county clerk within the periods of registration provided for in this Article, or by simultaneous application for absentee registration and absentee ballot as provided in Article 20 of this Code.

Upon receipt of such application the county clerk shall immediately mail an affidavit of registration in duplicate, which affidavit shall contain the following and such other information as the State Board of Elections may think it proper to require for the identification of the applicant:

Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial for such middle name, if any.

Sex.

Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue or other location of the dwelling, and such additional clear and definite description as may be necessary to determine the exact location of the dwelling of the applicant. Where the location cannot be determined by street and number, then the Section, congressional township and range number may be used, or such other information as may be necessary, including post office mailing address.

Electronic mail address, if the registrant has provided this information.

Term of residence in the State of Illinois and the precinct.

Nativity. The State or country in which the applicant was born.

Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place and date of naturalization.

Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.

Out of State address of ..........................

AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION

State of ...........)

)ss County of ..........)

I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States; that on the day of the next election I shall have resided in the State of Illinois and in the election precinct 30 days; that I am fully qualified to vote, that I am not registered to vote anywhere else in the United States, that I intend to remain a resident of the State of Illinois and of the election precinct, that I intend to return to the State of Illinois, and that the above statements are true.

..............................

(His or her signature or mark)

Subscribed and sworn to before me, an officer qualified to administer oaths, on (insert date).

........................................

Signature of officer administering oath.

Upon receipt of the executed duplicate affidavit of Registration, the county clerk shall transfer the information contained thereon to duplicate Registration Cards provided for in Section 4-8 of this Article and shall attach thereto a copy of each of the duplicate affidavit of registration and thereafter such registration card and affidavit shall constitute the registration of such person the same as if he had applied for registration in person.

(Source: P.A. 96-317, eff. 1-1-10; 96-339, eff. 7-1-10; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10; 97-38, eff. 6-28-11; 97-227, eff. 1-1-12; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/4-12) (from Ch. 46, par. 4-12)

Sec. 4-12. Any voter or voters in the township, city, village or incorporated town containing such precinct, and any precinct committeeman in the county, may, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. of Monday and Tuesday of the second week prior to the week in which the 1970 primary election for the nomination of candidates for State and county offices or any election thereafter is to be held, make application in writing, to the county clerk, to have any name upon the register of any precinct erased. Such application shall be, in substance, in the words and figures following:

"I being a qualified voter, registered from No. .... Street in the .... precinct of the .... ward of the city (village or town of) .... (or of the .... town of ....) do hereby solemnly swear (or affirm) that .... registered from No. .... Street is not a qualified voter in the .... precinct of .... ward of the city (village or town) of .... (or of the .... town of ....) and hence I ask that his name be erased from the register of such precinct for the following reason .....

Affiant further says that he has personal knowledge of the facts set forth in the above affidavit.

(Signed) .....

Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).

....

....

....."

Such application shall be signed and sworn to by the applicant before the county clerk or any deputy authorized by the county clerk for that purpose, and filed with said clerk. Thereupon notice of such application, and of the time and place of hearing thereon, with a demand to appear before the county clerk and show cause why his name shall not be erased from said register, shall be mailed, in an envelope duly stamped and directed to such person at the address upon said register, at least four days before the day fixed in said notice to show cause. If such person has provided the election authority with an e-mail address, then the election authority shall also send the same notice by electronic mail at least 4 days before the day fixed in said notice to show cause.

A like notice shall be mailed to the person or persons making the application to have the name upon such register erased to appear and show cause why said name should be erased, the notice to set out the day and hour of such hearing. If the voter making such application fails to appear before said clerk at the time set for the hearing as fixed in the said notice or fails to show cause why the name upon such register shall be erased, the application to erase may be dismissed by the county clerk.

Any voter making the application is privileged from arrest while presenting it to the county clerk, and while going to and from the office of the county clerk.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

(10 ILCS 5/4-15) (from Ch. 46, par. 4-15)

Sec. 4-15. Within 5 days after a person registers or transfers his registration with at the office of the election authority county clerk, such election authority clerk shall send by mail, and by electronic mail if the registrant has provided the election authority with an e-mail address, a certificate to such person setting forth the elector's name and address as it appears upon the registration record card, and shall request him in case of any error to present the certificate on or before the 7th day next ensuing at the office of the election authority county clerk in order to secure correction of the error. The certificate shall contain on the outside a request for the postmaster to return it within 5 days if it cannot be delivered to the addressee at the address given thereon. Upon the return by the post office of a certificate which it has been unable to deliver at the given address because the addressee cannot be found there or because no such address exists, a notice shall be at once sent through the United States mail to such person at the address appearing upon his registration record card requiring him to appear before the election authority county clerk, within 5 days, to answer questions touching his right to register. If the person notified fails to appear at the election authority's county clerk's office within 5 days as directed or if he appears and fails to prove his right to register, the election authority county clerk shall mark his registration card as incomplete and he shall not be permitted to vote until his registration is satisfactorily completed.

If an elector possesses such a certificate valid on its face, if his name does not expressly appear to have been erased or withdrawn from the precinct list as corrected and revised as provided by Section 4-11 of this Article, if he makes an affidavit and attaches such certificate thereto, and if such affidavit substantially in the form prescribed in Section 17-10 of this Act is sworn to before a judge of election on suitable forms provided by the election authority county clerk for that purpose, such elector shall be permitted to vote even though his duplicate registration card is not to be found in the precinct binder and even though his name is not to be found upon the printed or any other list.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 3394.)

(10 ILCS 5/4-33)

Sec. 4-33. Computerization of voter records.

(a) The State Board of Elections shall design a registration record card that, except as otherwise provided in this Section, shall be used in duplicate by all election authorities in the State adopting a computer-based voter registration file as provided in this Section. The Board shall prescribe the form and specifications, including but not limited to the weight of paper, color, and print of the cards. The cards shall contain boxes or spaces for the information required under Sections 4-8 and 4-21; provided that the cards shall also contain: (i) A space for a person to fill in his or her Illinois driver's license number if the person has a driver's license; (ii) A space for a person without a driver's license to fill in the last four digits of his or her social security number if the person has a social security number.

(b) The election authority may develop and implement a system to prepare, use, and maintain a computer-based voter registration file that includes a computer-stored image of the signature of each voter. The computer-based voter registration file may be used for all purposes for which the original registration cards are to be used, provided that a system for the storage of at least one copy of the original registration cards remains in effect. In the case of voter registration forms received via an online voter registration system, the original registration cards will include the signature received from the Secretary of State database. The electronic file shall be the master file.

(c) Any system created, used, and maintained under subsection (b) of this Section shall meet the following standards:

(1) Access to any computer-based voter registration file shall be limited to those persons authorized by the election authority, and each access to the computer-based voter registration file, other than an access solely for inquiry, shall be recorded.

(2) No copy, summary, list, abstract, or index of any computer-based voter registration file that includes any computer-stored image of the signature of any registered voter shall be made available to the public outside of the offices of the election authority.

(3) Any copy, summary, list, abstract, or index of any computer-based voter registration file that includes a computer-stored image of the signature of a registered voter shall be produced in such a manner that it cannot be reproduced.

(4) Each person desiring to vote shall sign an application for a ballot, and the signature comparison authorized in Articles 17 and 18 of this Code may be made to a copy of the computer-stored image of the signature of the registered voter.

(5) Any voter list produced from a computer-based voter registration file that includes computer-stored images of the signatures of registered voters and is used in a polling place during an election shall be preserved by the election authority in secure storage until the end of the second calendar year following the election in which it was used.

(d) Before the first election in which the election authority elects to use a voter list produced from the computer-stored images of the signatures of registered voters in a computer-based voter registration file for signature comparison in a polling place, the State Board of Elections shall certify that the system used by the election authority complies with the standards set forth in this Section. The State Board of Elections may request a sample poll list intended to be used in a polling place to test the accuracy of the list and the adequacy of the computer-stored images of the signatures of the registered voters.

(e) With respect to a jurisdiction that has copied all of its voter signatures into a computer-based registration file, all references in this Act or any other Act to the use, other than storage, of paper-based voter registration records shall be deemed to refer to their computer-based equivalents.

(f) Nothing in this Section prevents an election authority from submitting to the State Board of Elections a duplicate copy of some, as the State Board of Elections shall determine, or all of the data contained in each voter registration record that is part of the electronic master file. The duplicate copy of the registration record shall be maintained by the State Board of Elections under the same terms and limitations applicable to the election authority and shall be of equal legal dignity with the original registration record maintained by the election authority as proof of any fact contained in the voter registration record.

(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/4-50)

Sec. 4-50. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and for change of address during the period from the close of registration for a primary or election and until the 3rd day before the primary or election. During this grace period, an unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person in the office of the election authority or at a voter registration location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority. The election authority shall register that individual, or change a registered voter's address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this Article for registration and change of address.

If a voter who registers or changes address during this grace period wishes to vote at the first election or primary occurring after the grace period, he or she must do so by grace period voting, either in person in the office of the election authority or at a location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority, or by mail, at the discretion of the election authority. The election authority shall offer in-person grace period voting at the authority's office and may offer in-person grace period voting at additional locations specifically designated for the purpose of grace period voting by the election authority. The election authority may allow grace period voting by mail only if the election authority has no ballots prepared at the authority's office. Grace period voting shall be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article 19.

Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot, or within one day after the ballot is received by the election authority if the election authority allows grace period voting by mail, the election authority shall transmit by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections the voter's name, street address, e-mail address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees. The name of each person issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the appropriate precinct list of persons to whom absentee and early ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9 and 18-5.

A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons who register or change address during the grace period must be transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and counted at precinct polling places. The grace period ballots determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which the ballots were opened.

(Source: P.A. 96-441, eff. 1-1-10; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/5-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-7)

Sec. 5-7. The county clerk shall provide a sufficient number of blank forms for the registration of electors which shall be known as registration record cards and which shall consist of loose leaf sheets or cards, of suitable size to contain in plain writing and figures the data hereinafter required thereon or shall consist of computer cards of suitable nature to contain the data required thereon. The registration record cards, which shall include an affidavit of registration as hereinafter provided, shall be executed in duplicate.

The registration record card shall contain the following and such other information as the county clerk may think it proper to require for the identification of the applicant for registration:

Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial for such middle name, if any.

Sex.

Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue, or other location of the dwelling, including the apartment, unit or room number, if any, and in the case of a mobile home the lot number, and such additional clear and definite description as may be necessary to determine the exact location of the dwelling of the applicant, including post-office mailing address. In the case of a homeless individual, the individual's voting residence that is his or her mailing address shall be included on his or her registration record card.

Term of residence in the State of Illinois and the precinct. Which questions may be answered by the applicant stating, in excess of 30 days in the State and in excess of 30 days in the precinct.

Nativity. The State or country in which the applicant was born.

Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place and date of naturalization.

Date of application for registration, i.e., the day, month and year when applicant presented himself for registration.

Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.

Physical disability of the applicant, if any, at the time of registration, which would require assistance in voting.

The county and state in which the applicant was last registered.

Electronic mail address, if any.

Signature of voter. The applicant, after the registration and in the presence of a deputy registrar or other officer of registration shall be required to sign his or her name in ink to the affidavit on the original and duplicate registration record card.

Signature of Deputy Registrar.

In case applicant is unable to sign his name, he may affix his mark to the affidavit. In such case the officer empowered to give the registration oath shall write a detailed description of the applicant in the space provided at the bottom of the card or sheet; and shall ask the following questions and record the answers thereto:

Father's first name .......................

Mother's first name .......................

From what address did you last register?

Reason for inability to sign name.

Each applicant for registration shall make an affidavit in substantially the following form:

AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION

State of Illinois)

)ss County of )

I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States; that on the date of the next election I shall have resided in the State of Illinois and in the election precinct in which I reside 30 days; that I am fully qualified to vote. That I intend that this location shall be my residence and that the above statements are true.

..............................

(His or her signature or mark)

Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).

.........................................

Signature of Registration Officer. (To be signed in presence of Registrant.)

Space shall be provided upon the face of each registration record card for the notation of the voting record of the person registered thereon.

Each registration record card shall be numbered according to towns and precincts, wards, cities and villages, as the case may be, and may be serially or otherwise marked for identification in such manner as the county clerk may determine.

The registration cards shall be deemed public records and shall be open to inspection during regular business hours, except during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. On written request of any candidate or objector or any person intending to object to a petition, the election authority shall extend its hours for inspection of registration cards and other records of the election authority during the period beginning with the filing of petitions under Sections 7-10, 8-8, 10-6 or 28-3 and continuing through the termination of electoral board hearings on any objections to petitions containing signatures of registered voters in the jurisdiction of the election authority. The extension shall be for a period of hours sufficient to allow adequate opportunity for examination of the records but the election authority is not required to extend its hours beyond the period beginning at its normal opening for business and ending at midnight. If the business hours are so extended, the election authority shall post a public notice of such extended hours. Registration record cards may also be inspected, upon approval of the officer in charge of the cards, during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. Registration record cards shall also be open to inspection by certified judges and poll watchers and challengers at the polling place on election day, but only to the extent necessary to determine the question of the right of a person to vote or to serve as a judge of election. At no time shall poll watchers or challengers be allowed to physically handle the registration record cards.

Updated copies of computer tapes or computer discs or other electronic data processing information containing voter registration information shall be furnished by the county clerk within 10 days after December 15 and May 15 each year and within 10 days after each registration period is closed to the State Board of Elections in a form prescribed by the Board. For the purposes of this Section, a registration period is closed 27 days before the date of any regular or special election. Registration information shall include, but not be limited to, the following information: name, sex, residence, telephone number, if any, age, party affiliation, if applicable, precinct, ward, township, county, and representative, legislative and congressional districts. In the event of noncompliance, the State Board of Elections is directed to obtain compliance forthwith with this nondiscretionary duty of the election authority by instituting legal proceedings in the circuit court of the county in which the election authority maintains the registration information. The costs of furnishing updated copies of tapes or discs shall be paid at a rate of $.00034 per name of registered voters in the election jurisdiction, but not less than $50 per tape or disc and shall be paid from appropriations made to the State Board of Elections for reimbursement to the election authority for such purpose. The State Board shall furnish copies of such tapes, discs, other electronic data or compilations thereof to state political committees registered pursuant to the Illinois Campaign Finance Act or the Federal Election Campaign Act and to governmental entities, at their request and at a reasonable cost. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of voter registration information, the disclosure of electronic voter registration records to any person or entity other than to a State or local political committee and other than to a governmental entity for a governmental purpose is specifically prohibited except as follows: subject to security measures adopted by the State Board of Elections which, at a minimum, shall include the keeping of a catalog or database, available for public view, including the name, address, and telephone number of the person viewing the list as well as the time of that viewing, any person may view the centralized statewide voter registration list on a computer screen at the Springfield office of the State Board of Elections, during normal business hours other than during the 27 days before an election, but the person viewing the list under this exception may not print, duplicate, transmit, or alter the list. Copies of the tapes, discs or other electronic data shall be furnished by the county clerk to local political committees and governmental entities at their request and at a reasonable cost. Reasonable cost of the tapes, discs, et cetera for this purpose would be the cost of duplication plus 15% for administration. The individual representing a political committee requesting copies of such tapes shall make a sworn affidavit that the information shall be used only for bona fide political purposes, including by or for candidates for office or incumbent office holders. Such tapes, discs or other electronic data shall not be used under any circumstances by any political committee or individuals for purposes of commercial solicitation or other business purposes. If such tapes contain information on county residents related to the operations of county government in addition to registration information, that information shall not be used under any circumstances for commercial solicitation or other business purposes. The prohibition in this Section against using the computer tapes or computer discs or other electronic data processing information containing voter registration information for purposes of commercial solicitation or other business purposes shall be prospective only from the effective date of this amended Act of 1979. Any person who violates this provision shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.

The State Board of Elections shall promulgate, by October 1, 1987, such regulations as may be necessary to ensure uniformity throughout the State in electronic data processing of voter registration information. The regulations shall include, but need not be limited to, specifications for uniform medium, communications protocol and file structure to be employed by the election authorities of this State in the electronic data processing of voter registration information. Each election authority utilizing electronic data processing of voter registration information shall comply with such regulations on and after May 15, 1988.

If the applicant for registration was last registered in another county within this State, he shall also sign a certificate authorizing cancellation of the former registration. The certificate shall be in substantially the following form:

To the County Clerk of .... County, Illinois. To the Election Commission of the City of ...., Illinois.

This is to certify that I am registered in your (county) (city) and that my residence was .....

Having moved out of your (county) (city), I hereby authorize you to cancel said registration in your office.

Dated at .... Illinois, on (insert date).

....................

(Signature of Voter)

Attest ......, County Clerk, ........ County, Illinois.

The cancellation certificate shall be mailed immediately by the county clerk to the county clerk (or election commission as the case may be) where the applicant was formerly registered. Receipt of such certificate shall be full authority for cancellation of any previous registration.

(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 93-847, eff. 7-30-04; 94-136, eff. 7-7-05.)

(10 ILCS 5/5-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-9)

Sec. 5-9. Except as herein provided, no person shall be registered unless he applies in person to registration officer, answers such relevant questions as may be asked of him by the registration officer, and executes the affidavit of registration. The registration officer shall require the applicant to furnish two forms of identification, and except in the case of a homeless individual, one of which must include his or her residence address. These forms of identification shall include, but not be limited to, any of the following: driver's license, social security card, public aid identification card, utility bill, employee or student identification card, lease or contract for a residence, credit card, or a civic, union or professional association membership card. The registration officer shall require a homeless individual to furnish evidence of his or her use of the mailing address stated. This use may be demonstrated by a piece of mail addressed to that individual and received at that address or by a statement from a person authorizing use of the mailing address. The registration officer shall require each applicant for registration to read or have read to him the affidavit of registration before permitting him to execute the affidavit.

One of the Deputy Registrars, the Judge of Registration, or an Officer of Registration, County Clerk, or clerk in the office of the County Clerk, shall administer to all persons who shall personally apply to register the following oath or affirmation:

"You do solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will fully and truly answer all such questions as shall be put to you touching your place of residence, name, place of birth, your qualifications as an elector and your right as such to register and vote under the laws of the State of Illinois."

The Registration Officer shall satisfy himself that each applicant for registration is qualified to register before registering him. If the registration officer has reason to believe that the applicant is a resident of a Soldiers' and Sailors' Home or any facility which is licensed or certified pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act, or the ID/DD Community Care Act, the following question shall be put, "When you entered the home which is your present address, was it your bona fide intention to become a resident thereof?" Any voter of a township, city, village or incorporated town in which such applicant resides, shall be permitted to be present at the place of precinct registration, and shall have the right to challenge any applicant who applies to be registered.

In case the officer is not satisfied that the applicant is qualified, he shall forthwith in writing notify such applicant to appear before the County Clerk to furnish further proof of his qualifications. Upon the card of such applicant shall be written the word "Incomplete" and no such applicant shall be permitted to vote unless such registration is satisfactorily completed as hereinafter provided. No registration shall be taken and marked as "incomplete" if information to complete it can be furnished on the date of the original application.

