HB1968enr 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1968 Enrolled LRB094 02783 JAM 32784 b

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, 4-6.2, 4-16, 5-16.2, 5-23, 6-50.2, 6-54, 7-7, 7-8, 7-10, 7-15, 7-34, 7-56, 7-60, 7-61, 8-8, 9-1.4, 9-1.14, 9-3, 9-7.5, 9-9.5, 9-10, 10-9, 12-1, 17-9, 17-15, 17-23, 18-5, 18A-5, 18A-15, 19-2.1, 19-4, 19-10, 20-4, 22-1, 22-5, 22-7, 22-8, 22-9, 22-15, 22-15.1, 22-17, 23-15.1, 24A-10, 24A-10.1, 24A-15.1, 24A-22, 24B-10, 24B-10.1, 24B-15.1, 24C-2, 24C-12, 24C-13, and 24C-15 and by adding Articles 12A and 19A and Sections 1A-17, 1A-18, 4-105, 5-105, 6-105, 7-100, 12A-2, 12A-5, 12A-10, 12A-15, 12A-35, 12A-40, 12A-45, 12A-50, 12A-55, 13-2.5, 14-4.5, 17-100, 18-100, 19A-5, 19A-10, 19A-15, 19A-20, 19A-25, 19A-25.5, 19A-30, 19A-35, 19A-40, 19A-45, 19A-50, 19A-55, 19A-60, 19A-65, 19A-70, 19A-75, and 23-50 as follows:

(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 Section 1A-17 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 than I may be fined, imprisoned, or if I am not a U.S. citizen, deported from or refused entry into the United States."

(d) 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) 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. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/1A-17 new)

Sec. 1A-17. Voter registration outreach.

(a) The Secretary of State, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Public Aid, the Department of Employment Security, and each public institution of higher learning in Illinois must make available on its World Wide Web site a downloadable, printable voter registration form that complies with the requirements in subsection (d) of Section 1A-16 for the State Board of Elections' voter registration form.

(b) Each public institution of higher learning in Illinois must include voter registration information and a voter registration form supplied by the State Board of Elections under subsection (e) of Section 1A-16 in any mailing of student registration materials to an address located in Illinois. Each public institution of higher learning must provide voter registration information and a voter registration form supplied by the State Board of Elections under subsection (e) of Section 1A-16 to each person with whom the institution conducts in-person student registration.

(c) As used in this Section, a public institution of higher learning means a public university, college, or community college in Illinois.

(10 ILCS 5/1A-18 new)

Sec. 1A-18. Voter registration applications; General Assembly district offices. Each member of the General Assembly, and his or her State employees (as defined in Section 1-5 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act) authorized by the member, may make available voter registration forms supplied by the State Board of Elections under subsection (e) of Section 1A-16 to the public and may undertake that and other voter registration activities at the member's district office, during regular business hours or otherwise, in a manner determined by the member.

(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) 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. 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 Sections 4-20, 5-28, and 6-65.

(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 at all times be synchronized with that authority's information on the statewide list at least once every 24 hours on a constant, real-time basis.

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.

(Source: P.A. 93-1071, eff. 1-18-05.)

(10 ILCS 5/4-6.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 4-6.2)

Sec. 4-6.2. (a) The county clerk shall appoint all municipal and township or road district clerks or their duly authorized deputies as deputy registrars who may accept the registration of all qualified residents of the State their respective municipalities, townships and road districts. A deputy registrar serving as such by virtue of his status as a municipal clerk, or a duly authorized deputy of a municipal clerk, of a municipality the territory of which lies in more than one county may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the municipality, regardless of which county the resident, municipal clerk or the duly authorized deputy of the municipal clerk lives in.

The county clerk shall appoint all precinct committeepersons in the county as deputy registrars who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the State county, except during the 27 days preceding an election.

The election authority shall appoint as deputy registrars a reasonable number of employees of the Secretary of State located at driver's license examination stations and designated to the election authority by the Secretary of State who may accept the registration of any qualified residents of the State county at any such driver's license examination stations. The appointment of employees of the Secretary of State as deputy registrars shall be made in the manner provided in Section 2-105 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

The county clerk shall appoint each of the following named persons as deputy registrars upon the written request of such persons:

1. The chief librarian, or a qualified person designated by the chief librarian, of any public library situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State county, at such library.

2. The principal, or a qualified person designated by the principal, of any high school, elementary school, or vocational school situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State county, at such school. The county clerk shall notify every principal and vice-principal of each high school, elementary school, and vocational school situated within the election jurisdiction of their eligibility to serve as deputy registrars and offer training courses for service as deputy registrars at conveniently located facilities at least 4 months prior to every election.

3. The president, or a qualified person designated by the president, of any university, college, community college, academy or other institution of learning situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any resident of the State county, at such university, college, community college, academy or institution.

4. A duly elected or appointed official of a bona fide labor organization, or a reasonable number of qualified members designated by such official, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State county.

5. A duly elected or appointed official of a bonafide State civic organization, as defined and determined by rule of the State Board of Elections, or qualified members designated by such official, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the State county. In determining the number of deputy registrars that shall be appointed, the county clerk shall consider the population of the jurisdiction, the size of the organization, the geographic size of the jurisdiction, convenience for the public, the existing number of deputy registrars in the jurisdiction and their location, the registration activities of the organization and the need to appoint deputy registrars to assist and facilitate the registration of non-English speaking individuals. In no event shall a county clerk fix an arbitrary number applicable to every civic organization requesting appointment of its members as deputy registrars. The State Board of Elections shall by rule provide for certification of bonafide State civic organizations. Such appointments shall be made for a period not to exceed 2 years, terminating on the first business day of the month following the month of the general election, and shall be valid for all periods of voter registration as provided by this Code during the terms of such appointments.

6. The Director of the Illinois Department of Public Aid, or a reasonable number of employees designated by the Director and located at public aid offices, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the county at any such public aid office.

7. The Director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, or a reasonable number of employees designated by the Director and located at unemployment offices, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the county at any such unemployment office.

8. The president of any corporation as defined by the Business Corporation Act of 1983, or a reasonable number of employees designated by such president, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State county.

If the request to be appointed as deputy registrar is denied, the county clerk shall, within 10 days after the date the request is submitted, provide the affected individual or organization with written notice setting forth the specific reasons or criteria relied upon to deny the request to be appointed as deputy registrar.

