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91_SB0935
LRB9102926MWpr
1 AN ACT to amend the Election Code by changing Section
2 19-2.1.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
6 Section 19-2.1 as follows:
7 (10 ILCS 5/19-2.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2.1)
8 Sec. 19-2.1. At the consolidated primary, general
9 primary, consolidated, and general and nonpartisan elections,
10 electors entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the
11 provisions of Section 19-1 may vote in person at the office
12 of the municipal clerk, if the elector is a resident of a
13 municipality not having a board of election commissioners, or
14 at the office of the township clerk or, in counties not under
15 township organization, at the office of the road district
16 clerk if the elector is not a resident of a municipality;
17 provided, in each case that the municipal, township or road
18 district clerk, as the case may be, is authorized to conduct
19 in-person absentee voting pursuant to this Section. Absentee
20 voting in such municipal and township clerk's offices under
21 this Section shall be conducted from the 22nd day through the
22 day before the election.
23 Municipal and township clerks (or road district clerks)
24 who have regularly scheduled working hours at regularly
25 designated offices other than a place of residence and whose
26 offices are open for business during the same hours as the
27 office of the election authority shall conduct in-person
28 absentee voting for said elections. Municipal and township
29 clerks (or road district clerks) who have no regularly
30 scheduled working hours but who have regularly designated
31 offices other than a place of residence shall conduct
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1 in-person absentee voting for said elections during the hours
2 of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
3 weekdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Saturdays, but not
4 during such hours as the office of the election authority is
5 closed, unless the clerk files a written waiver with the
6 election authority not later than July 1 of each year stating
7 that he or she is unable to conduct such voting and the
8 reasons therefor. Such clerks who conduct in-person absentee
9 voting may extend their hours for that purpose to include any
10 hours in which the election authority's office is open.
11 Municipal and township clerks (or road district clerks) who
12 have no regularly scheduled office hours and no regularly
13 designated offices other than a place of residence may not
14 conduct in-person absentee voting for said elections. The
15 election authority may devise alternative methods for
16 in-person absentee voting before said elections for those
17 precincts located within the territorial area of a
18 municipality or township (or road district) wherein the clerk
19 of such municipality or township (or road district) has
20 waived or is not entitled to conduct such voting. In
21 addition, electors may vote by absentee ballot under the
22 provisions of Section 19-1 at the office of the election
23 authority having jurisdiction over their residence.
24 In conducting absentee voting under this Section, the
25 respective clerks shall not be required to verify the
26 signature of the absentee voter by comparison with the
27 signature on the official registration record card. However,
28 the clerk shall reasonably ascertain the identity of such
29 applicant, shall verify that each such applicant is a
30 registered voter, and shall verify the precinct in which he
31 or she is registered and the proper ballots of the political
32 subdivisions in which the applicant resides and is entitled
33 to vote, prior to providing any absentee ballot to such
34 applicant. The clerk shall verify the applicant's
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1 registration and from the most recent poll list provided by
2 the county clerk, and if the applicant is not listed on that
3 poll list then by telephoning the office of the county clerk.
4 Absentee voting procedures in the office of the
5 municipal, township and road district clerks shall be subject
6 to all of the applicable provisions of this Article 19.
7 Pollwatchers may be appointed to observe in-person absentee
8 voting procedures at the office of the municipal, township or
9 road district clerks' offices where such absentee voting is
10 conducted. Such pollwatchers shall qualify and be appointed
11 in the same manner as provided in Sections 7-34 and 17-23,
12 except each candidate, political party or organization of
13 citizens may appoint only one pollwatcher for each location
14 where in-person absentee voting is conducted. Pollwatchers
15 shall be residents of the county and possess valid
16 pollwatcher credentials. All requirements in this Article
17 applicable to election authorities shall apply to the
18 respective local clerks, except where inconsistent with this
19 Section.
20 The sealed absentee ballots in their carrier envelope
21 shall be delivered by the respective clerks, or by the
22 election authority on behalf of a clerk if the clerk and the
23 election authority agree, to the proper polling place before
24 the close of the polls on the day of the nonpartisan, general
25 primary, consolidated primary, consolidated, or general
26 election.
27 Not more than 23 days before the nonpartisan, general and
28 consolidated elections, the county clerk shall make available
29 to those municipal, township and road district clerks
30 conducting in-person absentee voting within such county, a
31 sufficient number of applications, absentee ballots,
32 envelopes, and printed voting instruction slips for use by
33 absentee voters in the offices of such clerks. The respective
34 clerks shall receipt for all ballots received, shall return
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1 all unused or spoiled ballots to the county clerk on the day
2 of the election and shall strictly account for all ballots
3 received.
4 The ballots delivered to the respective clerks shall
5 include absentee ballots for each precinct in the
6 municipality, township or road district, or shall include
7 such separate ballots for each political subdivision
8 conducting an election of officers or a referendum on that
9 election day as will permit any resident of the municipality,
10 township or road district to vote absentee in the office of
11 the proper clerk.
12 The clerks of all municipalities, townships and road
13 districts may distribute applications for absentee ballot for
14 the use of voters who wish to mail such applications to the
15 appropriate election authority. Such applications for
16 absentee ballots shall be made on forms provided by the
17 election authority. Duplication of such forms by the
18 municipal, township or road district clerk is prohibited.
19 (Source: P.A. 86-875.)