100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB0943

 

Introduced 2/7/2017, by Sen. Andy Manar

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/1A-16.8

    Amends the Election Code. Requires the State Board of Elections, beginning no later than September 1, 2017, to utilize data provided as part of its membership in the Electronic Registration Information Center in order to cross-reference the statewide voter registration database against databases of relevant personal information kept by designated government agencies, including, but not limited to, driver's license information, at least 6 times each calendar year, and requires the Board to share findings with election authorities. Provides that if a voter has a registered change of address under certain provisions but claims to live at the prior address and the election authority is unable to immediately confirm registration at the prior address, the voter shall be permitted to register to vote a regular ballot, provided that he or she meets the documentary requirements for same-day registration. Provides that if the election authority is unable to confirm the registration and the voter does not meet the requirements for same-day registration, the voter shall be issued a provisional ballot. Provides that no voter shall be disqualified for voting due to an error relating to an update of registration. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB0943LRB100 07987 MLM 18067 b

1    AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section
51A-16.8 as follows:
 
6    (10 ILCS 5/1A-16.8)
7    Sec. 1A-16.8. Automatic transfer of registration based
8upon information from the National Change of Address database.
9The State Board of Elections shall cross-reference the
10statewide voter registration database against the United
11States Postal Service's National Change of Address database
12twice each calendar year, April 15 and October 1 in
13odd-numbered years and April 15 and December 1 in even-numbered
14years, and shall share the findings with the election
15authorities. In addition, beginning no later than September 1,
162017, the State Board of Elections shall utilize data provided
17as part of its membership in the Electronic Registration
18Information Center in order to cross-reference the statewide
19voter registration database against databases of relevant
20personal information kept by designated government agencies,
21including, but not limited to, driver's license information
22kept by the Secretary of State, at least 6 times each calendar
23year and shall share the findings with election authorities. An

 

 

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1election authority shall automatically register any voter who
2has moved into its jurisdiction from another jurisdiction in
3Illinois or has moved within its jurisdiction provided that:
4        (1) the election authority whose jurisdiction includes
5    the new registration address provides the voter an
6    opportunity to reject the change in registration address
7    through a mailing, sent by non-forwardable mail, to the new
8    registration address, and
9        (2) when the election authority whose jurisdiction
10    includes the previous registration address is a different
11    election authority, then that election authority provides
12    the same opportunity through a mailing, sent by forwardable
13    mail, to the previous registration address.
14    This change in registration shall trigger the same
15inter-jurisdictional or intra-jurisdictional workflows as if
16the voter completed a new registration card, including the
17cancellation of the voter's previous registration. Should the
18registration of a voter be changed from one address to another
19within the State and should the voter appear at the polls and
20offer to vote from the prior registration address, attesting
21that the prior registration address is the true current
22address, the voter, if confirmed by the election authority as
23having been registered at the prior registration address and
24canceled only by the process authorized by this Section, shall
25be issued a regular ballot, and the change of registration
26address shall be canceled. If the election authority is unable

 

 

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1to immediately confirm the registration, the voter shall be
2permitted to register and vote a regular ballot, provided that
3he or she meets the documentary requirements for same-day
4registration. If the election authority is unable to confirm
5the registration and the voter does not meet the requirements
6for same-day registration, the voter shall be issued a
7provisional ballot. No voter shall be disqualified from voting
8due to an error relating to an update of registration under
9this Section.
10    As used in this Section, "designated government agency" has
11the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1A-16.6 of this Code.
12(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15; 99-522, eff. 6-30-16.)
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
14becoming law.