The county clerk may appoint as many additional deputy registrars as he considers necessary. The county clerk shall appoint such additional deputy registrars in such manner that the convenience of the public is served, giving due consideration to both population concentration and area. Some of the additional deputy registrars shall be selected so that there are an equal number from each of the 2 major political parties in the election jurisdiction. The county clerk, in appointing an additional deputy registrar, shall make the appointment from a list of applicants submitted by the Chairman of the County Central Committee of the applicant's political party. A Chairman of a County Central Committee shall submit a list of applicants to the county clerk by November 30 of each year. The county clerk may require a Chairman of a County Central Committee to furnish a supplemental list of applicants.

Deputy registrars may accept registrations at any time other than the 27 day period preceding an election. All persons appointed as deputy registrars shall be registered voters within the county and shall take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of deputy registrar to the best of my ability and that I will register no person nor cause the registration of any person except upon his personal application before me.

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

(Signature Deputy Registrar)"

This oath shall be administered by the county clerk, or by one of his deputies, or by any person qualified to take acknowledgement of deeds and shall immediately thereafter be filed with the county clerk.

Appointments of deputy registrars under this Section, except precinct committeemen, shall be for 2-year terms, commencing on December 1 following the general election of each even-numbered year; except that the terms of the initial appointments shall be until December 1st following the next general election. Appointments of precinct committeemen shall be for 2-year terms commencing on the date of the county convention following the general primary at which they were elected. The county clerk shall issue a certificate of appointment to each deputy registrar, and shall maintain in his office for public inspection a list of the names of all appointees.

(b) The county clerk shall be responsible for training all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a), at times and locations reasonably convenient for both the county clerk and such appointees. The county clerk shall be responsible for certifying and supervising all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a). Deputy registrars appointed under subsection (a) shall be subject to removal for cause.

(c) Completed registration materials under the control of deputy registrars, appointed pursuant to subsection (a), shall be returned to the appointing proper election authority within 7 days, except that completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars during the period between the 35th and 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars to the appointing proper election authority within 48 hours after receipt thereof. The completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars on the 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars within 24 hours after receipt thereof. Unused materials shall be returned by deputy registrars appointed pursuant to paragraph 4 of subsection (a), not later than the next working day following the close of registration.

(d) The county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, must provide any additional forms requested by any deputy registrar regardless of the number of unaccounted registration forms the deputy registrar may have in his or her possession.

(e) No deputy registrar shall engage in any electioneering or the promotion of any cause during the performance of his or her duties.

(f) The county clerk shall not be criminally or civilly liable for the acts or omissions of any deputy registrar. Such deputy registrars shall not be deemed to be employees of the county clerk.

(g) Completed registration materials returned by deputy registrars for persons residing outside the county shall be transmitted by the county clerk within 2 days after receipt to the election authority of the person's election jurisdiction of residence.

(Source: P.A. 92-816, eff. 8-21-02; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/4-16) (from Ch. 46, par. 4-16)

Sec. 4-16. Any registered voter who changes his residence from one address to another within the same county wherein this Article is in effect, may have his registration transferred to his new address by making and signing an application for change of residence address upon a form to be provided by the county clerk. Such application must be made to the office of the county clerk and may be made either in person or by mail. In case the person is unable to sign his name, the county clerk shall require him to execute the application in the presence of the county clerk or of his properly authorized representative, by his mark, and if satisfied of the identity of the person, the county clerk shall make the transfer.

Upon receipt of the application, the county clerk, or one of his employees deputized to take registrations shall cause the signature of the voter and the data appearing upon the application to be compared with the signature and data on the registration record card, and if it appears that the applicant is the same person as the person previously registered under that name the transfer shall be made.

No transfers of registration under the provisions of this Section shall be made during the 27 days preceding any election at which such voter would be entitled to vote. When a removal of a registered voter takes place from one address to another within the same precinct within a period during which a transfer of registration cannot be made before any election or primary, he shall be entitled to vote upon presenting the judges of election his affidavit substantially in the form prescribed in Section 17-10 of this Act of a change of residence address within the precinct on a date therein specified.

The county clerk may obtain information from utility companies, city, village, incorporated town and township records, the post office, or from other sources, regarding the removal of registered voters, and may treat such information, and information procured from his death and marriage records on file in his office, as an application to erase from the register any name concerning which he may so have information that the voter is no longer qualified to vote under the name, or from the address from which registered, and give notice thereof in the manner provided by Section 4--12 of this Article, and notify voters who have changed their address that a transfer of registration may be made in the manner provided in this Section enclosing a form therefor.

If any person be registered by error in a precinct other than that in which he resides, the county clerk may transfer his registration to the proper precinct, and if the error is or may be on the part of the registration officials, and is disclosed too late before an election or primary to mail the certificate required by Section 4--15, such certificate may be personally delivered to the voter and he may vote thereon as therein provided, but such certificates so issued shall be specially listed with the reason for the issuance thereof.

Where a revision or rearrangement of precincts is made by the county board, the county clerk shall immediately transfer to the proper precinct the registration of any voter affected by such revision or rearrangement of the precinct; make the proper notations on the registration cards of a voter affected by the revision or rearrangement and shall issue revised certificates to each registrant of such change.

Any registered voter who changes his or her name by marriage or otherwise shall be required to register anew and authorize the cancellation of the previous registration; but if the voter still resides in the same precinct and if the change of name takes place within a period during which a transfer of registration cannot be made, preceding any election or primary, the elector may, if otherwise qualified, vote upon making an affidavit at the polling place attesting that the voter is the same person who is registered to vote under his or her former name. The affidavit shall be treated by the election authority as authorization to cancel the registration under the former name, and the election authority shall register the person under his or her current name. substantially in the form prescribed in Section 17-10 of this Act.

The precinct election officials shall report to the county clerk the names and addresses of all persons who have changed their addresses and voted, which shall be treated as an application to change address accordingly, and the names and addresses of all persons otherwise voting by affidavit as in this Section provided, which shall be treated as an application to erase under Section 4--12 hereof.

(Source: P.A. 92-816, eff. 8-21-02.)

(10 ILCS 5/4-105 new)

Sec. 4-105. First time voting. If a person registered to vote by mail, the person must vote for the first time in person and not by an absentee ballot, except that the person may vote by absentee ballot in person if the person first provides the appropriate election authority with sufficient proof of identity by the person's driver's license number or State identification card number or, if the person does not have either of those, by the last 4 digits of the person's social security number, a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or a copy of any of the following current documents that show the person's name and address: utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document.

