HB1315 Enrolled LRB094 07318 JAM 37476 b

1     AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section
5 17-14 as follows:
 
6     (10 ILCS 5/17-14)  (from Ch. 46, par. 17-14)
7     Sec. 17-14. Any voter who declares upon oath, properly
8 witnessed and with his or her signature or mark affixed, that
9 he or she requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness,
10 physical disability or inability to read, write or speak the
11 English language shall, upon request, be assisted in marking
12 his or her ballot, by 2 judges of election of different
13 political parties, to be selected by all judges of election of
14 each precinct at the opening of the polls or by a person of the
15 voter's choice, other than the voter's employer or agent of
16 that employer or officer or agent of the voter's union. A voter
17 who presents an Illinois Disabled Person Identification Card,
18 issued to that person under the provisions of the Illinois
19 Identification Card Act, indicating that such voter has a Class
20 1A or Class 2 disability under the provisions of Section 4A of
21 the Illinois Identification Card Act, or a voter who declares
22 upon oath, properly witnessed, that by reason of any physical
23 disability he is unable to mark his ballot shall, upon request,
24 be assisted in marking his ballot by 2 of the election officers
25 of different parties as provided above in this Section or by a
26 person of the voter's choice other than the voter's employer or
27 agent of that employer or officer or agent of the voter's
28 union. Such voter shall state specifically the reason why he
29 cannot vote without assistance and, in the case of a physically
30 disabled voter, what his physical disability is and whether or
31 not the disability is permanent. Prior to entering the voting
32 booth, the person providing the assistance, if other than 2

 

 

HB1315 Enrolled - 2 - LRB094 07318 JAM 37476 b

1 judges of election, shall be presented with written
2 instructions on how assistance shall be provided. This
3 instruction shall be prescribed by the State Board of Elections
4 and shall include the penalties for attempting to influence the
5 voter's choice of candidates, party, or votes in relation to
6 any question on the ballot and for not marking the ballot as
7 directed by the voter. Additionally, the person providing the
8 assistance shall sign an oath, swearing not to influence the
9 voter's choice of candidates, party, or votes in relation to
10 any question on the ballot and to cast the ballot as directed
11 by the voter. The oath shall be prescribed by the State Board
12 of Elections and shall include the penalty for violating this
13 Section. In the voting booth, such person shall mark the ballot
14 as directed by the voter, and shall thereafter give no
15 information regarding the same. The judges of election shall
16 enter upon the poll lists or official poll record after the
17 name of any elector who received such assistance in marking his
18 ballot a memorandum of the fact and if the disability is
19 permanent. Intoxication shall not be regarded as a physical
20 disability, and no intoxicated person shall be entitled to
21 assistance in marking his ballot.
22     No person shall secure or attempt to secure assistance in
23 voting who is not blind, physically disabled or illiterate as
24 herein provided, nor shall any person knowingly assist a voter
25 in voting contrary to the provisions of this Section.
26 (Source: P.A. 90-101, eff. 7-11-97.)