Any person claiming to be an elector in any election precinct in such township, city, village or incorporated town and whose registration is marked "Incomplete" may make and sign an application in writing, under oath, to the County Clerk in substance in the following form:

"I do solemnly swear that I, .........., did on (insert date) make application to the Board of Registry of the ........ precinct of ........ ward of the City of .... or of the ......... District ......... Town of .......... (or to the County Clerk of .............) and ............ County; that said Board or Clerk refused to complete my registration as a qualified voter in said precinct, that I reside in said precinct (or that I intend to reside in said precinct), am a duly qualified voter and entitled to vote in said precinct at the next election.

...........................

(Signature of Applicant)"

All such applications shall be presented to the County Clerk by the applicant, in person between the hours of nine o'clock a.m. and five o'clock p.m., on Monday and Tuesday of the third week subsequent to the weeks in which the 1961 and 1962 precinct re-registrations are to be held, and thereafter for the registration provided in Section 5-17 of this Article, all such applications shall be presented to the County Clerk by the applicant in person between the hours of nine o'clock a.m. and nine o'clock p.m. on Monday and Tuesday of the third week prior to the date on which such election is to be held.

Any otherwise qualified person who is absent from his county of residence either due to business of the United States or because he is temporarily outside the territorial limits of the United States may become registered by mailing an application to the county clerk within the periods of registration provided for in this Article or by simultaneous application for absentee registration and absentee ballot as provided in Article 20 of this Code.

Upon receipt of such application the county clerk shall immediately mail an affidavit of registration in duplicate, which affidavit shall contain the following and such other information as the State Board of Elections may think it proper to require for the identification of the applicant:

Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial for such middle name, if any.

Sex.

Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue or other location of the dwelling, and such additional clear and definite description as may be necessary to determine the exact location of the dwelling of the applicant. Where the location cannot be determined by street and number, then the Section, congressional township and range number may be used, or such other information as may be necessary, including post office mailing address.

Electronic mail address, if the registrant has provided this information.

Term of residence in the State of Illinois and the precinct.

Nativity. The State or country in which the applicant was born.

Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place and date of naturalization.

Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.

Out of State address of ..........................

AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION

State of .........)

)ss County of ........)

I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States; that on the day of the next election I shall have resided in the State of Illinois for 6 months and in the election precinct 30 days; that I am fully qualified to vote, that I am not registered to vote anywhere else in the United States, that I intend to remain a resident of the State of Illinois and of the election precinct, that I intend to return to the State of Illinois, and that the above statements are true.

..............................

(His or her signature or mark)

Subscribed and sworn to before me, an officer qualified to administer oaths, on (insert date).

........................................

Signature of officer administering oath.

Upon receipt of the executed duplicate affidavit of Registration, the county clerk shall transfer the information contained thereon to duplicate Registration Cards provided for in Section 5-7 of this Article and shall attach thereto a copy of each of the duplicate affidavit of registration and thereafter such registration card and affidavit shall constitute the registration of such person the same as if he had applied for registration in person.

(Source: P.A. 96-317, eff. 1-1-10; 96-339, eff. 7-1-10; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10; 97-38, eff. 6-28-11; 97-227, eff. 1-1-12; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/5-15) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-15)

Sec. 5-15. Any voter or voters in the township, city, village, or incorporated town containing such precinct, and any precinct committeeman in the county, may, between the hours of nine o'clock a.m. and six o'clock p.m. of the Monday and Tuesday of the third week immediately preceding the week in which such April 10, 1962 Primary Election is to be held, make application in writing, before such County Clerk, to have any name upon such register of any precinct erased. Thereafter such application shall be made between the hours of nine o'clock a.m. and six o'clock p.m. of Monday and Tuesday of the second week prior to the week in which any county, city, village, township, or incorporated town election is to be held. Such application shall be in substance, in the words and figures following:

"I, being a qualified voter, registered from No. .... Street in the .... precinct of the .... Ward of the city (village or town of .... ) of the .... District .... town of .... do hereby solemnly swear (or affirm) that .... registered from No. .... Street is not a qualified voter in the .... precinct of the .... ward of the city (village or town) of .... or of the .... district town of .... hence I ask that his name be erased from the register of such precinct for the following reason ..... Affiant further says that he has personal knowledge of the facts set forth in the above affidavit.

(Signed) .....

Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).

....

....

...."

Such application shall be signed and sworn to by the applicant before the County Clerk or any Deputy authorized by the County Clerk for that purpose, and filed with the Clerk. Thereupon notice of such application, with a demand to appear before the County Clerk and show cause why his name shall not be erased from the register, shall be mailed by special delivery, duly stamped and directed, to such person, to the address upon said register at least 4 days before the day fixed in said notice to show cause. If such person has provided the election authority with an e-mail address, then the election authority shall also send the same notice by electronic mail at least 4 days before the day fixed in said notice to show cause.

A like notice shall be mailed to the person or persons making the application to have the name upon such register erased to appear and show cause why the name should be erased, the notice to set out the day and hour of such hearing. If the voter making such application fails to appear before the Clerk at the time set for the hearing as fixed in the said notice or fails to show cause why the name upon such register shall be erased, the application may be dismissed by the County Clerk.

Any voter making such application or applications shall be privileged from arrest while presenting the same to the County Clerk, and whilst going to and returning from the office of the County Clerk.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

(10 ILCS 5/5-21) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-21)

Sec. 5-21. To each person who registers at the office of the county, city, village, incorporated town or town clerk, or any place designated by the Board of County Commissioners under section 5-17 of article 5 and within five days thereafter, the election authority County Clerk shall send by mail, and electronic mail if the registrant has provided the election authority with an e-mail address, a notice setting forth the elector's name and address as it appears on the registration record card, and shall request him in case of any error to present the notice on or before the seventh day next ensuing at the office of the election authority County Clerk in order to secure the correction of the error. Such notice shall contain on the outside a request for the postmaster to return it within five days if it cannot be delivered to the addressee at the address given thereon. Upon the return by the post office of such notice which it has been unable to deliver at the given address because the addressee cannot be found there, a notice shall be at once sent through the United States mail to such person at the address appearing upon his registration record card requiring him to appear before the election authority County Clerk, within five days, to answer questions touching his right to register. If the person notified fails to appear at the election authority's County Clerk's office within five days as directed or if he appears and fails to prove his right to register, the election authority County Clerk shall cancel his registration.

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

(10 ILCS 5/5-43)

Sec. 5-43. Computerization of voter records.

(a) The State Board of Elections shall design a registration record card that, except as otherwise provided in this Section, shall be used in duplicate by all election authorities in the State adopting a computer-based voter registration file as provided in this Section. The Board shall prescribe the form and specifications, including but not limited to the weight of paper, color, and print of the cards. The cards shall contain boxes or spaces for the information required under Sections 5-7 and 5-28.1; provided that the cards shall also contain: (i) A space for the person to fill in his or her Illinois driver's license number if the person has a driver's license; (ii) A space for a person without a driver's license to fill in the last four digits of his or her social security number if the person has a social security number.

(b) The election authority may develop and implement a system to prepare, use, and maintain a computer-based voter registration file that includes a computer-stored image of the signature of each voter. The computer-based voter registration file may be used for all purposes for which the original registration cards are to be used, provided that a system for the storage of at least one copy of the original registration cards remains in effect. In the case of voter registration forms received via an online voter registration system, the original registration cards will include the signature received from the Secretary of State database. The electronic file shall be the master file.

(c) Any system created, used, and maintained under subsection (b) of this Section shall meet the following standards:

(1) Access to any computer-based voter registration file shall be limited to those persons authorized by the election authority, and each access to the computer-based voter registration file, other than an access solely for inquiry, shall be recorded.

(2) No copy, summary, list, abstract, or index of any computer-based voter registration file that includes any computer-stored image of the signature of any registered voter shall be made available to the public outside of the offices of the election authority.

(3) Any copy, summary, list, abstract, or index of any computer-based voter registration file that includes a computer-stored image of the signature of a registered voter shall be produced in such a manner that it cannot be reproduced.

(4) Each person desiring to vote shall sign an application for a ballot, and the signature comparison authorized in Articles 17 and 18 of this Code may be made to a copy of the computer-stored image of the signature of the registered voter.

(5) Any voter list produced from a computer-based voter registration file that includes computer-stored images of the signatures of registered voters and is used in a polling place during an election shall be preserved by the election authority in secure storage until the end of the second calendar year following the election in which it was used.

(d) Before the first election in which the election authority elects to use a voter list produced from the computer-stored images of the signatures of registered voters in a computer-based voter registration file for signature comparison in a polling place, the State Board of Elections shall certify that the system used by the election authority complies with the standards set forth in this Section. The State Board of Elections may request a sample poll list intended to be used in a polling place to test the accuracy of the list and the adequacy of the computer-stored images of the signatures of the registered voters.

(e) With respect to a jurisdiction that has copied all of its voter signatures into a computer-based registration file, all references in this Act or any other Act to the use, other than storage, of paper-based voter registration records shall be deemed to refer to their computer-based equivalents.

(f) Nothing in this Section prevents an election authority from submitting to the State Board of Elections a duplicate copy of some, as the State Board of Elections shall determine, or all of the data contained in each voter registration record that is part of the electronic master file. The duplicate copy of the registration record shall be maintained by the State Board of Elections under the same terms and limitations applicable to the election authority and shall be of equal legal dignity with the original registration record maintained by the election authority as proof of any fact contained in the voter registration record.

(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/5-50)

Sec. 5-50. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and for change of address during the period from the close of registration for a primary or election and until the 3rd day before the primary or election. During this grace period, an unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person in the office of the election authority or at a voter registration location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority. The election authority shall register that individual, or change a registered voter's address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this Article for registration and change of address.

If a voter who registers or changes address during this grace period wishes to vote at the first election or primary occurring after the grace period, he or she must do so by grace period voting, either in person in the office of the election authority or at a location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority, or by mail, at the discretion of the election authority. The election authority shall offer in-person grace period voting at his or her office and may offer in-person grace period voting at additional locations specifically designated for the purpose of grace period voting by the election authority. The election authority may allow grace period voting by mail only if the election authority has no ballots prepared at the authority's office. Grace period voting shall be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article 19.

Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot, or within one day after the ballot is received by the election authority if the election authority allows grace period voting by mail, the election authority shall transmit by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections the voter's name, street address, e-mail address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees. The name of each person issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the appropriate precinct list of persons to whom absentee and early ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9 and 18-5.

A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons who register or change address during the grace period must be transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and counted at precinct polling places. The grace period ballots determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which the ballots were opened.

(Source: P.A. 96-441, eff. 1-1-10; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/6-19.5 new)

Sec. 6-19.5. Rejection of Article by superseding county board of election commissioners. In addition to any other method of rejection provided in this Article, when a county board of election commissioners is established in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 6A-1 in a county in which is located any portion of a municipality with a municipal board of election commissioners, the application of the provisions of this Article to the territory of that municipality located within that county is rejected.

(10 ILCS 5/6-29) (from Ch. 46, par. 6-29)

Sec. 6-29. For the purpose of registering voters under this Article, the office of the Board of Election Commissioners shall be open during ordinary business hours of each week day, from 9 a.m. to 12 o'clock noon on the last four Saturdays immediately preceding the end of the period of registration preceding each election, and such other days and such other times as the board may direct. During the 27 days immediately preceding any election there shall be no registration of voters at the office of the Board of Election Commissioners in cities, villages and incorporated towns of fewer than 200,000 inhabitants. In cities, villages and incorporated towns of 200,000 or more inhabitants, there shall be no registration of voters at the office of the Board of Election Commissioners during the 35 days immediately preceding any election; provided, however, where no precinct registration is being conducted prior to any election then registration may be taken in the office of the Board up to and including the 28th day prior to such election. The Board of Election Commissioners may set up and establish as many branch offices for the purpose of taking registrations as it may deem necessary, and the branch offices may be open on any or all dates and hours during which registrations may be taken in the main office. All officers and employees of the Board of Election Commissioners who are authorized by such board to take registrations under this Article shall be considered officers of the circuit court, and shall be subject to the same control as is provided by Section 14-5 of this Act with respect to judges of election.

In any election called for the submission of the revision or alteration of, or the amendments to the Constitution, submitted by a Constitutional Convention, the final day for registration at the office of the election authority charged with the printing of the ballot of this election shall be the 15th day prior to the date of election.

The Board of Election Commissioners shall appoint one or more registration teams, consisting of 2 of its employees for each team, for the purpose of accepting the registration of any voter who files an affidavit, within the period for taking registrations provided for in this article, that he is physically unable to appear at the office of the Board or at any appointed place of registration. On the day or days when a precinct registration is being conducted such teams shall consist of one member from each of the 2 leading political parties who are serving on the Precinct Registration Board. Each team so designated shall visit each disabled person and shall accept the registration of such person the same as if he had applied for registration in person.

Any otherwise qualified person who is absent from his county of residence due to business of the United States, or who is temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States, may make application to become registered by mail to the Board of Election Commissioners within the periods for registration provided for in this Article or by simultaneous application for absentee registration and absentee ballot as provided in Article 20 of this Code.

Upon receipt of such application the Board of Election Commissioners shall immediately mail an affidavit of registration in duplicate, which affidavit shall contain the following and such other information as the State Board of Elections may think it proper to require for the identification of the applicant:

Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial for such middle name, if any.

Sex.

Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue or other location of the dwelling, and such additional clear and definite description as may be necessary to determine the exact location of the dwelling of the applicant. Where the location cannot be determined by street and number, then the section, congressional township and range number may be used, or such other information as may be necessary, including post office mailing address.

Electronic mail address, if the registrant has provided this information.

Term of residence in the State of Illinois and the precinct.

Nativity. The state or country in which the applicant was born.

Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place and date of naturalization.

Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.

Out of State address of ..................

AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION

State of .........) ) ss. County of ........)

I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States; that on the day of the next election I shall have resided in the State of Illinois and in the election precinct 30 days; that I am fully qualified to vote, that I am not registered to vote anywhere else in the United States, that I intend to remain a resident of the State of Illinois, and of the election precinct, that I intend to return to the State of Illinois, and that the above statements are true.

..............................

(His or her signature or mark)

Subscribed and sworn to before me, an officer qualified to administer oaths, on (insert date).

........................................

Signature of officer administering oath.

Upon receipt of the executed duplicate affidavit of Registration, the Board of Election Commissioners shall transfer the information contained thereon to duplicate Registration Cards provided for in Section 6-35 of this Article and shall attach thereto a copy of each of the duplicate affidavit of registration and thereafter such registration card and affidavit shall constitute the registration of such person the same as if he had applied for registration in person.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 92-816, eff. 8-21-02.)

(10 ILCS 5/6-35) (from Ch. 46, par. 6-35)

Sec. 6-35. The Boards of Election Commissioners shall provide a sufficient number of blank forms for the registration of electors which shall be known as registration record cards and which shall consist of loose leaf sheets or cards, of suitable size to contain in plain writing and figures the data hereinafter required thereon or shall consist of computer cards of suitable nature to contain the data required thereon. The registration record cards, which shall include an affidavit of registration as hereinafter provided, shall be executed in duplicate. The duplicate of which may be a carbon copy of the original or a copy of the original made by the use of other method or material used for making simultaneous true copies or duplications.

The registration record card shall contain the following and such other information as the Board of Election Commissioners may think it proper to require for the identification of the applicant for registration:

Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial for such middle name, if any.

Sex.

Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue, or other location of the dwelling, including the apartment, unit or room number, if any, and in the case of a mobile home the lot number, and such additional clear and definite description as may be necessary to determine the exact location of the dwelling of the applicant, including post-office mailing address. In the case of a homeless individual, the individual's voting residence that is his or her mailing address shall be included on his or her registration record card.

Term of residence in the State of Illinois and the precinct.

Nativity. The state or country in which the applicant was born.

Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place, and date of naturalization.

Date of application for registration, i.e., the day, month and year when the applicant presented himself for registration.

Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.

Physical disability of the applicant, if any, at the time of registration, which would require assistance in voting.

The county and state in which the applicant was last registered.

Electronic mail address, if any.

Signature of voter. The applicant, after registration and in the presence of a deputy registrar or other officer of registration shall be required to sign his or her name in ink to the affidavit on both the original and the duplicate registration record card.

Signature of deputy registrar.

In case applicant is unable to sign his name, he may affix his mark to the affidavit. In such case the registration officer shall write a detailed description of the applicant in the space provided at the bottom of the card or sheet; and shall ask the following questions and record the answers thereto:

Father's first name .........................

Mother's first name .........................

From what address did you last register? ....

Reason for inability to sign name ...........

Each applicant for registration shall make an affidavit in substantially the following form:

AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION

State of Illinois ) )ss County of ....... )

I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States, that on the day of the next election I shall have resided in the State of Illinois and in the election precinct 30 days and that I intend that this location is my residence; that I am fully qualified to vote, and that the above statements are true.

..............................

(His or her signature or mark)

Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).

......................................

Signature of registration officer (to be signed in presence of registrant).

Space shall be provided upon the face of each registration record card for the notation of the voting record of the person registered thereon.

Each registration record card shall be numbered according to wards or precincts, as the case may be, and may be serially or otherwise marked for identification in such manner as the Board of Election Commissioners may determine.

The registration cards shall be deemed public records and shall be open to inspection during regular business hours, except during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. On written request of any candidate or objector or any person intending to object to a petition, the election authority shall extend its hours for inspection of registration cards and other records of the election authority during the period beginning with the filing of petitions under Sections 7-10, 8-8, 10-6 or 28-3 and continuing through the termination of electoral board hearings on any objections to petitions containing signatures of registered voters in the jurisdiction of the election authority. The extension shall be for a period of hours sufficient to allow adequate opportunity for examination of the records but the election authority is not required to extend its hours beyond the period beginning at its normal opening for business and ending at midnight. If the business hours are so extended, the election authority shall post a public notice of such extended hours. Registration record cards may also be inspected, upon approval of the officer in charge of the cards, during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. Registration record cards shall also be open to inspection by certified judges and poll watchers and challengers at the polling place on election day, but only to the extent necessary to determine the question of the right of a person to vote or to serve as a judge of election. At no time shall poll watchers or challengers be allowed to physically handle the registration record cards.

