Section 217.20  Definitions

"Contested Primary" shall have the meaning ascribed by Section 7-12(10)(a) of the Code for established political party primaries or Sections 3.1-20-45, 3.1-25-20, 5-2-18.5, 5-2-18.7 and 5-2-19 of the Municipal Code, as applicable to non-partisan primaries for the municipality in question, as well as that ascribed by any other provisions of the Municipal Code or the Election Code.

"Election Authority" means a county clerk or a Board of Election Commissioners.  [10 ILCS 5/1-3]

"Election Code" or "Code" means 10 ILCS 5.

"Municipal" or "Municipality" means a city, village, or incorporated town in the State of Illinois, but, unless the context otherwise provides, "municipal" or "municipality" does not include a township, town when used as the equivalent of a township, incorporated town that has superseded a civil township, county, school district, park district, sanitary district, or any other similar governmental district. If "municipal" or "municipality" is given a different definition in any particular Division or Section of the Municipal Code, that definition shall control in that Division or Section only. [65 ILCS 5/1-1-2]

"Municipal Code" means 65 ILCS 5.

"Qualified Person" means an individual qualified to cast an absentee ballot under the Election Code who is a member of the U.S. armed forces or a U.S. citizen who will be outside the United States on the dates of both the consolidated primary and consolidated election in any given year.

"Ranked Balloting" means a system in which a voter, in addition to voting a consolidated primary ballot, votes a "ranked ballot" in lieu of a consolidated election ballot.  The voter indicates a numerical preference for each candidate listed on the ranked ballot.  For each office, the winning candidate or candidates at the consolidated primary election who received the voter's highest numerical designation shall receive that voter's vote at the consolidated election.  This system eliminates the need to send the voter a separate consolidated election ballot after the results of the consolidated primary election have been certified.

"Ranking Ballot" means a ballot issued, pursuant to Section 217.30, under a ranked balloting system.