(10 ILCS 5/5-16.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-16.2)

Sec. 5-16.2. (a) The county clerk shall appoint all municipal and township clerks or their duly authorized deputies as deputy registrars who may accept the registration of all qualified residents of the State their respective counties. A deputy registrar serving as such by virtue of his status as a municipal clerk, or a duly authorized deputy of a municipal clerk, of a municipality the territory of which lies in more than one county may accept the registration of any qualified resident of any county in which the municipality is located, regardless of which county the resident, municipal clerk or the duly authorized deputy of the municipal clerk lives in.

The county clerk shall appoint all precinct committeepersons in the county as deputy registrars who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the State county, except during the 27 days preceding an election.

The election authority shall appoint as deputy registrars a reasonable number of employees of the Secretary of State located at driver's license examination stations and designated to the election authority by the Secretary of State who may accept the registration of any qualified residents of the State county at any such driver's license examination stations. The appointment of employees of the Secretary of State as deputy registrars shall be made in the manner provided in Section 2-105 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

The county clerk shall appoint each of the following named persons as deputy registrars upon the written request of such persons:

1. The chief librarian, or a qualified person designated by the chief librarian, of any public library situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State county, at such library.

2. The principal, or a qualified person designated by the principal, of any high school, elementary school, or vocational school situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any resident of the State county, at such school. The county clerk shall notify every principal and vice-principal of each high school, elementary school, and vocational school situated within the election jurisdiction of their eligibility to serve as deputy registrars and offer training courses for service as deputy registrars at conveniently located facilities at least 4 months prior to every election.

3. The president, or a qualified person designated by the president, of any university, college, community college, academy or other institution of learning situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any resident of the State county, at such university, college, community college, academy or institution.

4. A duly elected or appointed official of a bona fide labor organization, or a reasonable number of qualified members designated by such official, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State county.

5. A duly elected or appointed official of a bona fide State civic organization, as defined and determined by rule of the State Board of Elections, or qualified members designated by such official, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the State county. In determining the number of deputy registrars that shall be appointed, the county clerk shall consider the population of the jurisdiction, the size of the organization, the geographic size of the jurisdiction, convenience for the public, the existing number of deputy registrars in the jurisdiction and their location, the registration activities of the organization and the need to appoint deputy registrars to assist and facilitate the registration of non-English speaking individuals. In no event shall a county clerk fix an arbitrary number applicable to every civic organization requesting appointment of its members as deputy registrars. The State Board of Elections shall by rule provide for certification of bona fide State civic organizations. Such appointments shall be made for a period not to exceed 2 years, terminating on the first business day of the month following the month of the general election, and shall be valid for all periods of voter registration as provided by this Code during the terms of such appointments.

6. The Director of the Illinois Department of Public Aid, or a reasonable number of employees designated by the Director and located at public aid offices, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the county at any such public aid office.

7. The Director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, or a reasonable number of employees designated by the Director and located at unemployment offices, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the county at any such unemployment office.

8. The president of any corporation as defined by the Business Corporation Act of 1983, or a reasonable number of employees designated by such president, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State county.

If the request to be appointed as deputy registrar is denied, the county clerk shall, within 10 days after the date the request is submitted, provide the affected individual or organization with written notice setting forth the specific reasons or criteria relied upon to deny the request to be appointed as deputy registrar.

The county clerk may appoint as many additional deputy registrars as he considers necessary. The county clerk shall appoint such additional deputy registrars in such manner that the convenience of the public is served, giving due consideration to both population concentration and area. Some of the additional deputy registrars shall be selected so that there are an equal number from each of the 2 major political parties in the election jurisdiction. The county clerk, in appointing an additional deputy registrar, shall make the appointment from a list of applicants submitted by the Chairman of the County Central Committee of the applicant's political party. A Chairman of a County Central Committee shall submit a list of applicants to the county clerk by November 30 of each year. The county clerk may require a Chairman of a County Central Committee to furnish a supplemental list of applicants.

Deputy registrars may accept registrations at any time other than the 27 day period preceding an election. All persons appointed as deputy registrars shall be registered voters within the county and shall take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of deputy registrar to the best of my ability and that I will register no person nor cause the registration of any person except upon his personal application before me.

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

(Signature of Deputy Registrar)"

This oath shall be administered by the county clerk, or by one of his deputies, or by any person qualified to take acknowledgement of deeds and shall immediately thereafter be filed with the county clerk.

Appointments of deputy registrars under this Section, except precinct committeemen, shall be for 2-year terms, commencing on December 1 following the general election of each even-numbered year, except that the terms of the initial appointments shall be until December 1st following the next general election. Appointments of precinct committeemen shall be for 2-year terms commencing on the date of the county convention following the general primary at which they were elected. The county clerk shall issue a certificate of appointment to each deputy registrar, and shall maintain in his office for public inspection a list of the names of all appointees.

(b) The county clerk shall be responsible for training all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a), at times and locations reasonably convenient for both the county clerk and such appointees. The county clerk shall be responsible for certifying and supervising all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a). Deputy registrars appointed under subsection (a) shall be subject to removal for cause.

(c) Completed registration materials under the control of deputy registrars, appointed pursuant to subsection (a), shall be returned to the appointing proper election authority within 7 days, except that completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars during the period between the 35th and 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars to the appointing proper election authority within 48 hours after receipt thereof. The completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars on the 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars within 24 hours after receipt thereof. Unused materials shall be returned by deputy registrars appointed pursuant to paragraph 4 of subsection (a), not later than the next working day following the close of registration.

(d) The county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, must provide any additional forms requested by any deputy registrar regardless of the number of unaccounted registration forms the deputy registrar may have in his or her possession.

(e) No deputy registrar shall engage in any electioneering or the promotion of any cause during the performance of his or her duties.

(f) The county clerk shall not be criminally or civilly liable for the acts or omissions of any deputy registrar. Such deputy registers shall not be deemed to be employees of the county clerk.

(g) Completed registration materials returned by deputy registrars for persons residing outside the county shall be transmitted by the county clerk within 2 days after receipt to the election authority of the person's election jurisdiction of residence.

(Source: P.A. 92-816, eff. 8-21-02; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

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

Sec. 5-23. Any registered voter who changes his residence from one address, number or place to another within the same county wherein this article 5 is in effect, may have his registration transferred to his new address by making and signing an application for such change of residence upon a form to be provided by the county clerk. Such application must be made to the office of the county clerk. In case the person is unable to sign his name the county clerk shall require such person to execute the request in the presence of the county clerk or of his properly authorized representative, by his mark, and if satisfied of the identity of the person, the county clerk shall make the transfer.