Updated copies of computer tapes or computer discs or other electronic data processing information containing voter registration information shall be furnished by the Board of Election Commissioners within 10 days after December 15 and May 15 each year and within 10 days after each registration period is closed to the State Board of Elections in a form prescribed by the State Board. For the purposes of this Section, a registration period is closed 27 days before the date of any regular or special election. Registration information shall include, but not be limited to, the following information: name, sex, residence, telephone number, if any, age, party affiliation, if applicable, precinct, ward, township, county, and representative, legislative and congressional districts. In the event of noncompliance, the State Board of Elections is directed to obtain compliance forthwith with this nondiscretionary duty of the election authority by instituting legal proceedings in the circuit court of the county in which the election authority maintains the registration information. The costs of furnishing updated copies of tapes or discs shall be paid at a rate of $.00034 per name of registered voters in the election jurisdiction, but not less than $50 per tape or disc and shall be paid from appropriations made to the State Board of Elections for reimbursement to the election authority for such purpose. The State Board shall furnish copies of such tapes, discs, other electronic data or compilations thereof to state political committees registered pursuant to the Illinois Campaign Finance Act or the Federal Election Campaign Act and to governmental entities, at their request and at a reasonable cost. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of voter registration information, the disclosure of electronic voter registration records to any person or entity other than to a State or local political committee and other than to a governmental entity for a governmental purpose is specifically prohibited except as follows: subject to security measures adopted by the State Board of Elections which, at a minimum, shall include the keeping of a catalog or database, available for public view, including the name, address, and telephone number of the person viewing the list as well as the time of that viewing, any person may view the centralized statewide voter registration list on a computer screen at the Springfield office of the State Board of Elections, during normal business hours other than during the 27 days before an election, but the person viewing the list under this exception may not print, duplicate, transmit, or alter the list. Copies of the tapes, discs or other electronic data shall be furnished by the Board of Election Commissioners to local political committees and governmental entities at their request and at a reasonable cost. Reasonable cost of the tapes, discs, et cetera for this purpose would be the cost of duplication plus 15% for administration. The individual representing a political committee requesting copies of such tapes shall make a sworn affidavit that the information shall be used only for bona fide political purposes, including by or for candidates for office or incumbent office holders. Such tapes, discs or other electronic data shall not be used under any circumstances by any political committee or individuals for purposes of commercial solicitation or other business purposes. If such tapes contain information on county residents related to the operations of county government in addition to registration information, that information shall not be used under any circumstances for commercial solicitation or other business purposes. The prohibition in this Section against using the computer tapes or computer discs or other electronic data processing information containing voter registration information for purposes of commercial solicitation or other business purposes shall be prospective only from the effective date of this amended Act of 1979. Any person who violates this provision shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.

The State Board of Elections shall promulgate, by October 1, 1987, such regulations as may be necessary to ensure uniformity throughout the State in electronic data processing of voter registration information. The regulations shall include, but need not be limited to, specifications for uniform medium, communications protocol and file structure to be employed by the election authorities of this State in the electronic data processing of voter registration information. Each election authority utilizing electronic data processing of voter registration information shall comply with such regulations on and after May 15, 1988.

If the applicant for registration was last registered in another county within this State, he shall also sign a certificate authorizing cancellation of the former registration. The certificate shall be in substantially the following form:

To the County Clerk of .... County, Illinois.

To the Election Commission of the City of ...., Illinois.

This is to certify that I am registered in your (county) (city) and that my residence was ..... Having moved out of your (county), (city), I hereby authorize you to cancel that registration in your office.

Dated at ...., Illinois, on (insert date).

....................

(Signature of Voter)

Attest ...., Clerk, Election Commission of the City of...., Illinois.

The cancellation certificate shall be mailed immediately by the clerk of the Election Commission to the county clerk, (or Election Commission as the case may be) where the applicant was formerly registered. Receipt of such certificate shall be full authority for cancellation of any previous registration.

(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 93-847, eff. 7-30-04; 94-136, eff. 7-7-05.)

(10 ILCS 5/6-40) (from Ch. 46, par. 6-40)

Sec. 6-40. Where verification lists are furnished to the canvassers by the Board of Election Commissioners, immediately upon completion of the canvass, the canvassers, or one of them, shall file with the Board of Election Commissioners the list of registered voters upon which the canvassers have made notation in the column headed "Remarks" as follows: "O. K.", if they still reside at the address shown on the registration list, or "Died", "Moved", or "Changed Name" as the case may be. Such lists shall be attested to by the canvassers in an attached affidavit. No canvasser shall be remunerated for services as canvasser until such signed affidavit is filed with the Board of Election Commissioners.

Upon receipt by the Board of Election Commissioners of the completed list and the attached affidavit as to the correctness of the list, the Board of Election Commissioners shall prepare post card "Notices to Show Cause Why Registration Should not be Cancelled" to send to each voter on each list after whose name the canvassers have written "Died", "Moved", or "Changed Name". They shall be sent by mail, and electronic mail if the person whose registration is questioned has provided the election authority with an e-mail address, mailed to those whose registration is questioned by the Board of Election Commissioners not later than 10 P.M. on Friday of the week of the canvass. The affidavits made by the canvassers showing the names and addresses of such canvassers shall be a public record for 60 days.

The Board of Election Commissioners shall also prepare a correct list of those registered voters in each precinct who are designated "O.K." in the remarks column by the canvassers and supplemental lists after the hearings on "Notices to Show Cause Why Registration Should Not be Cancelled"; such lists to be called "Printed Register of Registered Voters" of a given date and supplements thereto.

It shall be the duty of the Board of Election Commissioners when complaint is made to them, to investigate the action of such canvassers and to cause them or either of them to be brought before the circuit court and to prosecute them as for contempt, and also at the discretion of the Board of Election Commissioners, to cause them to be prosecuted criminally for such wilful neglect of duty.

(Source: Laws 1965, p. 3501.)

(10 ILCS 5/6-57) (from Ch. 46, par. 6-57)

Sec. 6-57. To each person who registers at the office of the board of election commissioners or at any place designated by such board under Section 6-51 of this Article, after the first registration under this Article, the board shall send by mail, and electronic mail if the registrant has provided the board of election committees with an e-mail address, a notice setting forth the elector's name and address as it appears on the registration record card, and shall request him in case of any error to present the notice on or before the tenth day next ensuing at the office of the Board of Election Commissioners in order to secure the correction of the error. Such notice shall contain on the outside a request for the postmaster to return it within five days if it cannot be delivered to the addressee at the address given thereon. Upon the return by the post office of any such notice which it has been unable to deliver at the given address because the addressee cannot be found there, a notice shall be at once sent through the United States mail to such person at the address appearing upon his registration record card requiring him to appear before the Board of Election Commissioners at a time and place specified in the notice and show cause why his name should not be cancelled from the register. Thereafter, proceedings shall be, as nearly as may be, in conformity with those established by Section 6-52 of this Article with respect to applications to complete registration. Such notice may be sent at any time within thirty days after the registration of any person, but such notice shall be sent within five days after the last day of registration before any election, to all persons who have registered since the last preceding election, and to whom no such notice has theretofore been sent; and where the addressee cannot be found, notice requiring such person to appear before the board of election commissioners shall specify dates for hearing before the election not later than those prescribed by Section 6-45 of this Article.

(Source: Laws 1951, p. 1795.)

(10 ILCS 5/6-79)

Sec. 6-79. Computerization of voter records.

(a) The State Board of Elections shall design a registration record card that, except as otherwise provided in this Section, shall be used in duplicate by all election authorities in the State adopting a computer-based voter registration file as provided in this Section. The Board shall prescribe the form and specifications, including but not limited to the weight of paper, color, and print of the cards. The cards shall contain boxes or spaces for the information required under Sections 6-31.1 and 6-35; provided that the cards shall also contain: (i) A space for the person to fill in his or her Illinois driver's license number if the person has a driver's license; (ii) A space for a person without a driver's license to fill in the last four digits of his or her social security number if the person has a social security number.

(b) The election authority may develop and implement a system to prepare, use, and maintain a computer-based voter registration file that includes a computer-stored image of the signature of each voter. The computer-based voter registration file may be used for all purposes for which the original registration cards are to be used, provided that a system for the storage of at least one copy of the original registration cards remains in effect. In the case of voter registration forms received via an online voter registration system, the original registration cards will include the signature received from the Secretary of State database. The electronic file shall be the master file.

(c) Any system created, used, and maintained under subsection (b) of this Section shall meet the following standards:

(1) Access to any computer-based voter registration file shall be limited to those persons authorized by the election authority, and each access to the computer-based voter registration file, other than an access solely for inquiry, shall be recorded.

(2) No copy, summary, list, abstract, or index of any computer-based voter registration file that includes any computer-stored image of the signature of any registered voter shall be made available to the public outside of the offices of the election authority.

(3) Any copy, summary, list, abstract, or index of any computer-based voter registration file that includes a computer-stored image of the signature of a registered voter shall be produced in such a manner that it cannot be reproduced.

(4) Each person desiring to vote shall sign an application for a ballot, and the signature comparison authorized in Articles 17 and 18 of this Code may be made to a copy of the computer-stored image of the signature of the registered voter.

(5) Any voter list produced from a computer-based voter registration file that includes computer-stored images of the signatures of registered voters and is used in a polling place during an election shall be preserved by the election authority in secure storage until the end of the second calendar year following the election in which it was used.

(d) Before the first election in which the election authority elects to use a voter list produced from the computer-stored images of the signatures of registered voters in a computer-based voter registration file for signature comparison in a polling place, the State Board of Elections shall certify that the system used by the election authority complies with the standards set forth in this Section. The State Board of Elections may request a sample poll list intended to be used in a polling place to test the accuracy of the list and the adequacy of the computer-stored images of the signatures of the registered voters.

(e) With respect to a jurisdiction that has copied all of its voter signatures into a computer-based registration file, all references in this Act or any other Act to the use, other than storage, of paper-based voter registration records shall be deemed to refer to their computer-based equivalents.

(f) Nothing in this Section prevents an election authority from submitting to the State Board of Elections a duplicate copy of some, as the State Board of Elections shall determine, or all of the data contained in each voter registration record that is part of the electronic master file. The duplicate copy of the registration record shall be maintained by the State Board of Elections under the same terms and limitations applicable to the election authority and shall be of equal legal dignity with the original registration record maintained by the election authority as proof of any fact contained in the voter registration record.

(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/6-100)

Sec. 6-100. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and for change of address during the period from the close of registration for a primary or election and until the 3rd day before the primary or election. During this grace period, an unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person in the office of the election authority or at a voter registration location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority. The election authority shall register that individual, or change a registered voter's address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this Article for registration and change of address.

If a voter who registers or changes address during this grace period wishes to vote at the first election or primary occurring after the grace period, he or she must do so by grace period voting, either in person in the office of the election authority or at a location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority, or by mail, at the discretion of the election authority. The election authority shall offer in-person grace period voting at the authority's office and may offer in-person grace period voting at additional locations specifically designated for the purpose of grace period voting by the election authority. The election authority may allow grace period voting by mail only if the election authority has no ballots prepared at the authority's office. Grace period voting shall be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article 19.

Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot, or within one day after the ballot is received by the election authority if the election authority allows grace period voting by mail, the election authority shall transmit by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections the voter's name, street address, e-mail address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees. The name of each person issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the appropriate precinct list of persons to whom absentee and early ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9 and 18-5.

A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons who register or change address during the grace period must be transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and counted at precinct polling places. The grace period ballots determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which the ballots were opened.

(Source: P.A. 96-441, eff. 1-1-10; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/6A-1) (from Ch. 46, par. 6A-1)

Sec. 6A-1.

(a) Any county in which there is no city, village or incorporated town with a board of election commissioners may establish a county board of election commissioners either (1) by ordinance of the county board or (2) by vote of the electors of the county in accordance with subsection (a) of Section 6A-2.

The fact that some territory in a county is within the corporate limits of a city, village or incorporated town with a board of election commissioners does not prevent that county from establishing a county board of election commissioners in accordance with this Article if no portion of such city, village or incorporated town was within the county at the time of the establishment of the board of election commissioners for such city, village or incorporated town. If such a county establishes a county board of election commissioners pursuant to this Article, the county board of election commissioners shall, with respect to the territory in the county within the corporate limits of the city, village or incorporated town, supersede the board of election commissioners of that city, village or incorporated town.

(b) Any county with a population of more than 700,000 persons as of the 2010 federal decennial census that borders another state and borders no more than 2 other Illinois counties, shall be subject to a county board of election commissioners beginning 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly.

(c) Any county with a population of less than 200,000 but more than 175,000 persons as of the 2010 federal decennial census in which a city, village, or incorporated town with a board of election commissioners is located may establish a county board of election commissioners by vote of the electors of the county in accordance with subsection (b) of Section 6A-2. If such a county establishes a county board of election commissioners, the county board of election commissioners, with respect to the territory in the county within the corporate limits of the city, village, or incorporated town, shall supersede the board of election commissioners of that city, village, or incorporated town.

(Source: P.A. 81-1433.)

(10 ILCS 5/6A-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 6A-2)

Sec. 6A-2. Submission to voters.

(a) Whenever registered voters in a the county described in subsection (a) of Section 6A-1, numbering at least 1,000 or 1/8 of the number voting at the last preceding general election in the county, whichever is less, petition the circuit court to submit to the electors of the county a proposition to establish a county board of election commissioners, the circuit court shall cause such proposition to be submitted to the electors of the county at the next succeeding general election.

(b) If the county board of a county described in subsection (c) of Section 6A-1 passes an ordinance or resolution establishing a county board of election commissioners, then the proposition to establish a county board of election commissioners shall be submitted to the electors of that county at the next possible general election. The board shall certify the ordinance or resolution and the proposition to the proper election officials who shall submit the proposition at the next general election in accordance with the general election law.

(c) The proposition shall be submitted in the same manner as provided in Article 6 for the adoption of Articles 6, 14 and 18 by cities, villages and incorporated towns, except that the question shall be stated: "Shall a board of election commissioners be established for .... County?"

(Source: P.A. 78-465.)

(10 ILCS 5/6A-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 6A-3)

Sec. 6A-3. Commissioners; filling vacancies.

(a) If the county board adopts an ordinance providing for the establishment of a county board of election commissioners, or if a majority of the votes cast on a proposition submitted in accordance with Section 6A-2(a) are in favor of a county board of election commissioners, a county board of election commissioners shall be appointed in the same manner as is provided in Article 6 for boards of election commissioners in cities, villages and incorporated towns, except that the county board of election commissioners shall be appointed by the chairman of the county board rather than the circuit court. However, before any appointments are made, the appointing authority shall ascertain whether the county clerk desires to be a member of the county board of election commissioners. If the county clerk so desires, he shall be one of the members of the county board of election commissioners, and the appointing authority shall appoint only 2 other members.

(b) For any county board of election commissioners established under subsection (b) of Section 6A-1, within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly, the chief judge of the circuit court of the county shall appoint 5 commissioners. At least 4 of those commissioners shall be selected from the 2 major established political parties of the State, with at least 2 from each of those parties. Such appointment shall be entered of record in the office of the County Clerk and the State Board of Elections. Those first appointed shall hold their offices for the period of one, 2, and 3 years respectively, and the judge appointing them shall designate the term for which each commissioner shall hold his or her office, whether for one, 2 or 3 years except that no more than one commissioner from each major established political party may be designated the same term. After the initial term, each commissioner or his or her successor shall be appointed to a 3 year term. No elected official or former elected official who has been out of elected office for less than 2 years may be appointed to the board. Vacancies shall be filled by the chief judge of the circuit court within 30 days of the vacancy in a manner that maintains the foregoing political party representation.

(c) For any county board of election commissioners established under subsection (c) of Section 6A-1, within 30 days after the conclusion of the election at which the proposition to establish a county board of election commissioners is approved by the voters, the municipal board shall apply to the circuit court of the county for the chief judge of the circuit court to appoint 2 additional commissioners, one of whom shall be from each major established political party and neither of whom shall reside within the limits of the municipal board, so that 3 commissioners shall reside within the limits of the municipal board and 2 shall reside within the county but not within the municipality, as it may exist from time to time. Not more than 3 of the commissioners shall be members of the same major established political party. Vacancies shall be filled by the chief judge of the circuit court upon application of the remaining commissioners in a manner that maintains the foregoing geographical and political party representation.

(Source: P.A. 91-358, eff. 7-29-99.)

(10 ILCS 5/6A-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 6A-4)

Sec. 6A-4. Transfer of records. Upon the opening of an the office of a the county board of election commissioners, the county clerk and any municipal board of election commissioners in the county shall turn over to such county board all registry books, registration record cards, poll books, tally sheets and ballot boxes and all other books, forms, blanks and stationery of every description in the clerk's or municipal board's possession his hands in any way relating to elections or the holding of elections in the county and any unused appropriations related to elections or the holding of elections in the county. Thereupon, all functions, powers and duties of the county clerk, or the county board, or the municipal board relating to elections in that county are transferred to the county board of election commissioners.

(Source: P.A. 78-465.)

(10 ILCS 5/8-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-9)

Sec. 8-9. All petitions for nomination shall be filed by mail or in person as follows:

(1) Where the nomination is made for a legislative office, such petition for nomination shall be filed in the principal office of the State Board of Elections not more than 113 and not less than 106 days prior to the date of the primary.

(2) The State Board of Elections shall, upon receipt of each petition, endorse thereon the day and hour on which it was filed. Petitions filed by mail and received after midnight on the first day for filing and in the first mail delivery or pickup of that day, shall be deemed as filed as of 8:00 a.m. of that day or as of the normal opening hour of such day as the case may be, and all petitions received thereafter shall be deemed as filed in the order of actual receipt. However, 2 or more petitions filed within the last hour of the filing deadline shall be deemed to have been filed simultaneously. Where 2 or more petitions are received simultaneously, the State Board of Elections shall break ties and determine the order of filing, by means of a lottery as provided in Section 7-12 of this Code.

(3) Any person for whom a petition for nomination has been filed, may cause his name to be withdrawn by a request in writing, signed by him, duly acknowledged before an officer qualified to take acknowledgments of deeds, and filed in the principal or permanent branch office of the State Board of Elections not later than the date of certification of candidates for the general primary ballot, and no names so withdrawn shall be certified by the State Board of Elections to the county clerk, or printed on the primary ballot. If petitions for nomination have been filed for the same person with respect to more than one political party, his name shall not be certified nor printed on the primary ballot of any party. If petitions for nomination have been filed for the same person for 2 or more offices which are incompatible so that the same person could not serve in more than one of such offices if elected, that person must withdraw as a candidate for all but one of such offices within the 5 business days following the last day for petition filing. If he fails to withdraw as a candidate for all but one of such offices within such time, his name shall not be certified, nor printed on the primary ballot, for any office. For the purpose of the foregoing provisions, an office in a political party is not incompatible with any other office.

(4) If multiple sets of nomination papers are filed for a candidate to the same office, the State Board of Elections shall within 2 business days notify the candidate of his or her multiple petition filings and that the candidate has 3 business days after receipt of the notice to notify the State Board of Elections that he or she may cancel prior sets of petitions. If the candidate notifies the State Board of Elections the last set of petitions filed shall be the only petitions to be considered valid by the State Board of Elections. If the candidate fails to notify the State Board then only the first set of petitions filed shall be valid and all subsequent petitions shall be void.

(Source: P.A. 96-1008, eff. 7-6-10.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.8) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.8)

Sec. 9-1.8. Political committees.

(a) "Political committee" includes a candidate political committee, a political party committee, a political action committee, a ballot initiative committee, and an independent expenditure committee.

(b) "Candidate political committee" means the candidate himself or herself or any natural person, trust, partnership, corporation, or other organization or group of persons designated by the candidate that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 on behalf of the candidate.

(c) "Political party committee" means the State central committee of a political party, a county central committee of a political party, a legislative caucus committee, or a committee formed by a ward or township committeeman of a political party. For purposes of this Article, a "legislative caucus committee" means a committee established for the purpose of electing candidates to the General Assembly by the person elected President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, or a committee established by 5 or more members of the same caucus of the Senate or 10 or more members of the same caucus of the House of Representatives.

(d) "Political action committee" means any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons, other than a candidate, political party, candidate political committee, or political party committee, that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate or candidates for public office. "Political action committee" includes any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons, other than a candidate, political party, candidate political committee, or political party committee, that makes electioneering communications during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 related to any candidate or candidates for public office.

(e) "Ballot initiative committee" means any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 in support of or in opposition to any question of public policy to be submitted to the electors. "Ballot initiative committee" includes any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that makes electioneering communications during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 related to any question of public policy to be submitted to the voters. The $5,000 $3,000 threshold applies to any contributions or expenditures received or made with the purpose of securing a place on the ballot for, advocating the defeat or passage of, or engaging in electioneering communication regarding the question of public policy, regardless of the method of initiation of the question of public policy and regardless of whether petitions have been circulated or filed with the appropriate office or whether the question has been adopted and certified by the governing body.

(f) "Independent expenditure committee" means any trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons formed for the exclusive purpose of making independent expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 in support of or in opposition to (i) the nomination for election, election, retention, or defeat of any public official or candidate or (ii) any question of public policy to be submitted to the electors. "Independent expenditure committee" also includes any trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that makes electioneering communications that are not made in connection, consultation, or concert with or at the request or suggestion of a public official or candidate, a public official's or candidate's designated political committee or campaign, or an agent or agents of the public official, candidate, or political committee or campaign during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 related to (i) the nomination for election, election, retention, or defeat of any public official or candidate or (ii) any question of public policy to be submitted to the voters.

(Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-8.5)

Sec. 9-8.5. Limitations on campaign contributions.

(a) It is unlawful for a political committee to accept contributions except as provided in this Section.

(b) During an election cycle, a candidate political committee may not accept contributions with an aggregate value over the following: (i) $5,000 from any individual, (ii) $10,000 from any corporation, labor organization, or association, or (iii) $50,000 from a candidate political committee or political action committee. A candidate political committee may accept contributions in any amount from a political party committee except during an election cycle in which the candidate seeks nomination at a primary election. During an election cycle in which the candidate seeks nomination at a primary election, a candidate political committee may not accept contributions from political party committees with an aggregate value over the following: (i) $200,000 for a candidate political committee established to support a candidate seeking nomination to statewide office, (ii) $125,000 for a candidate political committee established to support a candidate seeking nomination to the Senate, the Supreme Court or Appellate Court in the First Judicial District, or an office elected by all voters in a county with 1,000,000 or more residents, (iii) $75,000 for a candidate political committee established to support a candidate seeking nomination to the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court or Appellate Court for a Judicial District other than the First Judicial District, an office elected by all voters of a county of fewer than 1,000,000 residents, and municipal and county offices in Cook County other than those elected by all voters of Cook County, and (iv) $50,000 for a candidate political committee established to support the nomination of a candidate to any other office. A candidate political committee established to elect a candidate to the General Assembly may accept contributions from only one legislative caucus committee. A candidate political committee may not accept contributions from a ballot initiative committee or from an independent expenditure committee.

(c) During an election cycle, a political party committee may not accept contributions with an aggregate value over the following: (i) $10,000 from any individual, (ii) $20,000 from any corporation, labor organization, or association, or (iii) $50,000 from a political action committee. A political party committee may accept contributions in any amount from another political party committee or a candidate political committee, except as provided in subsection (c-5). Nothing in this Section shall limit the amounts that may be transferred between a political party committee established under subsection (a) of Section 7-8 of this Code and an affiliated federal political committee established under the Federal Election Code by the same political party. A political party committee may not accept contributions from a ballot initiative committee or from an independent expenditure committee. A political party committee established by a legislative caucus may not accept contributions from another political party committee established by a legislative caucus.

(c-5) During the period beginning on the date candidates may begin circulating petitions for a primary election and ending on the day of the primary election, a political party committee may not accept contributions with an aggregate value over $50,000 from a candidate political committee or political party committee. A political party committee may accept contributions in any amount from a candidate political committee or political party committee if the political party committee receiving the contribution filed a statement of nonparticipation in the primary as provided in subsection (c-10). The Task Force on Campaign Finance Reform shall study and make recommendations on the provisions of this subsection to the Governor and General Assembly by September 30, 2012. This subsection becomes inoperative on July 1, 2013 and thereafter no longer applies.

(c-10) A political party committee that does not intend to make contributions to candidates to be nominated at a general primary election or consolidated primary election may file a Statement of Nonparticipation in a Primary Election with the Board. The Statement of Nonparticipation shall include a verification signed by the chairperson and treasurer of the committee that (i) the committee will not make contributions or coordinated expenditures in support of or opposition to a candidate or candidates to be nominated at the general primary election or consolidated primary election (select one) to be held on (insert date), (ii) the political party committee may accept unlimited contributions from candidate political committees and political party committees, provided that the political party committee does not make contributions to a candidate or candidates to be nominated at the primary election, and (iii) failure to abide by these requirements shall deem the political party committee in violation of this Article and subject the committee to a fine of no more than 150% of the total contributions or coordinated expenditures made by the committee in violation of this Article. This subsection becomes inoperative on July 1, 2013 and thereafter no longer applies.

(d) During an election cycle, a political action committee may not accept contributions with an aggregate value over the following: (i) $10,000 from any individual, (ii) $20,000 from any corporation, labor organization, political party committee, or association, or (iii) $50,000 from a political action committee or candidate political committee. A political action committee may not accept contributions from a ballot initiative committee or from an independent expenditure committee.

(e) A ballot initiative committee may accept contributions in any amount from any source, provided that the committee files the document required by Section 9-3 of this Article and files the disclosure reports required by the provisions of this Article.

(e-5) An independent expenditure committee may accept contributions in any amount from any source, provided that the committee files the document required by Section 9-3 of this Article and files the disclosure reports required by the provisions of this Article.

(f) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a political committee from dividing the proceeds of joint fundraising efforts; provided that no political committee may receive more than the limit from any one contributor, and provided that an independent expenditure committee may not conduct joint fundraising efforts with a candidate political committee or a political party committee.

(g) On January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the State Board of Elections shall adjust the amounts of the contribution limitations established in this Section for inflation as determined by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers as issued by the United States Department of Labor and rounded to the nearest $100. The State Board shall publish this information on its official website.

(h) Self-funding candidates. If a public official, a candidate, or the public official's or candidate's immediate family contributes or loans to the public official's or candidate's political committee or to other political committees that transfer funds to the public official's or candidate's political committee or makes independent expenditures for the benefit of the public official's or candidate's campaign during the 12 months prior to an election in an aggregate amount of more than (i) $250,000 for statewide office or (ii) $100,000 for all other elective offices, then the public official or candidate shall file with the State Board of Elections, within one day, a Notification of Self-funding that shall detail each contribution or loan made by the public official, the candidate, or the public official's or candidate's immediate family. Within 2 business days after the filing of a Notification of Self-funding, the notification shall be posted on the Board's website and the Board shall give official notice of the filing to each candidate for the same office as the public official or candidate making the filing, including the public official or candidate filing the Notification of Self-funding. Notice shall be sent via first class mail to the candidate and the treasurer of the candidate's committee. Notice shall also be sent by e-mail to the candidate and the treasurer of the candidate's committee if the candidate and the treasurer, as applicable, have provided the Board with an e-mail address. Upon posting of the receiving notice on from the Board's website Board, all candidates for that office, including the public official or candidate who filed a Notification of Self-funding, shall be permitted to accept contributions in excess of any contribution limits imposed by subsection (b). If a public official or candidate filed a Notification of Self-funding during an election cycle that includes a general primary election or consolidated primary election and that public official or candidate is nominated, all candidates for that office, including the nominee who filed the notification of self-funding, shall be permitted to accept contributions in excess of any contribution limit imposed by subsection (b) for the subsequent election cycle. For the purposes of this subsection, "immediate family" means the spouse, parent, or child of a public official or candidate.

(h-5) If a natural person or independent expenditure committee makes independent expenditures in support of or in opposition to the campaign of a particular public official or candidate in an aggregate amount of more than (i) $250,000 for statewide office or (ii) $100,000 for all other elective offices in an election cycle, as reported in a written disclosure filed under subsection (a) of Section 9-8.6 or subsection (e-5) of Section 9-10, then the State Board of Elections shall, within 2 business days after the filing of the disclosure, post the disclosure on the Board's website and give official notice of the disclosure to each candidate for the same office as the public official or candidate for whose benefit or detriment the natural person or independent expenditure committee made independent expenditures. Upon posting of the receiving notice on from the Board's website Board, all candidates for that office in that election, including the public official or candidate for whose benefit or detriment the natural person or independent expenditure committee made independent expenditures, shall be permitted to accept contributions in excess of any contribution limits imposed by subsection (b).

(h-10) If the State Board of Elections receives notification or determines that a natural person or persons, an independent expenditure committee or committees, or combination thereof has made independent expenditures in support of or in opposition to the campaign of a particular public official or candidate in an aggregate amount of more than (i) $250,000 for statewide office or (ii) $100,000 for all other elective offices in an election cycle, then the Board shall, within 2 business days after discovering the independent expenditures that, in the aggregate, exceed the threshold set forth in (i) and (ii) of this subsection, post notice of this fact on the Board's website and give official notice to each candidate for the same office as the public official or candidate for whose benefit or detriment the independent expenditures were made. Notice shall be sent via first class mail to the candidate and the treasurer of the candidate's committee. Notice shall also be sent by e-mail to the candidate and the treasurer of the candidate's committee if the candidate and the treasurer, as applicable, have provided the Board with an e-mail address. Upon posting of the notice on the Board's website, all candidates of that office in that election, including the public official or candidate for whose benefit or detriment the independent expenditures were made, may accept contributions in excess of any contribution limits imposed by subsection (b). The Campaign Finance Task Force shall submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly no later than February 1, 2013. The report shall examine and make recommendations regarding the provisions in this subsection including, but not limited to, case law concerning independent expenditures, the manner in which independent expenditures are handled in the other states and at the federal level, independent expenditures made in Illinois during the 2012 general primary and, separately, the 2012 general election, and independent expenditures made at the federal level during the 2012 general election. The Task Force shall conduct at least 2 public hearings regarding independent expenditures.

(i) For the purposes of this Section, a corporation, labor organization, association, or a political action committee established by a corporation, labor organization, or association may act as a conduit in facilitating the delivery to a political action committee of contributions made through dues, levies, or similar assessments and the political action committee may report the contributions in the aggregate, provided that: (i) contributions made through dues, levies, or similar assessments paid by any natural person, corporation, labor organization, or association in a calendar year may not exceed the limits set forth in this Section; (ii) the corporation, labor organization, association, or a political action committee established by a corporation, labor organization, or association facilitating the delivery of contributions maintains a list of natural persons, corporations, labor organizations, and associations that paid the dues, levies, or similar assessments from which the contributions comprising the aggregate amount derive; and (iii) contributions made through dues, levies, or similar assessments paid by any natural person, corporation, labor organization, or association that exceed $500 in a quarterly reporting period shall be itemized on the committee's quarterly report and may not be reported in the aggregate. A political action committee facilitating the delivery of contributions or receiving contributions shall disclose the amount of contributions made through dues delivered or received and the name of the corporation, labor organization, association, or political action committee delivering the contributions, if applicable. On January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the State Board of Elections shall adjust the amounts of the contribution limitations established in this subsection for inflation as determined by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers as issued by the United States Department of Labor and rounded to the nearest $100. The State Board shall publish this information on its official website.

(j) A political committee that receives a contribution or transfer in violation of this Section shall dispose of the contribution or transfer by returning the contribution or transfer, or an amount equal to the contribution or transfer, to the contributor or transferor or donating the contribution or transfer, or an amount equal to the contribution or transfer, to a charity. A contribution or transfer received in violation of this Section that is not disposed of as provided in this subsection within 30 days after the Board sends notification to the political committee of the excess contribution by certified mail shall escheat to the General Revenue Fund and the political committee shall be deemed in violation of this Section and subject to a civil penalty not to exceed 150% of the total amount of the contribution.

(k) For the purposes of this Section, "statewide office" means the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer.

(l) This Section is repealed if and when the United States Supreme Court invalidates contribution limits on committees formed to assist candidates, political parties, corporations, associations, or labor organizations established by or pursuant to federal law.

(Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-9.5)

Sec. 9-9.5. Disclosures in political communications.

(a) Any political committee, organized under the Election Code, that makes an expenditure for a pamphlet, circular, handbill, Internet or telephone communication, radio, television, or print advertisement, or other communication directed at voters and mentioning the name of a candidate in the next upcoming election shall ensure that the name of the political committee paying for any part of the communication, including, but not limited to, its preparation and distribution, is identified clearly within the communication as the payor. This subsection does not apply to items that are too small to contain the required disclosure. This subsection does not apply to an expenditure for the preparation or distribution of any printed communication directed at constituents of a member of the General Assembly if the expenditure is made by a political committee in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 9-8.10. Nothing in this subsection shall require disclosure on any telephone communication using random sampling or other scientific survey methods to gauge public opinion for or against any candidate or question of public policy.

Whenever any vendor or other person provides any of the services listed in this subsection, other than any telephone communication using random sampling or other scientific survey methods to gauge public opinion for or against any candidate or question of public policy, the vendor or person shall keep and maintain records showing the name and address of the person who purchased or requested the services and the amount paid for the services. The records required by this subsection shall be kept for a period of one year after the date upon which payment was received for the services.

(b) Any political committee, organized under this Code, that makes an expenditure for a pamphlet, circular, handbill, Internet or telephone communication, radio, television, or print advertisement, or other communication directed at voters and (i) mentioning the name of a candidate in the next upcoming election, without that candidate's permission, or (ii) advocating for or against a public policy position shall ensure that the name of the political committee paying for any part of the communication, including, but not limited to, its preparation and distribution, is identified clearly within the communication. Nothing in this subsection shall require disclosure on any telephone communication using random sampling or other scientific survey methods to gauge public opinion for or against any candidate or question of public policy.

(c) A political committee organized under this Code shall not make an expenditure for any unsolicited telephone call to the line of a residential telephone customer in this State using any method to block or otherwise circumvent that customer's use of a caller identification service.

(Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06; 95-699, eff. 11-9-07.)

(10 ILCS 5/10-6.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 10-6.2)

Sec. 10-6.2. The State Board of Elections, the election authority or the local election official with whom petitions for nomination are filed pursuant to this Article 10 shall specify the place where filings shall be made and upon receipt shall endorse thereon the day and the hour at which each petition was filed. Except as provided by Article 9 of The School Code, all petitions filed by persons waiting in line as of 8:00 a.m. on the first day for filing, or as of the normal opening hour of the office involved on such day, shall be deemed filed as of 8:00 a.m. or the normal opening hour, as the case may be. Petitions filed by mail and received after midnight of the first day for filing and in the first mail delivery or pickup of that day shall be deemed filed as of 8:00 a.m. of that day or as of the normal opening hour of such day, as the case may be. All petitions received thereafter shall be deemed filed in the order of actual receipt. However, 2 or more petitions filed within the last hour of the filing deadline shall be deemed filed simultaneously. Where 2 or more petitions are received simultaneously, the State Board of Elections, the election authority or the local election official with whom such petitions are filed shall break ties and determine the order of filing by means of a lottery or other fair and impartial method of random selection approved by the State Board of Elections. Such lottery shall be conducted within 9 days following the last day for petition filing and shall be open to the public. Seven days written notice of the time and place of conducting such random selection shall be given, by the State Board of Elections, the election authority, or local election official, to the Chairman of each political party, and to each organization of citizens within the election jurisdiction which was entitled, under this Code, at the next preceding election, to have pollwatchers present on the day of election. The State Board of Elections, the election authority or local election official shall post in a conspicuous, open and public place, at the entrance of the office, notice of the time and place of such lottery. The State Board of Elections shall adopt rules and regulations governing the procedures for the conduct of such lottery. All candidates shall be certified in the order in which their petitions have been filed and in the manner prescribed by Section 10-14 and 10-15 of this Article. Where candidates have filed simultaneously, they shall be certified in the order determined by lot and prior to candidates who filed for the same office or offices at a later time. Certificates of nomination filed within the period prescribed in Section 10-6(2) for candidates nominated by caucus for township or municipal offices shall be subject to the ballot placement lottery for established political parties prescribed in Section 7-60 of this Code.

If multiple sets of nomination papers are filed for a candidate to the same office, the State Board of Elections, appropriate election authority or local election official where the petitions are filed shall within 2 business days notify the candidate of his or her multiple petition filings and that the candidate has 3 business days after receipt of the notice to notify the State Board of Elections, appropriate election authority or local election official that he or she may cancel prior sets of petitions. If the candidate notifies the State Board of Elections, appropriate election authority or local election official, the last set of petitions filed shall be the only petitions to be considered valid by the State Board of Elections, election authority or local election official. If the candidate fails to notify the State Board of Elections, appropriate election authority or local election official then only the first set of petitions filed shall be valid and all subsequent petitions shall be void.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

(10 ILCS 5/10-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 10-7)

Sec. 10-7. Any person whose name has been presented as a candidate may cause his name to be withdrawn from any such nomination by his request in writing, signed by him and duly acknowledged before an officer qualified to take acknowledgment of deeds, and presented to the principal office or permanent branch office of the Board, the election authority, or the local election official, as the case may be, not later than the date for certification of candidates for the ballot. No name so withdrawn shall be printed upon the ballots under the party appellation or title from which the candidate has withdrawn his name. If such a request for withdrawal is received after the date for certification of the candidates for the ballot, then the votes cast for the withdrawn candidate are invalid and shall not be reported by the election authority. If the name of the same person has been presented as a candidate for 2 or more offices which are incompatible so that the same person could not serve in more than one of such offices if elected, that person must withdraw as a candidate for all but one of such offices within the 5 business days following the last day for petition filing. If he fails to withdraw as a candidate for all but one of such offices within such time, his name shall not be certified, nor printed on the ballot, for any office. However, nothing in this section shall be construed as precluding a judge who is seeking retention in office from also being a candidate for another judicial office. Except as otherwise herein provided, in case the certificate of nomination or petition as provided for in this Article shall contain or exhibit the name of any candidate for any office upon more than one of said certificates or petitions (for the same office), then and in that case the Board or election authority or local election official, as the case may be, shall immediately notify said candidate of said fact and that his name appears unlawfully upon more than one of said certificates or petitions and that within 3 days from the receipt of said notification, said candidate must elect as to which of said political party appellations or groups he desires his name to appear and remain under upon said ballot, and if said candidate refuses, fails or neglects to make such election, then and in that case the Board or election authority or local election official, as the case may be, shall permit the name of said candidate to appear or be printed or placed upon said ballot only under the political party appellation or group appearing on the certificate of nomination or petition, as the case may be, first filed, and shall strike or cause to be stricken the name of said candidate from all certificates of nomination and petitions filed after the first such certificate of nomination or petition.