Upon receipt of such application, the county clerk, or one of his employees deputized to take registrations shall cause the signature of the voter and the data appearing upon the application to be compared with the signature and data on the registration record, and if it appears that the applicant is the same person as the party previously registered under that name the transfer shall be made.

Transfer of registration under the provisions of this section may not be made within the period when the county clerk's office is closed to registration prior to an election at which such voter would be entitled to vote.

Any registered voter who changes his or her name by marriage or otherwise, shall be required to register anew and authorize the cancellation of the previous registration; provided, however, that if the change of name takes place within a period during which such new registration cannot be made, next preceding any election or primary, the elector may, if otherwise qualified, vote upon making the following affidavit before the judges of election:

I do solemnly swear that I am the same person now registered in the .... precinct of the .... ward of the city of .... or .... District Town of .... under the name of .... and that I still reside in said precinct or district.

(Signed) ....

If the voter whose name has changed still resides in the same precinct, the voter may vote after making the affidavit at the polling place regardless of when the change of name occurred. In that event, the affidavit shall not state that the voter is required to register; the affidavit shall be treated by the election authority as authorization to cancel the registration under the former name, and the election authority shall register the voter under his or her current name.

When a removal of a registered voter takes place from one address to another within the same precinct within a period during which such transfer of registration cannot be made, before any election or primary, he shall be entitled to vote upon presenting to the judges of election an affidavit of a change and having said affidavit supported by the affidavit of a qualified voter of the same precinct.

Suitable forms for this purpose shall be provided by the county clerk. The form in all cases shall be similar to the form furnished by the county clerk for county and state elections.

The precinct election officials shall report to the county clerk the names and addresses of all such persons who have changed their addresses and voted. The city, village, town and incorporated town clerks shall within five days after every election report to the county clerk the names and addresses of the persons reported to them as having voted by affidavit as in this section provided.

The county clerk may obtain information from utility companies, city, village, town and incorporated town records, the post office or from other sources regarding the removal of registered voters and notify such voters that a transfer of registration may be made in the manner provided by this section.

If any person be registered by error in a precinct other than that in which he resides the county clerk shall be empowered to transfer his registration to the proper precinct.

Where a revision or rearrangement of precincts is made by the board of county commissioners, the county clerk shall immediately transfer to the proper precinct the registration of any voter affected by such revision or rearrangement of the precincts; make the proper notations on the registration cards of a voter affected by the revision of registration and shall notify the registrant of such change.

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

(10 ILCS 5/5-105 new)

Sec. 5-105. First time voting. If a person registered to vote by mail, the person must vote for the first time in person and not by an absentee ballot, except that the person may vote by absentee ballot in person if the person first provides the appropriate election authority with sufficient proof of identity by the person's driver's license number or State identification card number or, if the person does not have either of those, by the last 4 digits of the person's social security number, a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or a copy of any of the following current documents that show the person's name and address: utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document.

(10 ILCS 5/6-50.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 6-50.2)

Sec. 6-50.2. (a) The board of election commissioners shall appoint all precinct committeepersons in the election jurisdiction as deputy registrars who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the State election jurisdiction, except during the 27 days preceding an election.

The election authority shall appoint as deputy registrars a reasonable number of employees of the Secretary of State located at driver's license examination stations and designated to the election authority by the Secretary of State who may accept the registration of any qualified residents of the State county at any such driver's license examination stations. The appointment of employees of the Secretary of State as deputy registrars shall be made in the manner provided in Section 2-105 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

The board of election commissioners shall appoint each of the following named persons as deputy registrars upon the written request of such persons:

1. The chief librarian, or a qualified person designated by the chief librarian, of any public library situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State election jurisdiction, at such library.

2. The principal, or a qualified person designated by the principal, of any high school, elementary school, or vocational school situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any resident of the State election jurisdiction, at such school. The board of election commissioners shall notify every principal and vice-principal of each high school, elementary school, and vocational school situated in the election jurisdiction of their eligibility to serve as deputy registrars and offer training courses for service as deputy registrars at conveniently located facilities at least 4 months prior to every election.

3. The president, or a qualified person designated by the president, of any university, college, community college, academy or other institution of learning situated within the State election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any resident of the election jurisdiction, at such university, college, community college, academy or institution.

4. A duly elected or appointed official of a bona fide labor organization, or a reasonable number of qualified members designated by such official, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State election jurisdiction.

5. A duly elected or appointed official of a bona fide State civic organization, as defined and determined by rule of the State Board of Elections, or qualified members designated by such official, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the State election jurisdiction. In determining the number of deputy registrars that shall be appointed, the board of election commissioners shall consider the population of the jurisdiction, the size of the organization, the geographic size of the jurisdiction, convenience for the public, the existing number of deputy registrars in the jurisdiction and their location, the registration activities of the organization and the need to appoint deputy registrars to assist and facilitate the registration of non-English speaking individuals. In no event shall a board of election commissioners fix an arbitrary number applicable to every civic organization requesting appointment of its members as deputy registrars. The State Board of Elections shall by rule provide for certification of bona fide State civic organizations. Such appointments shall be made for a period not to exceed 2 years, terminating on the first business day of the month following the month of the general election, and shall be valid for all periods of voter registration as provided by this Code during the terms of such appointments.

6. The Director of the Illinois Department of Public Aid, or a reasonable number of employees designated by the Director and located at public aid offices, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the election jurisdiction at any such public aid office.

7. The Director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, or a reasonable number of employees designated by the Director and located at unemployment offices, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the election jurisdiction at any such unemployment office. If the request to be appointed as deputy registrar is denied, the board of election commissioners shall, within 10 days after the date the request is submitted, provide the affected individual or organization with written notice setting forth the specific reasons or criteria relied upon to deny the request to be appointed as deputy registrar.

8. The president of any corporation, as defined by the Business Corporation Act of 1983, or a reasonable number of employees designated by such president, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State election jurisdiction.

The board of election commissioners may appoint as many additional deputy registrars as it considers necessary. The board of election commissioners shall appoint such additional deputy registrars in such manner that the convenience of the public is served, giving due consideration to both population concentration and area. Some of the additional deputy registrars shall be selected so that there are an equal number from each of the 2 major political parties in the election jurisdiction. The board of election commissioners, in appointing an additional deputy registrar, shall make the appointment from a list of applicants submitted by the Chairman of the County Central Committee of the applicant's political party. A Chairman of a County Central Committee shall submit a list of applicants to the board by November 30 of each year. The board may require a Chairman of a County Central Committee to furnish a supplemental list of applicants.

Deputy registrars may accept registrations at any time other than the 27 day period preceding an election. All persons appointed as deputy registrars shall be registered voters within the election jurisdiction and shall take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of registration officer to the best of my ability and that I will register no person nor cause the registration of any person except upon his personal application before me.

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

(Signature of Registration Officer)"

This oath shall be administered and certified to by one of the commissioners or by the executive director or by some person designated by the board of election commissioners, and shall immediately thereafter be filed with the board of election commissioners. The members of the board of election commissioners and all persons authorized by them under the provisions of this Article to take registrations, after themselves taking and subscribing to the above oath, are authorized to take or administer such oaths and execute such affidavits as are required by this Article.

Appointments of deputy registrars under this Section, except precinct committeemen, shall be for 2-year terms, commencing on December 1 following the general election of each even-numbered year, except that the terms of the initial appointments shall be until December 1st following the next general election. Appointments of precinct committeemen shall be for 2-year terms commencing on the date of the county convention following the general primary at which they were elected. The county clerk shall issue a certificate of appointment to each deputy registrar, and shall maintain in his office for public inspection a list of the names of all appointees.

(b) The board of election commissioners shall be responsible for training all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a), at times and locations reasonably convenient for both the board of election commissioners and such appointees. The board of election commissioners shall be responsible for certifying and supervising all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a). Deputy registrars appointed under subsection (a) shall be subject to removal for cause.

(c) Completed registration materials under the control of deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a) shall be returned to the appointing proper election authority within 7 days, except that completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars during the period between the 35th and 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars to the appointing proper election authority within 48 hours after receipt thereof. The completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars on the 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars within 24 hours after receipt thereof. Unused materials shall be returned by deputy registrars appointed pursuant to paragraph 4 of subsection (a), not later than the next working day following the close of registration.

(d) The county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, must provide any additional forms requested by any deputy registrar regardless of the number of unaccounted registration forms the deputy registrar may have in his or her possession.

(e) No deputy registrar shall engage in any electioneering or the promotion of any cause during the performance of his or her duties.

(f) The board of election commissioners shall not be criminally or civilly liable for the acts or omissions of any deputy registrar. Such deputy registrars shall not be deemed to be employees of the board of election commissioners.

(g) Completed registration materials returned by deputy registrars for persons residing outside the election jurisdiction shall be transmitted by the board of election commissioners within 2 days after receipt to the election authority of the person's election jurisdiction of residence.

(Source: P.A. 92-816, eff. 8-21-02; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/6-54) (from Ch. 46, par. 6-54)

Sec. 6-54. Any registered voter who changes his or her name by marriage or otherwise, shall be required to register anew and authorize the cancellation of the previous registration; provided, however, that if the change of name takes place within a period during which such new registration cannot be made, next preceding any election or primary, the elector may, if otherwise qualified, vote upon making the following affidavit before the judges of election:

"I do solemnly swear that I am the same person now registered in the .... precinct of the .... ward, under the name of .... and that I still reside in said precinct.

(Signed)...."

If the voter whose name has changed still resides in the same precinct, the voter may vote after making the affidavit at the polling place regardless of when the change of name occurred. In that event, the affidavit shall not state that the voter is required to register; the affidavit shall be treated by the election authority as authorization to cancel the registration under the former name, and the election authority shall register the voter under his or her current name.

(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)

(10 ILCS 5/6-105 new)

Sec. 6-105. First time voting. If a person registered to vote by mail, the person must vote for the first time in person and not by an absentee ballot, except that the person may vote by absentee ballot in person if the person first provides the appropriate election authority with sufficient proof of identity by the person's driver's license number or State identification card number or, if the person does not have either of those, by the last 4 digits of the person's social security number, a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or a copy of any of the following current documents that show the person's name and address: utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document.

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

Sec. 7-7. For the purpose of making nominations in certain instances as provided in this Article and this Act, the following committees are authorized and shall constitute the central or managing committees of each political party, viz: A State central committee, whose responsibilities include, but are not limited to, filling by appointment vacancies in nomination for statewide offices, including but not limited to the office of United States Senator, a congressional committee for each congressional district, a county central committee for each county, a municipal central committee for each city, incorporated town or village, a ward committeeman for each ward in cities containing a population of 500,000 or more; a township committeeman for each township or part of a township that lies outside of cities having a population of 200,000 or more, in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or more; a precinct committeeman for each precinct in counties having a population of less than 2,000,000; a county board district committee for each county board district created under Division 2-3 of the Counties Code; a State's Attorney committee for each group of 2 or more counties which jointly elect a State's Attorney; a Superintendent of Multi-County Educational Service Region committee for each group of 2 or more counties which jointly elect a Superintendent of a Multi-County Educational Service Region; a judicial subcircuit committee in a judicial circuit divided into subcircuits for each judicial subcircuit in that circuit; and a board of review election district committee for each Cook County Board of Review election district.

(Source: P.A. 93-541, eff. 8-18-03; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; revised 9-22-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/7-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-8)

Sec. 7-8. The State central committee shall be composed of one or two members from each congressional district in the State and shall be elected as follows:

State Central Committee

(a) Within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1983 the State central committee of each political party shall certify to the State Board of Elections which of the following alternatives it wishes to apply to the State central committee of that party.

Alternative A. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March 1970, and at the primary held every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector may vote for one candidate of his party for member of the State central committee for the congressional district in which he resides. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected State central committeeman from the district. A political party may, in lieu of the foregoing, by a majority vote of delegates at any State convention of such party, determine to thereafter elect the State central committeemen in the manner following:

At the county convention held by such political party State central committeemen shall be elected in the same manner as provided in this Article for the election of officers of the county central committee, and such election shall follow the election of officers of the county central committee. Each elected ward, township or precinct committeeman shall cast as his vote one vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a township or precinct in the last preceding primary election of his political party. In the case of a county lying partially within one congressional district and partially within another congressional district, each ward, township or precinct committeeman shall vote only with respect to the congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a township or precinct is located. In the case of a congressional district which encompasses more than one county, each ward, township or precinct committeeman residing within the congressional district shall cast as his vote one vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a township or precinct in the last preceding primary election of his political party for one candidate of his party for member of the State central committee for the congressional district in which he resides and the Chairman of the county central committee shall report the results of the election to the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections shall certify the candidate receiving the highest number of votes elected State central committeeman for that congressional district.