Whenever the name of a candidate for an office is withdrawn from a new political party petition, it shall constitute a vacancy in nomination for that office which may be filled in accordance with Section 10-11 of this Article; provided, that if the names of all candidates for all offices on a new political party petition are withdrawn or such petition is declared invalid by an electoral board or upon judicial review, no vacancies in nomination for those offices shall exist and the filing of any notice or resolution purporting to fill vacancies in nomination shall have no legal effect.

Whenever the name of an independent candidate for an office is withdrawn or an independent candidate's petition is declared invalid by an electoral board or upon judicial review, no vacancy in nomination for that office shall exist and the filing of any notice or resolution purporting to fill a vacancy in nomination shall have no legal effect.

All certificates of nomination and nomination papers when presented or filed shall be open, under proper regulation, to public inspection, and the State Board of Elections and the several election authorities and local election officials having charge of nomination papers shall preserve the same in their respective offices not less than 6 months.

(Source: P.A. 86-875.)

(10 ILCS 5/10-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 10-9)

Sec. 10-9. The following electoral boards are designated for the purpose of hearing and passing upon the objector's petition described in Section 10-8.

1. The State Board of Elections will hear and pass upon objections to the nominations of candidates for State offices, nominations of candidates for congressional, legislative and judicial offices of districts, subcircuits, or circuits situated in more than one county, nominations of candidates for the offices of State's attorney or regional superintendent of schools to be elected from more than one county, and petitions for proposed amendments to the Constitution of the State of Illinois as provided for in Section 3 of Article XIV of the Constitution.

2. The county officers electoral board to hear and pass upon objections to the nominations of candidates for county offices, for congressional, legislative and judicial offices of a district, subcircuit, or circuit coterminous with or less than a county, for any school district offices trustees to be voted for by the electors of the county or by the electors of a township of the county, for the office of multi-township assessor where candidates for such office are nominated in accordance with this Code, and for all special district offices, shall be composed of the county clerk, or an assistant designated by the county clerk, the State's attorney of the county or an Assistant State's Attorney designated by the State's Attorney, and the clerk of the circuit court, or an assistant designated by the clerk of the circuit court, of the county, of whom the county clerk or his designee shall be the chairman, except that in any county which has established a county board of election commissioners that board shall constitute the county officers electoral board ex-officio. If a school district is located in 2 or more counties, the county officers electoral board of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located shall hear and pass upon objections to nominations of candidates for school district office in that school district.

3. The municipal officers electoral board to hear and pass upon objections to the nominations of candidates for officers of municipalities shall be composed of the mayor or president of the board of trustees of the city, village or incorporated town, and the city, village or incorporated town clerk, and one member of the city council or board of trustees, that member being designated who is eligible to serve on the electoral board and has served the greatest number of years as a member of the city council or board of trustees, of whom the mayor or president of the board of trustees shall be the chairman.

4. The township officers electoral board to pass upon objections to the nominations of township officers shall be composed of the township supervisor, the town clerk, and that eligible town trustee elected in the township who has had the longest term of continuous service as town trustee, of whom the township supervisor shall be the chairman.

5. The education officers electoral board to hear and pass upon objections to the nominations of candidates for offices in school or community college districts shall be composed of the presiding officer of the school or community college district board, who shall be the chairman, the secretary of the school or community college district board and the eligible elected school or community college board member who has the longest term of continuous service as a board member.

6. In all cases, however, where the Congressional, Legislative, or Representative district is wholly or partially within the jurisdiction of a single municipal board of election commissioners in Cook County and in all cases where the school district or special district is wholly within the jurisdiction of a municipal board of election commissioners and in all cases where the municipality or township is wholly or partially within the jurisdiction of a municipal board of election commissioners, the board of election commissioners shall ex-officio constitute the electoral board.

For special districts situated in more than one county, the county officers electoral board of the county in which the principal office of the district is located has jurisdiction to hear and pass upon objections. For purposes of this Section, "special districts" means all political subdivisions other than counties, municipalities, townships and school and community college districts.

In the event that any member of the appropriate board is a candidate for the office with relation to which the objector's petition is filed, he shall not be eligible to serve on that board and shall not act as a member of the board and his place shall be filled as follows:

a. In the county officers electoral board by the county treasurer, and if he or she is ineligible to serve, by the sheriff of the county.

b. In the municipal officers electoral board by the eligible elected city council or board of trustees member who has served the second greatest number of years as a city council or board of trustees member.

c. In the township officers electoral board by the eligible elected town trustee who has had the second longest term of continuous service as a town trustee.

d. In the education officers electoral board by the eligible elected school or community college district board member who has had the second longest term of continuous service as a board member.

In the event that the chairman of the electoral board is ineligible to act because of the fact that he or she is a candidate for the office with relation to which the objector's petition is filed, then the substitute chosen under the provisions of this Section shall be the chairman; In this case, the officer or board with whom the objector's petition is filed, shall transmit the certificate of nomination or nomination papers as the case may be, and the objector's petition to the substitute chairman of the electoral board.

When 2 or more eligible individuals, by reason of their terms of service on a city council or board of trustees, township board of trustees, or school or community college district board, qualify to serve on an electoral board, the one to serve shall be chosen by lot.

Any vacancies on an electoral board not otherwise filled pursuant to this Section shall be filled by public members appointed by the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court for the county wherein the electoral board hearing is being held upon notification to the Chief Judge of such vacancies. The Chief Judge shall be so notified by a member of the electoral board or the officer or board with whom the objector's petition was filed. In the event that none of the individuals designated by this Section to serve on the electoral board are eligible, the chairman of an electoral board shall be designated by the Chief Judge.

(Source: P.A. 96-1008, eff. 7-6-10.)

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

Sec. 10-10. Within 24 hours after the receipt of the certificate of nomination or nomination papers or proposed question of public policy, as the case may be, and the objector's petition, the chairman of the electoral board other than the State Board of Elections shall send a call by registered or certified mail to each of the members of the electoral board, and to the objector who filed the objector's petition, and either to the candidate whose certificate of nomination or nomination papers are objected to or to the principal proponent or attorney for proponents of a question of public policy, as the case may be, whose petitions are objected to, and shall also cause the sheriff of the county or counties in which such officers and persons reside to serve a copy of such call upon each of such officers and persons, which call shall set out the fact that the electoral board is required to meet to hear and pass upon the objections to nominations made for the office, designating it, and shall state the day, hour and place at which the electoral board shall meet for the purpose, which place shall be in the county court house in the county in the case of the County Officers Electoral Board, the Municipal Officers Electoral Board, the Township Officers Electoral Board or the Education Officers Electoral Board, except that the Municipal Officers Electoral Board, the Township Officers Electoral Board, and the Education Officers Electoral Board may meet at the location where the governing body of the municipality, township, or school or community college district, respectively, holds its regularly scheduled meetings, if that location is available; provided that voter records may be removed from the offices of an election authority only at the discretion and under the supervision of the election authority. In those cases where the State Board of Elections is the electoral board designated under Section 10-9, the chairman of the State Board of Elections shall, within 24 hours after the receipt of the certificate of nomination or nomination papers or petitions for a proposed amendment to Article IV of the Constitution or proposed statewide question of public policy, send a call by registered or certified mail to the objector who files the objector's petition, and either to the candidate whose certificate of nomination or nomination papers are objected to or to the principal proponent or attorney for proponents of the proposed Constitutional amendment or statewide question of public policy and shall state the day, hour and place at which the electoral board shall meet for the purpose, which place may be in the Capitol Building or in the principal or permanent branch office of the State Board. The day of the meeting shall not be less than 3 nor more than 5 days after the receipt of the certificate of nomination or nomination papers and the objector's petition by the chairman of the electoral board.

The electoral board shall have the power to administer oaths and to subpoena and examine witnesses and at the request of either party the chairman may issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses and subpoenas duces tecum requiring the production of such books, papers, records and documents as may be evidence of any matter under inquiry before the electoral board, in the same manner as witnesses are subpoenaed in the Circuit Court.

Service of such subpoenas shall be made by any sheriff or other person in the same manner as in cases in such court and the fees of such sheriff shall be the same as is provided by law, and shall be paid by the objector or candidate who causes the issuance of the subpoena. In case any person so served shall knowingly neglect or refuse to obey any such subpoena, or to testify, the electoral board shall at once file a petition in the circuit court of the county in which such hearing is to be heard, or has been attempted to be heard, setting forth the facts, of such knowing refusal or neglect, and accompanying the petition with a copy of the citation and the answer, if one has been filed, together with a copy of the subpoena and the return of service thereon, and shall apply for an order of court requiring such person to attend and testify, and forthwith produce books and papers, before the electoral board. Any circuit court of the state, excluding the judge who is sitting on the electoral board, upon such showing shall order such person to appear and testify, and to forthwith produce such books and papers, before the electoral board at a place to be fixed by the court. If such person shall knowingly fail or refuse to obey such order of the court without lawful excuse, the court shall punish him or her by fine and imprisonment, as the nature of the case may require and may be lawful in cases of contempt of court.

The electoral board on the first day of its meeting shall adopt rules of procedure for the introduction of evidence and the presentation of arguments and may, in its discretion, provide for the filing of briefs by the parties to the objection or by other interested persons.

In the event of a State Electoral Board hearing on objections to a petition for an amendment to Article IV of the Constitution pursuant to Section 3 of Article XIV of the Constitution, or to a petition for a question of public policy to be submitted to the voters of the entire State, the certificates of the county clerks and boards of election commissioners showing the results of the random sample of signatures on the petition shall be prima facie valid and accurate, and shall be presumed to establish the number of valid and invalid signatures on the petition sheets reviewed in the random sample, as prescribed in Section 28-11 and 28-12 of this Code. Either party, however, may introduce evidence at such hearing to dispute the findings as to particular signatures. In addition to the foregoing, in the absence of competent evidence presented at such hearing by a party substantially challenging the results of a random sample, or showing a different result obtained by an additional sample, this certificate of a county clerk or board of election commissioners shall be presumed to establish the ratio of valid to invalid signatures within the particular election jurisdiction.

The electoral board shall take up the question as to whether or not the certificate of nomination or nomination papers or petitions are in proper form, and whether or not they were filed within the time and under the conditions required by law, and whether or not they are the genuine certificate of nomination or nomination papers or petitions which they purport to be, and whether or not in the case of the certificate of nomination in question it represents accurately the decision of the caucus or convention issuing it, and in general shall decide whether or not the certificate of nomination or nominating papers or petitions on file are valid or whether the objections thereto should be sustained and the decision of a majority of the electoral board shall be final subject to judicial review as provided in Section 10-10.1. The electoral board must state its findings in writing and must state in writing which objections, if any, it has sustained. A copy of the decision shall be served upon the parties to the proceedings in open proceedings before the electoral board. If a party does not appear for receipt of the decision, the decision shall be deemed to have been served on the absent party on the date when a copy of the decision is personally delivered or on the date when a copy of the decision is deposited in the Unites States mail, in a sealed envelope or package, with postage prepaid, addressed to each party affected by the decision or to such party's attorney of record, if any, at the address on record for such person in the files of the electoral board.

Upon the expiration of the period within which a proceeding for judicial review must be commenced under Section 10-10.1, the electoral board shall, unless a proceeding for judicial review has been commenced within such period, transmit, by registered or certified mail, a certified copy of its ruling, together with the original certificate of nomination or nomination papers or petitions and the original objector's petition, to the officer or board with whom the certificate of nomination or nomination papers or petitions, as objected to, were on file, and such officer or board shall abide by and comply with the ruling so made to all intents and purposes.

(Source: P.A. 95-872, eff. 1-1-09; 96-1008, eff. 7-6-10.)

(10 ILCS 5/17-23) (from Ch. 46, par. 17-23)

Sec. 17-23. Pollwatchers in a general election shall be authorized in the following manner:

(1) Each established political party shall be entitled to appoint two pollwatchers per precinct. Such pollwatchers must be affiliated with the political party for which they are pollwatching. For all elections, the pollwatchers must be registered to vote in Illinois.

(2) Each candidate shall be entitled to appoint two pollwatchers per precinct. For all elections, the pollwatchers must be registered to vote in Illinois.

(3) Each organization of citizens within the county or political subdivision, which has among its purposes or interests the investigation or prosecution of election frauds, and which shall have registered its name and address and the name and addresses of its principal officers with the proper election authority at least 40 days before the election, shall be entitled to appoint one pollwatcher per precinct. For all elections, the pollwatcher must be registered to vote in Illinois.

(3.5) Each State nonpartisan civic organization within the county or political subdivision shall be entitled to appoint one pollwatcher per precinct, provided that no more than 2 pollwatchers appointed by State nonpartisan civic organizations shall be present in a precinct polling place at the same time. Each organization shall have registered the names and addresses of its principal officers with the proper election authority at least 40 days before the election. The pollwatchers must be registered to vote in Illinois. For the purpose of this paragraph, a "State nonpartisan civic organization" means any corporation, unincorporated association, or organization that:

(i) as part of its written articles of incorporation, bylaws, or charter or by separate written declaration, has among its stated purposes the provision of voter information and education, the protection of individual voters' rights, and the promotion of free and equal elections;

(ii) is organized or primarily conducts its activities within the State of Illinois; and

(iii) continuously maintains an office or business location within the State of Illinois, together with a current listed telephone number (a post office box number without a current listed telephone number is not sufficient).

(4) In any general election held to elect candidates for the offices of a municipality of less than 3,000,000 population that is situated in 2 or more counties, a pollwatcher who is a resident of Illinois shall be eligible to serve as a pollwatcher in any poll located within such municipality, provided that such pollwatcher otherwise complies with the respective requirements of subsections (1) through (3) of this Section and is a registered voter in Illinois.

(5) Each organized group of proponents or opponents of a ballot proposition, which shall have registered the name and address of its organization or committee and the name and address of its chairman with the proper election authority at least 40 days before the election, shall be entitled to appoint one pollwatcher per precinct. The pollwatcher must be registered to vote in Illinois.

All pollwatchers shall be required to have proper credentials. Such credentials shall be printed in sufficient quantities, shall be issued by and under the facsimile signature(s) of the election authority or the State Board of Elections and shall be available for distribution by the election authority and State Board of Elections at least 2 weeks prior to the election. Such credentials shall be authorized by the real or facsimile signature of the State or local party official or the candidate or the presiding officer of the civic organization or the chairman of the proponent or opponent group, as the case may be. Neither the The election authority nor the State Board of Elections may not require any such party official or the candidate or the presiding officer of the civic organization or the chairman of the proponent or opponent group to submit the names or other information concerning pollwatchers before making credentials available to such persons or organizations.

Pollwatcher credentials shall be in substantially the following form:

POLLWATCHER CREDENTIALS

TO THE JUDGES OF ELECTION:

In accordance with the provisions of the Election Code, the undersigned hereby appoints .......... (name of pollwatcher) who resides at ........... (address) in the county of ..........., .......... (township or municipality) of ........... (name), State of Illinois and who is duly registered to vote from this address, to act as a pollwatcher in the ........... precinct of the ........... ward (if applicable) of the ........... (township or municipality) of ........... at the ........... election to be held on (insert date).

........................ (Signature of Appointing Authority)

......................... TITLE (party official, candidate, civic organization president, proponent or opponent group chairman)

Under penalties provided by law pursuant to Section 29-10 of the Election Code, the undersigned pollwatcher certifies that he or she resides at ................ (address) in the county of ............, ......... (township or municipality) of ........... (name), State of Illinois, and is duly registered to vote in Illinois.

.......................... .......................

(Precinct and/or Ward in (Signature of Pollwatcher)

Which Pollwatcher Resides)

Pollwatchers must present their credentials to the Judges of Election upon entering the polling place. Pollwatcher credentials properly executed and signed shall be proof of the qualifications of the pollwatcher authorized thereby. Such credentials are retained by the Judges and returned to the Election Authority at the end of the day of election with the other election materials. Once a pollwatcher has surrendered a valid credential, he may leave and reenter the polling place provided that such continuing action does not disrupt the conduct of the election. Pollwatchers may be substituted during the course of the day, but established political parties, candidates and qualified civic organizations can have only as many pollwatchers at any given time as are authorized in this Article. A substitute must present his signed credential to the judges of election upon entering the polling place. Election authorities must provide a sufficient number of credentials to allow for substitution of pollwatchers. After the polls have closed pollwatchers shall be allowed to remain until the canvass of votes is completed; but may leave and reenter only in cases of necessity, provided that such action is not so continuous as to disrupt the canvass of votes.

Candidates seeking office in a district or municipality encompassing 2 or more counties shall be admitted to any and all polling places throughout such district or municipality without regard to the counties in which such candidates are registered to vote. Actions of such candidates shall be governed in each polling place by the same privileges and limitations that apply to pollwatchers as provided in this Section. Any such candidate who engages in an activity in a polling place which could reasonably be construed by a majority of the judges of election as campaign activity shall be removed forthwith from such polling place.

Candidates seeking office in a district or municipality encompassing 2 or more counties who desire to be admitted to polling places on election day in such district or municipality shall be required to have proper credentials. Such credentials shall be printed in sufficient quantities, shall be issued by and under the facsimile signature of the State Board of Elections or the election authority of the election jurisdiction where the polling place in which the candidate seeks admittance is located, and shall be available for distribution at least 2 weeks prior to the election. Such credentials shall be signed by the candidate.

Candidate credentials shall be in substantially the following form:

CANDIDATE CREDENTIALS

TO THE JUDGES OF ELECTION:

In accordance with the provisions of the Election Code, I ...... (name of candidate) hereby certify that I am a candidate for ....... (name of office) and seek admittance to ....... precinct of the ....... ward (if applicable) of the ....... (township or municipality) of ....... at the ....... election to be held on (insert date).

......................... .......................

(Signature of Candidate) OFFICE FOR WHICH CANDIDATE SEEKS NOMINATION OR ELECTION

Pollwatchers shall be permitted to observe all proceedings and view all reasonably requested records relating to the conduct of the election, provided the secrecy of the ballot is not impinged, and to station themselves in a position in the voting room as will enable them to observe the judges making the signature comparison between the voter application and the voter registration record card; provided, however, that such pollwatchers shall not be permitted to station themselves in such close proximity to the judges of election so as to interfere with the orderly conduct of the election and shall not, in any event, be permitted to handle election materials. Pollwatchers may challenge for cause the voting qualifications of a person offering to vote and may call to the attention of the judges of election any incorrect procedure or apparent violations of this Code.

If a majority of the judges of election determine that the polling place has become too overcrowded with pollwatchers so as to interfere with the orderly conduct of the election, the judges shall, by lot, limit such pollwatchers to a reasonable number, except that each established or new political party shall be permitted to have at least one pollwatcher present.