The State central committee shall adopt rules to provide for and govern the procedures to be followed in the election of members of the State central committee.

After the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly, whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of Chairman of a State central committee, or at the end of the term of office of Chairman, the State central committee of each political party that has selected Alternative A shall elect a Chairman who shall not be required to be a member of the State Central Committee. The Chairman shall be a registered voter in this State and of the same political party as the State central committee.

Alternative B. Each congressional committee shall, within 30 days after the adoption of this alternative, appoint a person of the sex opposite that of the incumbent member for that congressional district to serve as an additional member of the State central committee until his or her successor is elected at the general primary election in 1986. Each congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section. In each congressional district at the general primary election held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, the male candidate receiving the highest number of votes of the party's male candidates for State central committeeman, and the female candidate receiving the highest number of votes of the party's female candidates for State central committeewoman, shall be declared elected State central committeeman and State central committeewoman from the district. At the general primary election held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, if all a party's candidates for State central committeemen or State central committeewomen from a congressional district are of the same sex, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected a State central committeeman or State central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the second member of the State central committee from the district. This vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the congressional committee of the political party, and the person appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the congressional district and of the sex opposite that of the committeeman or committeewoman elected at the general primary election. Each congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section.

The Chairman of a State central committee composed as provided in this Alternative B must be selected from the committee's members.

Except as provided for in Alternative A with respect to the selection of the Chairman of the State central committee, under both of the foregoing alternatives, the State central committee of each political party shall be composed of members elected or appointed from the several congressional districts of the State, and of no other person or persons whomsoever. The members of the State central committee shall, within 41 30 days after each quadrennial election of the full committee, meet in the city of Springfield and organize by electing a chairman, and may at such time elect such officers from among their own number (or otherwise), as they may deem necessary or expedient. The outgoing chairman of the State central committee of the party shall, 10 days before the meeting, notify each member of the State central committee elected at the primary of the time and place of such meeting. In the organization and proceedings of the State central committee, each State central committeeman and State central committeewoman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his or her congressional district by the primary electors of his or her party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the State central committee. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the State central committee of any political party, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the chairmen of the county central committees of the political party of the counties located within the congressional district in which the vacancy occurs and, if applicable, the ward and township committeemen of the political party in counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants located within the congressional district. If the congressional district in which the vacancy occurs lies wholly within a county of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the ward and township committeemen of the political party in that congressional district shall vote to fill the vacancy. In voting to fill the vacancy, each chairman of a county central committee and each ward and township committeeman in counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants shall have one vote for each ballot voted in each precinct of the congressional district in which the vacancy exists of his or her county, township, or ward cast by the primary electors of his or her party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting to fill the vacancy in the State central committee. The person appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the congressional district in which the vacancy occurs, shall be a qualified voter, and, in a committee composed as provided in Alternative B, shall be of the same sex as his or her predecessor. A political party may, by a majority vote of the delegates of any State convention of such party, determine to return to the election of State central committeeman and State central committeewoman by the vote of primary electors. Any action taken by a political party at a State convention in accordance with this Section shall be reported to the State Board of Elections by the chairman and secretary of such convention within 10 days after such action.

Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen

(b) At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March, 1972, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in cities having a population of 200,000 or over may vote for one candidate of his party in his ward for ward committeeman. Each candidate for ward committeeman must be a resident of and in the ward where he seeks to be elected ward committeeman. The one having the highest number of votes shall be such ward committeeman of such party for such ward. At the primary election held on the third Tuesday in March, 1970, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or more, outside of cities containing a population of 200,000 or more, may vote for one candidate of his party for township committeeman. Each candidate for township committeeman must be a resident of and in the township or part of a township (which lies outside of a city having a population of 200,000 or more, in counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or more), and in which township or part of a township he seeks to be elected township committeeman. The one having the highest number of votes shall be such township committeeman of such party for such township or part of a township. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March, 1970 and every 2 years thereafter, each primary elector, except in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or over, may vote for one candidate of his party in his precinct for precinct committeeman. Each candidate for precinct committeeman must be a bona fide resident of the precinct where he seeks to be elected precinct committeeman. The one having the highest number of votes shall be such precinct committeeman of such party for such precinct. The official returns of the primary shall show the name of the committeeman of each political party.

Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the second year after their election. Except as otherwise provided in this Section for certain State central committeemen who have 2 year terms, all State central committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen shall continue as such committeemen until the date of primary to be held in the fourth year after their election. However, a vacancy exists in the office of precinct committeeman when a precinct committeeman ceases to reside in the precinct in which he was elected and such precinct committeeman shall thereafter neither have nor exercise any rights, powers or duties as committeeman in that precinct, even if a successor has not been elected or appointed.

(c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist of the precinct committeemen of such party, in the multi-township assessing district formed pursuant to Section 2-10 of the Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the purposes set forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In the organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township Central Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was elected.

County Central Committee

(d) The county central committee of each political party in each county shall consist of the various township committeemen, precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of such party in the county. In the organization and proceedings of the county central committee, each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was elected; each township committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a township as the case may be by the primary electors of his party at the primary election for the nomination of candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately preceding the meeting of the county central committee; and in the organization and proceedings of the county central committee, each ward committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his ward by the primary electors of his party at the primary election for the nomination of candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately preceding the meeting of the county central committee.

Cook County Board of Review Election District Committee

(d-1) Each board of review election district committee of each political party in Cook County shall consist of the various township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of that party in the portions of the county composing the board of review election district. In the organization and proceedings of each of the 3 election district committees, each township committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his or her township or part of a township, as the case may be, by the primary electors of his or her party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the board of review election district committee; and in the organization and proceedings of each of the 3 election district committees, each ward committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his or her ward or part of that ward, as the case may be, by the primary electors of his or her party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the board of review election district committee.

Congressional Committee

(e) The congressional committee of each party in each congressional district shall be composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of the counties composing the congressional district, except that in congressional districts wholly within the territorial limits of one county, or partly within 2 or more counties, but not coterminous with the county lines of all of such counties, the precinct committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of the party representing the precincts within the limits of the congressional district, shall compose the congressional committee. A State central committeeman in each district shall be a member and the chairman or, when a district has 2 State central committeemen, a co-chairman of the congressional committee, but shall not have the right to vote except in case of a tie.

In the organization and proceedings of congressional committees composed of precinct committeemen or township committeemen or ward committeemen, or any combination thereof, each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was elected, each township committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a township as the case may be by the primary electors of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the congressional committee, and each ward committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in each precinct of his ward located in such congressional district by the primary electors of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the congressional committee; and in the organization and proceedings of congressional committees composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of the counties within such district, each chairman of such county central committee shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his county by the primary electors of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the congressional committee.

Judicial District Committee

(f) The judicial district committee of each political party in each judicial district shall be composed of the chairman of the county central committees of the counties composing the judicial district.

In the organization and proceedings of judicial district committees composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of the counties within such district, each chairman of such county central committee shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his county by the primary electors of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial district committee.

Circuit Court Committee

(g) The circuit court committee of each political party in each judicial circuit outside Cook County shall be composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of the counties composing the judicial circuit.

In the organization and proceedings of circuit court committees, each chairman of a county central committee shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his county by the primary electors of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the circuit court committee.

Judicial Subcircuit Committee

(g-1) The judicial subcircuit committee of each political party in each judicial subcircuit in a judicial circuit divided into subcircuits shall be composed of (i) the ward and township committeemen of the townships and wards composing the judicial subcircuit in Cook County and (ii) the precinct committeemen of the precincts composing the judicial subcircuit in any county other than Cook County.

In the organization and proceedings of each judicial subcircuit committee, each township committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a township, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee; each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his precinct or part of a precinct, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee; and each ward committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his ward or part of a ward, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee.

Municipal Central Committee

(h) The municipal central committee of each political party shall be composed of the precinct, township or ward committeemen, as the case may be, of such party representing the precincts or wards, embraced in such city, incorporated town or village. The voting strength of each precinct, township or ward committeeman on the municipal central committee shall be the same as his voting strength on the county central committee.

For political parties, other than a statewide political party, established only within a municipality or township, the municipal or township managing committee shall be composed of the party officers of the local established party. The party officers of a local established party shall be as follows: the chairman and secretary of the caucus for those municipalities and townships authorized by statute to nominate candidates by caucus shall serve as party officers for the purpose of filling vacancies in nomination under Section 7-61; for municipalities and townships authorized by statute or ordinance to nominate candidates by petition and primary election, the party officers shall be the party's candidates who are nominated at the primary. If no party primary was held because of the provisions of Section 7-5, vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the party's remaining candidates who shall serve as the party's officers.

Powers

(i) Each committee and its officers shall have the powers usually exercised by such committees and by the officers thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article. The several committees herein provided for shall not have power to delegate any of their powers, or functions to any other person, officer or committee, but this shall not be construed to prevent a committee from appointing from its own membership proper and necessary subcommittees.

(j) The State central committee of a political party which elects it members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section shall adopt a plan to give effect to the delegate selection rules of the national political party and file a copy of such plan with the State Board of Elections when approved by a national political party.

(k) For the purpose of the designation of a proxy by a Congressional Committee to vote in place of an absent State central committeeman or committeewoman at meetings of the State central committee of a political party which elects its members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section, the proxy shall be appointed by the vote of the ward and township committeemen, if any, of the wards and townships which lie entirely or partially within the Congressional District from which the absent State central committeeman or committeewoman was elected and the vote of the chairmen of the county central committees of those counties which lie entirely or partially within that Congressional District and in which there are no ward or township committeemen. When voting for such proxy the county chairman, ward committeeman or township committeeman, as the case may be shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his county, ward or township, or portion thereof within the Congressional District, by the primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was elected. However, the absent State central committeeman or committeewoman may designate a proxy when permitted by the rules of a political party which elects its members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section.

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person is ineligible to hold the position of committeeperson in any committee established pursuant to this Section if he or she is statutorily ineligible to vote in a general election because of conviction of a felony. When a committeeperson is convicted of a felony, the position occupied by that committeeperson shall automatically become vacant.

(Source: P.A. 93-541, eff. 8-18-03; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)

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

Sec. 7-10. Form of petition for nomination. The name of no candidate for nomination, or State central committeeman, or township committeeman, or precinct committeeman, or ward committeeman or candidate for delegate or alternate delegate to national nominating conventions, shall be printed upon the primary ballot unless a petition for nomination has been filed in his behalf as provided in this Article in substantially the following form:

We, the undersigned, members of and affiliated with the .... party and qualified primary electors of the .... party, in the .... of ...., in the county of .... and State of Illinois, do hereby petition that the following named person or persons shall be a candidate or candidates of the .... party for the nomination for (or in case of committeemen for election to) the office or offices hereinafter specified, to be voted for at the primary election to be held on (insert date).

Name.................. Address.......................

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

I, ...., do hereby certify that I reside at No. .... street, in the .... of ...., county of ...., and State of ....., that I am 18 years of age or older, that I am a citizen of the United States, and that the signatures on this sheet were signed in my presence, and are genuine, and that to the best of my knowledge and belief the persons so signing were at the time of signing the petitions qualified voters of the .... party, and that their respective residences are correctly stated, as above set forth.

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

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

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

Each sheet of the petition other than the statement of candidacy and candidate's statement shall be of uniform size and shall contain above the space for signatures an appropriate heading giving the information as to name of candidate or candidates, in whose behalf such petition is signed; the office, the political party represented and place of residence; and the heading of each sheet shall be the same.

Such petition shall be signed by qualified primary electors residing in the political division for which the nomination is sought in their own proper persons only and opposite the signature of each signer, his residence address shall be written or printed. The residence address required to be written or printed opposite each qualified primary elector's name shall include the street address or rural route number of the signer, as the case may be, as well as the signer's county, and city, village or town, and state. However the county or city, village or town, and state of residence of the electors may be printed on the petition forms where all of the electors signing the petition reside in the same county or city, village or town, and state. Standard abbreviations may be used in writing the residence address, including street number, if any. At the bottom of each sheet of such petition shall be added a circulator statement signed by a person 18 years of age or older who is a citizen of the United States, stating the street address or rural route number, as the case may be, as well as the county, city, village or town, and state; and certifying that the signatures on that sheet of the petition were signed in his or her presence and certifying that the signatures are genuine; and either (1) indicating the dates on which that sheet was circulated, or (2) indicating the first and last dates on which the sheet was circulated, or (3) certifying that none of the signatures on the sheet were signed more than 90 days preceding the last day for the filing of the petition and certifying that to the best of his or her knowledge and belief the persons so signing were at the time of signing the petitions qualified voters of the political party for which a nomination is sought. Such statement shall be sworn to before some officer authorized to administer oaths in this State.