Representatives of an election authority, with regard to an election under its jurisdiction, the State Board of Elections, and law enforcement agencies, including but not limited to a United States Attorney, a State's attorney, the Attorney General, and a State, county, or local police department, in the performance of their official election duties, shall be permitted at all times to enter and remain in the polling place. Upon entering the polling place, such representatives shall display their official credentials or other identification to the judges of election.

Uniformed police officers assigned to polling place duty shall follow all lawful instructions of the judges of election.

The provisions of this Section shall also apply to supervised casting of absentee ballots as provided in Section 19-12.2 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05; 95-267, eff. 8-17-07; 95-699, eff. 11-9-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)

(10 ILCS 5/18A-15)

Sec. 18A-15. Validating and counting provisional ballots.

(a) The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall complete the validation and counting of provisional ballots within 14 calendar days of the day of the election. The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall have 7 calendar days from the completion of the validation and counting of provisional ballots to conduct its final canvass. The State Board of Elections shall complete within 31 calendar days of the election or sooner if all the returns are received, its final canvass of the vote for all public offices.

(b) If a county clerk or board of election commissioners determines that all of the following apply, then a provisional ballot is valid and shall be counted as a vote:

(1) the provisional voter cast the provisional ballot in the correct precinct based on the address provided by the provisional voter. The provisional voter's affidavit shall serve as a change of address request by that voter for registration purposes for the next ensuing election if it bears an address different from that in the records of the election authority. Votes for federal and statewide offices on a provisional ballot cast in the incorrect precinct that meet the other requirements of this subsection shall be valid and counted in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Elections. As used in this item, "federal office" is defined as provided in Section 20-1 and "statewide office" means the Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer. Votes for General Assembly, countywide, citywide, or township office on a provisional ballot cast in the incorrect precinct but in the correct legislative district, representative district, county, municipality, or township, as the case may be, shall be valid and counted in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Elections. As used in this item, "citywide office" means an office elected by the electors of an entire municipality. As used in this item, "township office" means an office elected by the electors of an entire township;

(2) the affidavit executed by the provisional voter pursuant to subsection (b)(2) of Section 18A-5 contains, at a minimum, the provisional voter's first and last name, house number and street name, and signature or mark;

(3) the provisional voter is a registered voter based on information available to the county clerk or board of election commissioners provided by or obtained from any of the following:

i. the provisional voter;

ii. an election judge;

iii. the statewide voter registration database maintained by the State Board of Elections;

iv. the records of the county clerk or board of election commissioners' database; or

v. the records of the Secretary of State; and

(4) for a provisional ballot cast under item (6) of subsection (a) of Section 18A-5, the voter did not vote by absentee ballot in the election at which the provisional ballot was cast.

(c) With respect to subsection (b)(3) of this Section, the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall investigate and record whether or not the specified information is available from each of the 5 identified sources. If the information is available from one or more of the identified sources, then the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall seek to obtain the information from each of those sources until satisfied, with information from at least one of those sources, that the provisional voter is registered and entitled to vote. The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall use any information it obtains as the basis for determining the voter registration status of the provisional voter. If a conflict exists among the information available to the county clerk or board of election commissioners as to the registration status of the provisional voter, then the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall make a determination based on the totality of the circumstances. In a case where the above information equally supports or opposes the registration status of the voter, the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall decide in favor of the provisional voter as being duly registered to vote. If the statewide voter registration database maintained by the State Board of Elections indicates that the provisional voter is registered to vote, but the county clerk's or board of election commissioners' voter registration database indicates that the provisional voter is not registered to vote, then the information found in the statewide voter registration database shall control the matter and the provisional voter shall be deemed to be registered to vote. If the records of the county clerk or board of election commissioners indicates that the provisional voter is registered to vote, but the statewide voter registration database maintained by the State Board of Elections indicates that the provisional voter is not registered to vote, then the information found in the records of the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall control the matter and the provisional voter shall be deemed to be registered to vote. If the provisional voter's signature on his or her provisional ballot request varies from the signature on an otherwise valid registration application solely because of the substitution of initials for the first or middle name, the election authority may not reject the provisional ballot.

(d) In validating the registration status of a person casting a provisional ballot, the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall not require a provisional voter to complete any form other than the affidavit executed by the provisional voter under subsection (b)(2) of Section 18A-5. In addition, the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall not require all provisional voters or any particular class or group of provisional voters to appear personally before the county clerk or board of election commissioners or as a matter of policy require provisional voters to submit additional information to verify or otherwise support the information already submitted by the provisional voter. Within 2 calendar days after the election, the election authority shall transmit by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections the name, street address, e-mail address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, of each person casting a provisional ballot to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees. The provisional voter may, within 7 2 calendar days after the election, submit additional information to the county clerk or board of election commissioners. This information must be received by the county clerk or board of election commissioners within the 7-calendar-day 2-calendar-day period.

(e) If the county clerk or board of election commissioners determines that subsection (b)(1), (b)(2), or (b)(3) does not apply, then the provisional ballot is not valid and may not be counted. The provisional ballot envelope containing the ballot cast by the provisional voter may not be opened. The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall write on the provisional ballot envelope the following: "Provisional ballot determined invalid.".

(f) If the county clerk or board of election commissioners determines that a provisional ballot is valid under this Section, then the provisional ballot envelope shall be opened. The outside of each provisional ballot envelope shall also be marked to identify the precinct and the date of the election.

(g) Provisional ballots determined to be valid shall be counted at the election authority's central ballot counting location and shall not be counted in precincts. The provisional ballots determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for the precincts from which they were cast in the order in which the ballots were opened. The validation and counting of provisional ballots shall be subject to the provisions of this Code that apply to pollwatchers. If the provisional ballots are a ballot of a punch card voting system, then the provisional ballot shall be counted in a manner consistent with Article 24A. If the provisional ballots are a ballot of optical scan or other type of approved electronic voting system, then the provisional ballots shall be counted in a manner consistent with Article 24B.

(h) As soon as the ballots have been counted, the election judges or election officials shall, in the presence of the county clerk or board of election commissioners, place each of the following items in a separate envelope or bag: (1) all provisional ballots, voted or spoiled; (2) all provisional ballot envelopes of provisional ballots voted or spoiled; and (3) all executed affidavits of the provisional ballots voted or spoiled. All provisional ballot envelopes for provisional voters who have been determined not to be registered to vote shall remain sealed. The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall treat the provisional ballot envelope containing the written affidavit as a voter registration application for that person for the next election and process that application. The election judges or election officials shall then securely seal each envelope or bag, initial the envelope or bag, and plainly mark on the outside of the envelope or bag in ink the precinct in which the provisional ballots were cast. The election judges or election officials shall then place each sealed envelope or bag into a box, secure and seal it in the same manner as described in item (6) of subsection (b) of Section 18A-5. Each election judge or election official shall take and subscribe an oath before the county clerk or board of election commissioners that the election judge or election official securely kept the ballots and papers in the box, did not permit any person to open the box or otherwise touch or tamper with the ballots and papers in the box, and has no knowledge of any other person opening the box. For purposes of this Section, the term "election official" means the county clerk, a member of the board of election commissioners, as the case may be, and their respective employees.

(Source: P.A. 97-766, eff. 7-6-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/19-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2)

Sec. 19-2. Any elector as defined in Section 19-1 may by mail or electronically on the website of the appropriate election authority, not more than 40 nor less than 5 days prior to the date of such election, or by personal delivery not more than 40 nor less than one day prior to the date of such election, make application to the county clerk or to the Board of Election Commissioners for an official ballot for the voter's precinct to be voted at such election. Such a ballot shall be delivered to the elector only upon separate application by the elector for each election.

(Source: P.A. 96-553, eff. 8-17-09; 97-81, eff. 7-5-11.)

(10 ILCS 5/19-2.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2.1)

Sec. 19-2.1. In-person absentee voting in the office of the municipal, township, or road district clerks. At the consolidated primary, general primary, consolidated, and general elections, electors entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the provisions of Section 19-1 may vote in person at the office of the municipal clerk, if the elector is a resident of a municipality not having a board of election commissioners, or at the office of the township clerk or, in counties not under township organization, at the office of the road district clerk if the elector is not a resident of a municipality; provided, in each case that the municipal, township or road district clerk, as the case may be, is authorized to conduct in-person absentee voting pursuant to this Section. Absentee voting in such municipal and township clerk's offices under this Section shall be conducted from the 22nd day through the day before the election.

Municipal and township clerks (or road district clerks) who have regularly scheduled working hours at regularly designated offices other than a place of residence and whose offices are open for business during the same hours as the office of the election authority shall conduct in-person absentee voting for said elections. Municipal and township clerks (or road district clerks) who have no regularly scheduled working hours but who have regularly designated offices other than a place of residence shall conduct in-person absentee voting for said elections during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., weekdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Saturdays, but not during such hours as the office of the election authority is closed, unless the clerk files a written waiver with the election authority not later than July 1 of each year stating that he or she is unable to conduct such voting and the reasons therefor. Such clerks who conduct in-person absentee voting may extend their hours for that purpose to include any hours in which the election authority's office is open. Municipal and township clerks (or road district clerks) who have no regularly scheduled office hours and no regularly designated offices other than a place of residence may not conduct in-person absentee voting for said elections. The election authority may devise alternative methods for in-person absentee voting before said elections for those precincts located within the territorial area of a municipality or township (or road district) wherein the clerk of such municipality or township (or road district) has waived or is not entitled to conduct such voting. In addition, electors may vote by absentee ballot under the provisions of Section 19-1 at the office of the election authority having jurisdiction over their residence. Unless specifically authorized by the election authority, municipal, township, and road district clerks shall not conduct in-person absentee voting. No less than 45 days before the date of an election, the election authority shall notify the municipal, township, and road district clerks within its jurisdiction if they are to conduct in-person absentee voting. Election authorities, however, may conduct in-person absentee voting in one or more designated appropriate public buildings from the fourth day before the election through the day before the election.

In conducting in-person absentee voting under this Section, the respective clerks shall be required to verify the signature of the absentee voter by comparison with the signature on the official registration record card. The clerk also shall reasonably ascertain the identity of such applicant, shall verify that each such applicant is a registered voter, and shall verify the precinct in which he or she is registered and the proper ballots of the political subdivisions in which the applicant resides and is entitled to vote, prior to providing any absentee ballot to such applicant. The clerk shall verify the applicant's registration and from the most recent poll list provided by the county clerk, and if the applicant is not listed on that poll list then by telephoning the office of the county clerk.

Within one day after a voter casts an in-person absentee ballot, the appropriate election authority shall transmit by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections the voter's name, street address, e-mail address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees.

Absentee voting procedures in the office of the municipal, township and road district clerks shall be subject to all of the applicable provisions of this Article 19. Pollwatchers may be appointed to observe in-person absentee voting procedures and view all reasonably requested records relating to the conduct of the election, provided the secrecy of the ballot is not impinged, at the office of the municipal, township or road district clerks' offices where such absentee voting is conducted. Such pollwatchers shall qualify and be appointed in the same manner as provided in Sections 7-34 and 17-23, except each candidate, political party or organization of citizens may appoint only one pollwatcher for each location where in-person absentee voting is conducted. Pollwatchers must be registered to vote in Illinois and possess valid pollwatcher credentials. All requirements in this Article applicable to election authorities shall apply to the respective local clerks, except where inconsistent with this Section.

The sealed absentee ballots in their carrier envelope shall be delivered by the respective clerks, or by the election authority on behalf of a clerk if the clerk and the election authority agree, to the election authority's central ballot counting location before the close of the polls on the day of the general primary, consolidated primary, consolidated, or general election.

Not more than 23 days before the general and consolidated elections, the county clerk shall make available to those municipal, township and road district clerks conducting in-person absentee voting within such county, a sufficient number of applications, absentee ballots, envelopes, and printed voting instruction slips for use by absentee voters in the offices of such clerks. The respective clerks shall receipt for all ballots received, shall return all unused or spoiled ballots to the county clerk on the day of the election and shall strictly account for all ballots received.

The ballots delivered to the respective clerks shall include absentee ballots for each precinct in the municipality, township or road district, or shall include such separate ballots for each political subdivision conducting an election of officers or a referendum on that election day as will permit any resident of the municipality, township or road district to vote absentee in the office of the proper clerk.

The clerks of all municipalities, townships and road districts may distribute applications for absentee ballot for the use of voters who wish to mail such applications to the appropriate election authority. Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or return to an election authority the application for absentee ballot. Upon receipt, the appropriate election authority shall accept and promptly process any application for absentee ballot.

(Source: P.A. 96-1008, eff. 7-6-10; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/19-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-3)

Sec. 19-3. The application for absentee ballot shall be substantially in the following form:

APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT

To be voted at the .... election in the County of .... and State of Illinois, in the .... precinct of the (1) *township of .... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in the City of ....

I state that I am a resident of the .... precinct of the (1) *township of .... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in the city of .... residing at .... in such city or town in the county of .... and State of Illinois; that I have lived at such address for .... month(s) last past; that I am lawfully entitled to vote in such precinct at the .... election to be held therein on ....; and that I wish to vote by absentee ballot.

I hereby make application for an official ballot or ballots to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I shall return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the election or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than midnight preceding election day, for counting no later than during the period for counting provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th day following election day.

I understand that this application is made for an official absentee ballot or ballots to be voted by me at the election specified in this application and that I must submit a separate application for an official absentee ballot or ballots to be voted by me at any subsequent election.

Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section 29-10 of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the statements set forth in this application are true and correct.

....

*fill in either (1), (2) or (3).

Post office address to which ballot is mailed: ...............

However, if application is made for a primary election ballot, such application shall require the applicant to designate the name of the political party with which the applicant is affiliated.

If application is made electronically, the applicant shall mark the box associated with the above described statement included as part of the online application certifying that the statements set forth in this application are true and correct, and a signature is not required.

Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or return to an election authority the application for absentee ballot. Upon receipt, the appropriate election authority shall accept and promptly process any application for absentee ballot submitted in a form substantially similar to that required by this Section, including any substantially similar production or reproduction generated by the applicant.

(Source: P.A. 96-312, eff. 1-1-10; 96-553, eff. 8-17-09; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10; 96-1008, eff. 7-6-10; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/19-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-4)

Sec. 19-4. Mailing or delivery of ballots - Time.) Immediately upon the receipt of such application either by mail or electronic means, not more than 40 days nor less than 5 days prior to such election, or by personal delivery not more than 40 days nor less than one day prior to such election, at the office of such election authority, it shall be the duty of such election authority to examine the records to ascertain whether or not such applicant is lawfully entitled to vote as requested, including a verification of the applicant's signature by comparison with the signature on the official registration record card, and if found so to be entitled to vote, to post within one business day thereafter the name, street address, ward and precinct number or township and district number, as the case may be, of such applicant given on a list, the pages of which are to be numbered consecutively to be kept by such election authority for such purpose in a conspicuous, open and public place accessible to the public at the entrance of the office of such election authority, and in such a manner that such list may be viewed without necessity of requesting permission therefor. Within one day after posting the name and other information of an applicant for an absentee ballot, the election authority shall transmit by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections that name and other posted information to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and other information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees. Within 2 business days after posting a name and other information on the list within its office, the election authority shall mail, postage prepaid, or deliver in person in such office an official ballot or ballots if more than one are to be voted at said election. Mail delivery of Temporarily Absent Student ballot applications pursuant to Section 19-12.3 shall be by nonforwardable mail. However, for the consolidated election, absentee ballots for certain precincts may be delivered to applicants not less than 25 days before the election if so much time is required to have prepared and printed the ballots containing the names of persons nominated for offices at the consolidated primary. The election authority shall enclose with each absentee ballot or application written instructions on how voting assistance shall be provided pursuant to Section 17-14 and a document, written and approved by the State Board of Elections, enumerating the circumstances under which a person is authorized to vote by absentee ballot pursuant to this Article; such document shall also include a statement informing the applicant that if he or she falsifies or is solicited by another to falsify his or her eligibility to cast an absentee ballot, such applicant or other is subject to penalties pursuant to Section 29-10 and Section 29-20 of the Election Code. Each election authority shall maintain a list of the name, street address, ward and precinct, or township and district number, as the case may be, of all applicants who have returned absentee ballots to such authority, and the name of such absent voter shall be added to such list within one business day from receipt of such ballot. If the absentee ballot envelope indicates that the voter was assisted in casting the ballot, the name of the person so assisting shall be included on the list. The list, the pages of which are to be numbered consecutively, shall be kept by each election authority in a conspicuous, open, and public place accessible to the public at the entrance of the office of the election authority and in a manner that the list may be viewed without necessity of requesting permission for viewing.

Each election authority shall maintain a list for each election of the voters to whom it has issued absentee ballots. The list shall be maintained for each precinct within the jurisdiction of the election authority. Prior to the opening of the polls on election day, the election authority shall deliver to the judges of election in each precinct the list of registered voters in that precinct to whom absentee ballots have been issued by mail.

Each election authority shall maintain a list for each election of voters to whom it has issued temporarily absent student ballots. The list shall be maintained for each election jurisdiction within which such voters temporarily abide. Immediately after the close of the period during which application may be made by mail or electronic means for absentee ballots, each election authority shall mail to each other election authority within the State a certified list of all such voters temporarily abiding within the jurisdiction of the other election authority.

In the event that the return address of an application for ballot by a physically incapacitated elector is that of a facility licensed or certified under the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act, or the ID/DD Community Care Act, within the jurisdiction of the election authority, and the applicant is a registered voter in the precinct in which such facility is located, the ballots shall be prepared and transmitted to a responsible judge of election no later than 9 a.m. on the Saturday, Sunday or Monday immediately preceding the election as designated by the election authority under Section 19-12.2. Such judge shall deliver in person on the designated day the ballot to the applicant on the premises of the facility from which application was made. The election authority shall by mail notify the applicant in such facility that the ballot will be delivered by a judge of election on the designated day.

All applications for absentee ballots shall be available at the office of the election authority for public inspection upon request from the time of receipt thereof by the election authority until 30 days after the election, except during the time such applications are kept in the office of the election authority pursuant to Section 19-7, and except during the time such applications are in the possession of the judges of election.

(Source: P.A. 96-339, eff. 7-1-10; 97-38, eff. 6-28-11; 97-227, eff. 1-1-12; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/19-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-7)

Sec. 19-7.

(a) Upon receipt of such absent voter's ballot, the election authority shall forthwith enclose the same unopened, together with the application made by said absent voter in a large or carrier envelope which shall be securely sealed and endorsed with the name and official title of such officer and the words, "This envelope contains an absent voter's ballot and must be opened on election day," together with the number and description of the precinct in which said ballot is to be voted, and such officer shall thereafter safely keep the same in his office until counted by him as provided in the next section.

(b) Within one day after receipt of such absent voter's ballot, the election authority shall transmit, by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections, the voter's name, street address, e-mail address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees.

(Source: P.A. 81-155.)

(10 ILCS 5/19A-15)

Sec. 19A-15. Period for early voting; hours.

(a) The period for early voting by personal appearance begins the 15th day preceding a general primary, consolidated primary, consolidated, or general election and extends through the 3rd day before election day.

(b) A permanent polling place for early voting must remain open during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, and 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sundays; except that, in addition to the hours required by this subsection, a permanent early voting polling place designated by an election authority under subsection (c) of Section 19A-10 must remain open for a total of at least 8 hours on any holiday during the early voting period and a total of at least 14 hours on the final weekend during the early voting period.

(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), an election authority may close an early voting polling place if the building in which the polling place is located has been closed by the State or unit of local government in response to a severe weather emergency. In the event of a closure, the election authority shall conduct early voting on the 2nd day before election day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The election authority shall notify the State Board of Elections of any closure and shall make reasonable efforts to provide notice to the public of the extended early voting period.

(d) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), in 2013 only, an election authority may close an early voting place on Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday, provided that the early voting place remains open 2 hours later on April 3, 4, and 5 of 2013. The election authority shall notify the State Board of Elections of any closure and shall provide notice to the public of the closure and the extended hours during the final week.

(Source: P.A. 97-81, eff. 7-5-11; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12; 98-4, eff. 3-12-13.)

(10 ILCS 5/19A-70)

Sec. 19A-70. Advertising or campaigning in proximity of polling place; penalty. During the period prescribed in Section 19A-15 for early voting by personal appearance, no advertising pertaining to any candidate or proposition to be voted on may be displayed in or within 100 feet of any polling place used by voters under this Article. No person may engage in electioneering in or within 100 feet of any polling place used by voters under this Article. The provisions of Section 17-29 with respect to establishment of a campaign free zone, including, but not limited to, the provisions for placement of signage on public property beyond the campaign free zone, apply to polling places under this Article.

Any person who violates this Section may be punished for contempt of court.

(Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)

(10 ILCS 5/22-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 22-6)

Sec. 22-6. E-Canvass.

(a) Within 22 days after each election, each Election Authority shall provide unit-by-unit vote totals to the State Board of Elections in an electronic format to be prescribed by the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections shall promulgate rules necessary for the implementation of this Section.

(b) Beginning with the November 2014 general election and every primary, consolidated, general, and special election thereafter, within 52 days after each election, the State Board of Elections shall publish the precinct-by-precinct vote totals on its website and make them available in a downloadable form.

(Source: P.A. 95-699, eff. 11-9-07.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-6.2 new)

Sec. 24A-6.2. Programming of automatic tabulating equipment. Beginning with the 2014 general election and all primary, consolidated, general, and special elections thereafter, automatic tabulating equipment authorized by this Section and programmed for a primary, consolidated, general, or special election conducted pursuant to general election law shall be programmed using the unique race and candidate ID numbers assigned by the State Board of Elections. The unique race and candidate ID numbers will be provided to the county clerk or election authority, as the case may be, with the candidate certification prepared by the State Board of Elections. In addition, any new voting system approved by the state after the 2014 general election shall have the capability to export the election results by ballot style and group them by precinct in an electronic format prescribed by the State Board of Elections.

(10 ILCS 5/24A-16) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-16)

Sec. 24A-16. The State Board of Elections shall approve all voting systems provided by this Article.

No voting system shall be approved unless it fulfills the following requirements:

(1) It enables a voter to vote in absolute secrecy;

(2) (Blank);

(3) It enables a voter to vote a ticket selected in part from the nominees of one party, and in part from the nominees of any or all parties, and in part from independent candidates and in part of candidates whose names are written in by the voter;

(4) It enables a voter to vote a written or printed ticket of his own selection for any person for any office for whom he may desire to vote;

(5) It will reject all votes for an office or upon a proposition when the voter has cast more votes for such office or upon such proposition than he is entitled to cast;

(5.5) It will identify when a voter has not voted for all statewide constitutional offices;

(6) It will accommodate all propositions to be submitted to the voters in the form provided by law or, where no such form is provided, then in brief form, not to exceed 75 words.

(7) It will accommodate the tabulation programming requirements of Sections 24A-6.2, 24B-6.2, and 24C-6.2.

The State Board of Elections shall not approve any voting equipment or system that includes an external Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communications port.

The State Board of Elections is authorized to withdraw its approval of a voting system if the system fails to fulfill the above requirements.

The vendor, person, or other private entity shall be solely responsible for the production and cost of: all application fees; all ballots; additional temporary workers; and other equipment or facilities needed and used in the testing of the vendor's, person's, or other private entity's respective equipment and software.

Any voting system vendor, person, or other private entity seeking the State Board of Elections' approval of a voting system shall, as part of the approval application, submit to the State Board a non-refundable fee. The State Board of Elections by rule shall establish an appropriate fee structure, taking into account the type of voting system approval that is requested (such as approval of a new system, a modification of an existing system, the size of the modification, etc.). No voting system or modification of a voting system shall be approved unless the fee is paid.

No vendor, person, or other entity may sell, lease, or loan, or have a written contract, including a contract contingent upon State Board approval of the voting system or voting system component, to sell, lease, or loan, a voting system or voting system component to any election jurisdiction unless the voting system or voting system component is first approved by the State Board of Elections pursuant to this Section.

(Source: P.A. 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06; 95-699, eff. 11-9-07.)

(10 ILCS 5/24B-6.2 new)

Sec. 24B-6.2. Programming of automatic tabulating equipment. Beginning with the 2014 general election and all primary, consolidated, general, and special elections thereafter, automatic tabulating equipment authorized by this Section and programmed for a primary, consolidated, general, or special election conducted pursuant to general election law shall be programmed using the unique race and candidate ID numbers assigned by the State Board of Elections. The unique race and candidate ID numbers will be provided to the county clerk or election authority, as the case may be, with the candidate certification prepared by the State Board of Elections. In addition, any new voting system approved by the State after the 2014 general election shall have the capability to export the election results by ballot style and group them by precinct in an electronic format prescribed by the State Board of Elections.

(10 ILCS 5/24C-6.2 new)

Sec. 24C-6.2. Programming of automatic tabulating equipment. Beginning with the 2014 general election and all primary, consolidated, general, and special elections thereafter, automatic tabulating equipment authorized by this Section and programmed for a primary, consolidated, general, or special election conducted pursuant to general election law shall be programmed using the unique race and candidate ID numbers assigned by the State Board of Elections. The unique race and candidate ID numbers will be provided to the county clerk or election authority, as the case may be, with the candidate certification prepared by the State Board of Elections. In addition, any new voting system approved by the State after the 2014 general election shall have the capability to export the election results by ballot style and group them by precinct in an electronic format prescribed by the State Board of Elections.

(10 ILCS 5/28-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 28-8)

Sec. 28-8. If a referendum held in accordance with Section 28-7 of this Act involved the question of whether a unit of local government shall become a home rule unit or shall cease to be a home rule unit and if that referendum passed, then the clerk of that unit of local government shall, within 45 days after the referendum, file with the Secretary of State a certified statement showing the results of the referendum and the resulting status of the unit of local government as a home rule unit or a non-home rule unit. The Secretary of State shall maintain such certified statements in his office as a public record.

The question of whether a unit of local government shall become a home rule unit shall be submitted in substantially the following form:

Shall (name of the unit of local government) become a home rule unit?

Votes must be recorded as "yes" or "no".

The question of whether a unit of local government shall cease to be a home rule unit shall be submitted in substantially the following form:

Shall (name of the unit of local government) cease to be a home rule unit?

Votes must be recorded as "yes" or "no".

(Source: P.A. 95-699, eff. 11-9-07.)

Section 7. The Illinois Identification Card Act is amended by changing Section 11 as follows:

(15 ILCS 335/11) (from Ch. 124, par. 31)

Sec. 11. The Secretary may make a search of his records and furnish information as to whether a person has a current Standard Illinois Identification Card or an Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card then on file, upon receipt of a written application therefor accompanied with the prescribed fee. However, the Secretary may not disclose medical information concerning an individual to any person, public agency, private agency, corporation or governmental body unless the individual has submitted a written request for the information or unless the individual has given prior written consent for the release of the information to a specific person or entity. This exception shall not apply to: (1) offices and employees of the Secretary who have a need to know the medical information in performance of their official duties, or (2) orders of a court of competent jurisdiction. When medical information is disclosed by the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of this Section, no liability shall rest with the Office of the Secretary of State as the information is released for informational purposes only.

The Secretary may release personally identifying information or highly restricted personal information only to:

(1) officers and employees of the Secretary who have a need to know that information;

(2) other governmental agencies for use in their official governmental functions;

(3) law enforcement agencies that need the information for a criminal or civil investigation; or

(3-5) the State Board of Elections for the sole purpose of providing the signatures required by a local election authority to register a voter through an online voter registration system; or

(4) any entity that the Secretary has authorized, by rule, to receive this information.

The Secretary may not disclose an individual's social security number or any associated information obtained from the Social Security Administration without the written request or consent of the individual except: (i) to officers and employees of the Secretary who have a need to know the social security number in the performance of their official duties; (ii) to law enforcement officials for a lawful civil or criminal law enforcement investigation if the head of the law enforcement agency has made a written request to the Secretary specifying the law enforcement investigation for which the social security number is being sought; (iii) under a lawful court order signed by a judge; or (iv) to the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs for the purpose of confirming veteran status.

(Source: P.A. 97-739, eff. 1-1-13; 97-1064, eff. 1-1-13; revised 9-5-12.)

Section 10. The Counties Code is amended by changing Section 3-6001.5 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/3-6001.5)

Sec. 3-6001.5. Sheriff qualifications. On or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly December 1, 1997, except as otherwise provided in this Section, a person is not eligible to be a candidate for the office of sheriff, and a person shall not be elected or appointed to the office of sheriff, unless that person meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Is a United States citizen.

(2) Has been a resident of the county for at least one year.

(3) Is not a convicted felon.

(Source: P.A. 90-447, eff. 8-16-97.)

Section 15. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by changing Section 3.1-10-5 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5) (from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-10-5)

Sec. 3.1-10-5. Qualifications; elective office.

(a) A person is not eligible for an elective municipal office unless that person is a qualified elector of the municipality and has resided in the municipality at least one year next preceding the election or appointment, except as provided in Section 3.1-20-25, subsection (b) of Section 3.1-25-75, Section 5-2-2, or Section 5-2-11.

(b) A person is not eligible to take the oath of office for a municipal office if that person is, at the time required for taking the oath of office, in arrears in the payment of a tax or other indebtedness due to the municipality or A person is not eligible for an elective municipal office if that person is in arrears in the payment of a tax or other indebtedness due to the municipality or has been convicted in any court located in the United States of any infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony.

(b-5) A person is not eligible to hold a municipal office, if that person is, at any time during the term of office, in arrears in the payment of a tax or other indebtedness due to the municipality or has been convicted in any court located in the United States of any infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony.

(c) A person is not eligible for the office of alderman of a ward unless that person has resided in the ward that the person seeks to represent, and a person is not eligible for the office of trustee of a district unless that person has resided in the municipality, at least one year next preceding the election or appointment, except as provided in Section 3.1-20-25, subsection (b) of Section 3.1-25-75, Section 5-2-2, or Section 5-2-11.

(d) If a person (i) is a resident of a municipality immediately prior to the active duty military service of that person or that person's spouse, (ii) resides anywhere outside of the municipality during that active duty military service, and (iii) immediately upon completion of that active duty military service is again a resident of the municipality, then the time during which the person resides outside the municipality during the active duty military service is deemed to be time during which the person is a resident of the municipality for purposes of determining the residency requirement under subsection (a).

(Source: P.A. 97-1091, eff. 8-24-12.)

Section 20. The Revised Cities and Villages Act of 1941 is amended by changing Sections 21-12, 21-28, 21-30 and 21-32 as follows:

(65 ILCS 20/21-12) (from Ch. 24, par. 21-12)

Sec. 21-12. City clerk and city treasurer; Election; Tenure. At the time of election of the mayor there shall be elected also in a nonpartisan election a city clerk and a city treasurer. The candidates receiving a majority of the votes cast for clerk and treasurer at the consolidated primary election shall be declared the clerk and treasurer. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes for one of the offices, a runoff election shall be held at the consolidated election, when only the names of the candidates receiving the highest and second highest number of votes for that office at the consolidated primary election shall appear on the ballot. If more than one candidate received the highest or second highest number of votes for one of the offices at the consolidated primary election, the names of all candidates receiving the highest and second highest number of votes for that office shall appear on the ballot at the consolidated election. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes at the consolidated election shall be declared elected.

The clerk and treasurer each shall hold office for a term of 4 years beginning at noon on the third Monday in May following the election and until a successor is elected and qualified. No person, however, shall be elected to the office of city treasurer for 2 terms in succession.

(Source: P.A. 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)

(65 ILCS 20/21-28) (from Ch. 24, par. 21-28)

Sec. 21-28. Nomination by petition.

(a) All nominations for alderman of any ward in the city shall be by petition. All petitions for nominations of candidates shall be signed by such a number of legal voters of the ward as will aggregate not less than 4% two per cent of all the votes cast for alderman in such ward at the last preceding general election. For the election following the redistricting of wards petitions for nominations of candidates shall be signed by the number of legal voters of the ward as will aggregate not less than 4% 2% of the total number of votes cast for mayor at the last preceding municipal election divided by the number of wards.

(b) All nominations for mayor, city clerk, and city treasurer in the city shall be by petition. Each petition for nomination of a candidate must be signed by at least 12,500 legal voters of the city.

(c) All such petitions, and procedure with respect thereto, shall conform in other respects to the provisions of the election and ballot laws then in force in the city of Chicago concerning the nomination of independent candidates for public office by petition. The method of nomination herein provided is exclusive of and replaces all other methods heretofore provided by law.

(Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)

(65 ILCS 20/21-30) (from Ch. 24, par. 21-30)

Sec. 21-30. Form of ballot. Ballots to be used at any general, supplementary or special election for aldermen held under the provisions of this article, in addition to other requirements of law, shall conform to the following requirements:

(1) At the top of the ballots shall be printed in capital letters the words designating the ballot. If a general aldermanic election the words shall be "Official aldermanic election ballot"; if a supplementary election the designating words shall be "Official supplementary aldermanic election ballot"; if a special aldermanic election, the words shall be "Special aldermanic election ballot."

(2) Beginning not less than one inch below such designating words and extending across the face of the ballot, the title of each office to be filled shall be printed in capital letters.

(3) The names of candidates for different terms of service therein (if any there be), shall be arranged and printed in groups according to the length of such terms.

(4) Immediately below the title of each office or group heading indicating the term of office, shall be printed in small letters the directions to voters, "Vote for one."

(5) Following thereupon shall be printed the names of the candidates for such office according to the title and the term thereof and below the name of each candidate shall be printed his place of residence, stating the street and number (if any). The names of candidates shall be printed in capital letters not less than one-eighth nor more than one-quarter of an inch in height, and immediately at the left of the name of each candidate shall be printed a square, the sides of which shall not be less than one-quarter of an inch in length. The names of all the candidates for each office shall be printed in a column and arranged in the order hereinafter designated; all names of candidates shall be printed in uniform type; the places of residence of such candidates shall be printed in uniform type; and squares upon said ballots shall be of uniform size; and spaces between the names of the candidates for the same office shall be of uniform size.

(6) The names of the candidates for alderman shall appear upon the ballot in the order in which petitions for nomination have been filed in the office of the board of election commissioners. However, 2 or more petitions filed within the last hour of the filing deadline shall be deemed filed simultaneously. Where 2 or more petitions are received simultaneously, the board of election commissioners shall break ties and determine the order of filing by means of a lottery or other fair and impartial method of random selection approved by the board of election commissioners. Such lottery shall be conducted within 9 days following the last day for petition filing and shall be open to the public. Seven days written notice of the time and place of conducting such random selection shall be given, by the board of election commissioners, to the Chairman of each political party and to each organization of citizens within the city which was entitled, under The Election Code, at the next preceding election, to have pollwatchers present on the day of election. The board of election commissioners shall post in a conspicuous, open and public place, at the entrance of the office, notice of the time and place of such lottery. The board of election commissioners shall adopt rules and regulations governing the procedures for the conduct of such lottery.

(Source: P.A. 86-867.)

(65 ILCS 20/21-32) (from Ch. 24, par. 21-32)

Sec. 21-32. Party designations prohibited - Ballot to be separate from other ballots.

No party name, party initial, party circle platform, principle, appellation or distinguishing mark of any kind shall be printed upon any election ballot used at any aldermanic election for mayor, city clerk, city treasurer, or alderman held under the provisions of this article.

If any party primary election or any election for any office other than aldermanic shall be held at the same time with any aldermanic election, the ballots for aldermen shall be separate from all other ballots, except that any question of public policy not required by law to be submitted on a separate ballot from that containing names of persons to be voted for may be submitted in the manner provided by law upon the same ballot as that used for an aldermanic election: Provided, that the polls shall be opened and closed for any aldermanic election at the same time as is provided for the opening and closing of any party primary election for any office other than alderman held at the same time.

(Source: Laws 1941, vol. 2, p. 19.)

Section 25. The School Code is amended by changing Sections 6-2, 6-19, 9-10, 10-10, 32-1, and 32-2.5 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/6-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 6-2)

Sec. 6-2. Regional board; creation; membership; abolition and transfer of duties.

(a) There is created a regional board of school trustees for that territory in each educational service region exclusive of any school district organized under Article 34 and exclusive of any school district whose school board has been given the powers of school trustees; provided that on the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1992 the regional board of school trustees theretofore created and existing for any territory in an educational service region containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants is abolished, the terms of office of all members of the regional board of school trustees so abolished are terminated on that effective date, and from and after that effective date all rights, powers, duties, and responsibilities that were vested in or required by law to be exercised and performed by the former regional board of school trustees shall be vested in and exercised and performed by the successors to the former regional board of school trustees as provided in subsection (b) of this Section 6-2. Any school district whose board of education acts as a board of school trustees shall have within its district the powers and duties of a regional board of school trustees.

Unless abolished as provided in this Section, the regional board of school trustees, in both single county and multi-county educational service regions, shall consist of 7 members. In single county regions not more than one trustee may be a resident of any one congressional township; however, in case there are fewer than 7 congressional townships in the region then not more than two of such trustees may be residents of the same congressional township. Notwithstanding the foregoing residency provision, in a single county region with a population of greater than 750,000 inhabitants, but less than 1,200,000 inhabitants, 2 trustees may be residents of the same congressional township if and only if such trustees were elected at the April 9, 2013 consolidated election. In 2 county regions at least 2 trustees shall be residents of each county. In 3 or more county regions at least one trustee shall be a resident of each county. If more than 7 counties constitute the educational service region, the regional board of school trustees shall consist of one resident of each county.

The regional board of school trustees shall be a body politic and corporate by the name of "Regional Board of School Trustees of.... County (or Counties), Illinois." Such corporation shall have perpetual existence with power to sue and be sued and to plead and be impleaded in all courts and places where judicial proceedings are had.

(b) Upon the abolition of the regional board of school trustees and the termination of the terms of office of the members of that former regional board of school trustees in an educational service region containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants as provided in subsection (a), the trustees of schools of each township included within the territory of that educational service region that was served by the former regional board of school trustees, or if any such township is a township referred to in subsection (b) of Section 5-1 and there are no trustees of schools acting in that township then the school board of each school district located in that township, shall be the successors to the former regional board of school trustees. As successors to the former regional board of school trustees, the trustees of schools of each such township and the school board of each such school district, with respect to all territory included within the school township or school district served by the trustees of schools of the township or school board, shall be vested with and shall exercise and perform all rights, powers, duties, and responsibilities formerly held, exercised, and performed with respect to that territory by the regional board of school trustees abolished under subsection (a) of this Section.

Upon abolition of the regional board of school trustees in an educational service region having 2,000,000 or more inhabitants as provided in subsection (a) of this Section, all books, records, maps, papers, documents, equipment, supplies, accounts, deposits, and other personal property belonging to or subject to the control or disposition of the former regional board of school trustees (excepting only such items as may have been provided by the county board) shall be transferred and delivered to the trustees of schools of the townships and the school boards that are the successors to the former regional board of school trustees for the territory included within their respective school townships or school districts.

From and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1992, any reference in the School Code or any other law of this State to the regional board of school trustees or county board of school trustees shall mean, with respect to all territory within an educational service region containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants that formerly was served by a regional board of school trustees abolished under subsection (a) of this Section, the trustees of schools of the township or the school board of the school district that is the successor to the former regional board of school trustees with respect to the territory included within that school township or school district.

(Source: P.A. 87-969.)

(105 ILCS 5/6-19) (from Ch. 122, par. 6-19)

Sec. 6-19. Vacancy on regional board. Subject to the residency provisions in Section 6-2 of this Code, any Any vacancy on the regional board of school trustees shall be filled from the same territory by the remaining members until the next regular election for members of the regional board of school trustees, when the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired time. Removal of a member from the township from which such member was elected into a township which has its quota of members on the board shall constitute a vacancy.

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

(105 ILCS 5/9-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 9-10)

Sec. 9-10. Candidates for office - Nominating petitions. Candidates for the office of school director shall be nominated by petition signed by at least 25 voters or 5% of the voters, whichever is less, residing within the district and filed with the county clerk or the county board of election commissioners, as the case may be, of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located secretary of the board of school directors or with a person designated by the board to receive nominating petitions.

Nominations for members of boards of education, including non-high school boards of education shall be made by a petition signed by at least 50 voters or 10% of the voters, whichever is less, residing within the district and shall be filed with the county clerk or the county board of election commissioners, as the case may be, of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located secretary of the board of education or with a person designated by the board to receive nominating petitions. In addition to the requirements of the general election law, the form of such petitions shall be substantially as follows:

NOMINATING PETITIONS

(LEAVE OUT THE INAPPLICABLE PART.)

To the (County Clerk or County Board of Election Commissioners) secretary of the board of education (or board of directors) of district number .... of in .... County:

We the undersigned, being (.... or more) (or 10% or more) (or 5% or more) of the voters residing within said district, hereby petition that .... who resides at .... in the (city or village) of .... in Township .... (or who resides outside any city, village or incorporated town and in Township ....) in said district shall be a candidate for the office of .... of the board of education (or board of directors) (full term) (vacancy) to be voted for at the election to be held on (insert date).

Name: .................. Address: ...................

In the designation of the name of a candidate on a petition for nomination, the candidate's given name or names, initial or initials, a nickname by which the candidate is commonly known, or a combination thereof may be used in addition to the candidate's surname. If a candidate has changed his or her name, whether by a statutory or common law procedure in Illinois or any other jurisdiction, within 3 years before the last day for filing the petition, then (i) the candidate's name on the petition must be followed by "formerly known as (list all prior names during the 3-year period) until name changed on (list date of each such name change)" and (ii) the petition must be accompanied by the candidate's affidavit stating the candidate's previous names during the period specified in clause (i) and the date or dates each of those names was changed; failure to meet these requirements shall be grounds for denying certification of the candidate's name for the ballot, but these requirements do not apply to name changes resulting from adoption to assume an adoptive parent's or parents' surname, marriage to assume a spouse's surname, or dissolution of marriage or declaration of invalidity of marriage to assume a former surname. No other designation, such as a political slogan, as defined by Section 7-17 of the Election Code, title or degree, or nickname suggesting or implying possession of a title, degree or professional status, or similar information may be used in connection with the candidate's surname.

Nomination papers filed under this Section are not valid unless the candidate named therein files with the county clerk or the county board of election commissioners, as the case may be, of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located secretary of the board of education or a person designated by the board to receive nominating petitions a receipt from the county clerk showing that the candidate has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Such receipt shall be so filed either previously during the calendar year in which his nomination papers were filed or within the period for the filing of nomination papers in accordance with the general election law.

All petitions for the nomination of members of a board of education shall be filed with the county clerk or the county board of election commissioners, as the case may be, of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located secretary of the board or a person designated by the board to receive nominating petitions within the time provided for by the general election law. The county clerk or the county board of election commissioners secretary shall receive and file only those petitions which include a statement of candidacy, the required number of voter signatures, the notarized signature of the petition circulator and a receipt from the County Clerk showing that the candidate has filed a statement of economic interest on or before the last day to file as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. The county clerk or the county board of election commissioners secretary may have petition forms available for issuance to potential candidates, and may give notice of the petition filing period by publication in a newspaper of general circulation within the school district not less than 10 days prior to the first day of filing. The county clerk or the county board of election commissioners Said secretary shall make certification to the proper election authorities in accordance with the general election law. If the secretary is an incumbent school board member seeking re-election, a disinterested person must be a witness to the filing of his petition.

The county clerk or the county board of election commissioners, as the case may be, of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located secretary of the board of education shall notify the candidates for whom a petition for nomination is filed or the appropriate committee of the obligations under the Campaign Financing Act as provided in the general election law. Such notice shall be given on a form prescribed by the State Board of Elections and in accordance with the requirements of the general election law. The county clerk or county board of election commissioners secretary shall within 7 days of filing or on the last day for filing, whichever is earlier, acknowledge to the petitioner in writing the office's his acceptance of the petition.

A candidate for membership on the board of education or for office as a school director, who has petitioned for nomination to fill a full term and to fill a vacant term to be voted upon at the same election, must withdraw his or her petition for nomination from either the full term or the vacant term by written declaration.

In all newly organized districts the petition for the nomination of candidates for members of the board of education at the first election shall be addressed to and filed with the regional superintendent of schools in the manner herein specified for the petitions for members of a board of education. For such election the regional superintendent shall fulfill all duties otherwise assigned to the secretary of the board of education.

(Source: P.A. 95-141, eff. 8-13-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/10-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-10)

Sec. 10-10. Board of education; Term; Vacancy. All school districts having a population of not fewer than 1,000 and not more than 500,000 inhabitants, as ascertained by any special or general census, and not governed by special Acts, shall be governed by a board of education consisting of 7 members, serving without compensation except as herein provided. Each member shall be elected for a term of 4 years for the initial members of the board of education of a combined school district to which that subsection applies. If 5 members are elected in 1983 pursuant to the extension of terms provided by law for transition to the consolidated election schedule under the general election law, 2 of those members shall be elected to serve terms of 2 years and 3 shall be elected to serve terms of 4 years; their successors shall serve for a 4 year term. When the voters of a district have voted to elect members of the board of education for 6 year terms, as provided in Section 9-5, the terms of office of members of the board of education of that district expire when their successors assume office but not later than 7 days after such election. If at the regular school election held in the first odd-numbered year after the determination to elect members for 6 year terms 2 members are elected, they shall serve for a 6 year term; and of the members elected at the next regular school election 3 shall serve for a term of 6 years and 2 shall serve a term of 2 years. Thereafter members elected in such districts shall be elected to a 6 year term. If at the regular school election held in the first odd-numbered year after the determination to elect members for 6 year terms 3 members are elected, they shall serve for a 6 year term; and of the members elected at the next regular school election 2 shall serve for a term of 2 years and 2 shall serve for a term of 6 years. Thereafter members elected in such districts shall be elected to a 6 year term. If at the regular school election held in the first odd-numbered year after the determination to elect members for 6 year terms 4 members are elected, 3 shall serve for a term of 6 years and one shall serve for a term of 2 years; and of the members elected at the next regular school election 2 shall serve for terms of 6 years and 2 shall serve for terms of 2 years. Thereafter members elected in such districts shall be elected to a 6 year term. If at the regular school election held in the first odd-numbered year after the determination to elect members for a 6 year term 5 members are elected, 3 shall serve for a term of 6 years and 2 shall serve for a term of 2 years; and of the members elected at the next regular school election 2 shall serve for terms of 6 years and 2 shall serve for terms of 2 years. Thereafter members elected in such districts shall be elected to a 6 year term. An election for board members shall not be held in school districts which by consolidation, annexation or otherwise shall cease to exist as a school district within 6 months after the election date, and the term of all board members which would otherwise terminate shall be continued until such district shall cease to exist. Each member, on the date of his or her election, shall be a citizen of the United States of the age of 18 years or over, shall be a resident of the State and the territory of the district for at least one year immediately preceding his or her election, shall be a registered voter as provided in the general election law, shall not be a school trustee, and shall not be a child sex offender as defined in Section 11-9.3 of the Criminal Code of 2012. When the board of education is the successor of the school directors, all rights of property, and all rights regarding causes of action existing or vested in such directors, shall vest in it as fully as they were vested in the school directors. Terms of members are subject to Section 2A-54 of the Election Code.

Nomination papers filed under this Section are not valid unless the candidate named therein files with the county clerk or the county board of election commissioners, as the case may be, of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located secretary of the board of education or with a person designated by the board to receive nominating petitions a receipt from the county clerk showing that the candidate has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Such receipt shall be so filed either previously during the calendar year in which his nomination papers were filed or within the period for the filing of nomination papers in accordance with the general election law.

Whenever a vacancy occurs, the remaining members shall notify the regional superintendent of that vacancy within 5 days after its occurrence and shall proceed to fill the vacancy until the next regular school election, at which election a successor shall be elected to serve the remainder of the unexpired term. However, if the vacancy occurs with less than 868 days remaining in the term, or if the vacancy occurs less than 88 days before the next regularly scheduled election for this office then the person so appointed shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term, and no election to fill the vacancy shall be held. Should they fail so to act, within 45 days after the vacancy occurs, the regional superintendent of schools under whose supervision and control the district is operating, as defined in Section 3-14.2 of this Act, shall within 30 days after the remaining members have failed to fill the vacancy, fill the vacancy as provided for herein. Upon the regional superintendent's failure to fill the vacancy, the vacancy shall be filled at the next regularly scheduled election. Whether elected or appointed by the remaining members or regional superintendent, the successor shall be an inhabitant of the particular area from which his or her predecessor was elected if the residential requirements contained in Section 10-10.5 or 12-2 of this Code apply.

A board of education may appoint a student to the board to serve in an advisory capacity. The student member shall serve for a term as determined by the board. The board may not grant the student member any voting privileges, but shall consider the student member as an advisor. The student member may not participate in or attend any executive session of the board.

(Source: P.A. 96-538, eff. 8-14-09; 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)

(105 ILCS 5/32-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 32-1)

Sec. 32-1. May vote to organize under general law.

(a) Any special charter district may, by vote of its electors, cease to control its school under the Act under which it was organized, and become part of the school township or townships in which it is situated. Upon petition of 50 voters of the district, presented to the board having the control and management of the schools, the board shall order submitted to the voters at an election to be held in the district, in accordance with the general election law, the question of "organizing under the general school law". The secretary of the board shall make certification to the proper election authority in accordance with the general election law. If, however, a majority of the votes cast at any such election in any school district subject to Sections 32-3 through 32-4.11 is against organizing the district under the general school law, the question may not again be submitted in the district for 22 months thereafter, and then only upon petition signed by at least 2% of the voters of the school district. Notice shall be given in accordance with the general election law, which notice shall be in the following form:

NOTICE OF REFERENDUM

Notice is hereby given that on (insert date), a referendum will be held at.... for the purpose of deciding the question of organizing under the general school law. The polls will be opened at .... o'clock ..m and closed at .... o'clock ..m.

Signed .....

If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition is in favor of organizing under the general school law, then the board having the control and management of schools in the district, shall declare the proposition carried.

When such a proposition is declared to have so carried, the board of education shall continue to exercise its powers and duties under the general school law. Each member of the board of education selected under the provisions of the special charter shall continue in office until his term has expired. Before the term of each of these members expires, the board shall give notice of an election to be held on the date of the next regular school election, in accordance with the general election law to fill the vacancy which is created. Nomination papers filed under this Section are not valid unless the candidate named therein files with the county clerk or the county board of election commissioners, as the case may be, of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located secretary of the board of education a receipt from the county clerk showing that the candidate has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Such receipt shall be so filed either previously during the calendar year in which his nomination papers were filed or within the period for the filing of nomination papers in accordance with the general election law.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any special charter district whose board is appointed by the mayor or other corporate authority of that municipality may, by resolution adopted by the corporate authorities of that municipality cease to control its school under the Act under which it was organized, become a part of the school township or townships in which it is situated and become organized under the general school law. If such a resolution is adopted, the board of education shall continue to exercise its powers and duties under the general school law. Each member of the board of education selected under the provisions of the special charter shall continue in office until his term has expired. Before the term of each of these members expires, the board shall give notice of an election to be held on the date of the next regular school election, in accordance with the general election law to fill the vacancy which is created.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

(105 ILCS 5/32-2.5) (from Ch. 122, par. 32-2.5)

Sec. 32-2.5. Election of board of education in lieu of appointive board. In all special charter districts having a population of over 35,000 by the last federal census, where the board of directors or board of education is elected or appointed by the city council of the city, of which school district such city may form the whole or a part, and where there are no provisions in the special charter creating such school district for the election of a board of directors or board of education, there shall be elected in lieu of the present governing body a board of education to consist of 7 members. Nomination of a candidate for member of the board of education shall be made by petitions signed in the aggregate by not less than 200 qualified voters residing in the school district, and also by filing with the petitions a statement of candidacy as provided in the general election law, which petitions and statements of candidacy shall be filed in the office of the board of education in accordance with the general election law.

Nomination papers filed under this Section are not valid unless the candidate named therein files with the county clerk or the county board of election commissioners, as the case may be, of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located secretary of the board of education a receipt from the county clerk showing that the candidate has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Such receipt shall be so filed either previously during the calendar year in which his nomination papers were filed or within the period for the filing of nomination papers in accordance with the general election law.

The county clerk or the county board of election commissioners secretary of the board shall make certification to the proper election authority in accordance with the general election law.

(Source: P.A. 81-1490.)

Section 30. The Fox Waterway Agency Act is amended by changing Section 5 as follows:

(615 ILCS 90/5) (from Ch. 19, par. 1205)

Sec. 5. The Agency shall be governed by a Board of Directors, which shall consist of 6 directors and one chairman elected pursuant to this Section.

Three directors shall be elected from within the territory of each member county. Any resident of a member county and the territory of the Agency, at least 18 years of age, may become a candidate for election as a director by filing a nominating petition with the State Board of Elections containing the verified signatures of at least 200 of the registered voters of such county who reside within the territory of the Agency. Such petition shall be filed not more than 113 78 nor less than 106 71 days prior to the date of election.

The chairman shall be elected at large from the territory of the Agency. Any person eligible to become a candidate for election as director may become a candidate for election as chairman by filing a nominating petition with the State Board of Elections containing the verified signatures of at least 200 of the registered voters of each member county who reside within the territory of the Agency. Such petition shall be filed not more than 113 78 nor less than 106 71 days prior to the date of the election.

Within 7 days after each consolidated election at which the chairman is elected, the county clerk of each member county shall transmit the returns for the election to the office of chairman to the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections shall immediately canvass the returns and proclaim the results thereof and shall issue a certificate of election to the person so elected.

Beginning in 1985, the directors and chairman shall be elected at the consolidated election and shall serve from the third Monday in May following their respective elections until their respective successors are elected and qualified. The term of office of a director shall be for 4 years, except that of the directors elected at the consolidated election of 1985, 3 shall serve until the first Monday in May 1987 and 3 shall serve until the first Monday in May 1989. The term of office of a chairman shall be 4 years.

At least 90 days before the consolidated election of 1985 the State Board of Elections shall meet to determine by lot which 3 director positions shall be elected for terms to expire on the first Monday in May 1987 and which 3 director positions shall be elected for terms to expire on the first Monday in May 1989. At least one director position from each member county shall be elected for a term to expire on the first Monday in May 1987.

The county clerks of the member counties shall provide notice of each election for chairman and director in the manner prescribed in Article 12 of The Election Code, with the notice of the elections to be held at the consolidated election of 1985 to include a statement as to whether the director is to be elected for a term of 2 years or for a term of 4 years.

A chairman shall be elected at the consolidated election of 1985 and at each consolidated election every 4 years thereafter. Six directors shall be elected at the consolidated election of 1985. At the consolidated election of 1987, and at each consolidated election every 4 years thereafter, directors shall be elected from the constituencies of the directors who were elected at the consolidated election of 1985 and whose terms expired on the first Monday in May 1987. At the consolidated election of 1989, and at each consolidated election every 4 years thereafter, directors shall be elected from the constituencies of the directors who were elected at the consolidated election of 1985 and whose terms expired on the first Monday in May 1989.

Vacancies in the office of director or chairman shall be filled by the remaining members of the Board, who shall appoint to fill the vacated office for the remainder of the term of such office an individual who would be eligible for election to such office. If, however, a vacancy occurs in the office of chairman or director with at least 28 months remaining in the term of such office, the office shall be filled for the remainder of the term at the next consolidated election. Until the office is filled by election, the remaining members of the Board shall appoint a qualified person to the office in the manner provided in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)

Section 35. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Section 6-110.1 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-110.1)

Sec. 6-110.1. Confidentiality of captured photographs or images. The Secretary of State shall maintain a file on or contract to file all photographs and signatures obtained in the process of issuing a driver's license, permit, or identification card. The photographs and signatures shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except to the following persons:

(1) the individual upon written request;

(2) officers and employees of the Secretary of State who have a need to have access to the stored images for purposes of issuing and controlling driver's licenses, permits, or identification cards;

(3) law enforcement officials for a lawful civil or criminal law enforcement investigation; or

(3-5) the State Board of Elections for the sole purpose of providing the signatures required by a local election authority to register a voter through an online voter registration system; or

(4) other entities that the Secretary may exempt by rule.

(Source: P.A. 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)

Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law, except that the changes made to Sections 1A-16, 4-8, 4-10, 4-12, 4-15, 5-7, 5-9, 5-15, 5-21, 6-29, 6-35, 6-40, and 6-57 of the Election Code take effect on October 1, 2013.