No petition sheet shall be circulated more than 90 days preceding the last day provided in Section 7-12 for the filing of such petition.

The person circulating the petition, or the candidate on whose behalf the petition is circulated, may strike any signature from the petition, provided that:

(1) the person striking the signature shall initial the petition at the place where the signature is struck; and

(2) the person striking the signature shall sign a certification listing the page number and line number of each signature struck from the petition. Such certification shall be filed as a part of the petition.

Such sheets before being filed shall be neatly fastened together in book form, by placing the sheets in a pile and fastening them together at one edge in a secure and suitable manner, and the sheets shall then be numbered consecutively. The sheets shall not be fastened by pasting them together end to end, so as to form a continuous strip or roll. All petition sheets which are filed with the proper local election officials, election authorities or the State Board of Elections shall be the original sheets which have been signed by the voters and by the circulator thereof, and not photocopies or duplicates of such sheets. Each petition must include as a part thereof, a statement of candidacy for each of the candidates filing, or in whose behalf the petition is filed. This statement shall set out the address of such candidate, the office for which he is a candidate, shall state that the candidate is a qualified primary voter of the party to which the petition relates and is qualified for the office specified (in the case of a candidate for State's Attorney it shall state that the candidate is at the time of filing such statement a licensed attorney-at-law of this State), shall state that he has filed (or will file before the close of the petition filing period) a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, shall request that the candidate's name be placed upon the official ballot, and shall be subscribed and sworn to by such candidate before some officer authorized to take acknowledgment of deeds in the State and shall be in substantially the following form:

Statement of Candidacy

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

I, ...., being first duly sworn, say that I reside at .... Street in the city (or village) of ...., in the county of ...., State of Illinois; that I am a qualified voter therein and am a qualified primary voter of the .... party; that I am a candidate for nomination (for election in the case of committeeman and delegates and alternate delegates) to the office of .... to be voted upon at the primary election to be held on (insert date); that I am legally qualified (including being the holder of any license that may be an eligibility requirement for the office I seek the nomination for) to hold such office and that I have filed (or I will file before the close of the petition filing period) a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act and I hereby request that my name be printed upon the official primary ballot for nomination for (or election to in the case of committeemen and delegates and alternate delegates) such office.

Signed ......................

Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ...., who is to me personally known, on (insert date).

Signed ....................

(Official Character)

(Seal, if officer has one.)

The petitions, when filed, shall not be withdrawn or added to, and no signatures shall be revoked except by revocation filed in writing with the State Board of Elections, election authority or local election official with whom the petition is required to be filed, and before the filing of such petition. Whoever forges the name of a signer upon any petition required by this Article is deemed guilty of a forgery and on conviction thereof shall be punished accordingly.

A candidate for the offices listed in this Section must obtain the number of signatures specified in this Section on his or her petition for nomination.

(a) Statewide office or delegate to a national nominating convention. If a candidate seeks to run for statewide office or as a delegate or alternate delegate to a national nominating convention elected from the State at-large, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least 5,000 but not more than 10,000 signatures.

(b) Congressional office or congressional delegate to a national nominating convention. If a candidate seeks to run for United States Congress or as a congressional delegate or alternate congressional delegate to a national nominating convention elected from a congressional district, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of his or her party in his or her congressional district. In the first primary election following a redistricting of congressional districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least 600 signatures of qualified primary electors of the candidate's political party in his or her congressional district.

(c) County office. If a candidate seeks to run for any countywide office, including but not limited to county board chairperson or county board member, elected on an at-large basis, in a county other than Cook County, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party who cast votes at the last preceding general election in his or her county. If a candidate seeks to run for county board member elected from a county board district, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of his or her party in the county board district. In the first primary election following a redistricting of county board districts or the initial establishment of county board districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party in the entire county who cast votes at the last preceding general election divided by the total number of county board districts comprising the county board; provided that in no event shall the number of signatures be less than 25.

(d) County office; Cook County only.

(1) If a candidate seeks to run for countywide office in Cook County, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party who cast votes at the last preceding general election in Cook County.

(2) If a candidate seeks to run for Cook County Board Commissioner, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of his or her party in his or her county board district. In the first primary election following a redistricting of Cook County Board of Commissioners districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party in the entire county who cast votes at the last preceding general election divided by the total number of county board districts comprising the county board; provided that in no event shall the number of signatures be less than 25.

(3) If a candidate seeks to run for Cook County Board of Review Commissioner, which is elected from a district pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 5-5 of the Property Tax Code, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the total number of registered voters in his or her board of review district in the last general election at which a commissioner was regularly scheduled to be elected from that board of review district. In no event shall the number of signatures required be greater than the requisite number for a candidate who seeks countywide office in Cook County under subsection (d)(1) of this Section. In the first primary election following a redistricting of Cook County Board of Review districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least 4,000 signatures or at least the number of signatures required for a countywide candidate in Cook County, whichever is less, of the qualified electors of his or her party in the district.

(e) Municipal or township office. If a candidate seeks to run for municipal or township office, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of his or her party in the municipality or township. If a candidate seeks to run for alderman of a municipality, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of his or her party of the ward. In the first primary election following redistricting of aldermanic wards or trustee districts of a municipality or the initial establishment of wards or districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must contain the number of signatures equal to at least 0.5% of the total number of votes cast for the candidate of that political party who received the highest number of votes in the entire municipality at the last regular election at which an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from the entire municipality, divided by the number of wards or districts. In no event shall the number of signatures be less than 25.

(f) State central committeeperson. If a candidate seeks to run for State central committeeperson, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least 100 signatures of the primary electors of his or her party of his or her congressional district.

(g) Sanitary district trustee. If a candidate seeks to run for trustee of a sanitary district in which trustees are not elected from wards, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the primary electors of his or her party from the sanitary district. If a candidate seeks to run for trustee of a sanitary district in which trustees are elected from wards, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the primary electors of his or her party in the ward of that sanitary district. In the first primary election following redistricting of sanitary districts elected from wards, a candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the signatures of 150 qualified primary electors of his or her ward of that sanitary district.

(h) Judicial office. If a candidate seeks to run for judicial office in a district, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain the number of signatures equal to 0.4% of the number of votes cast in that district for the candidate for his or her political party for the office of Governor at the last general election at which a Governor was elected, but in no event less than 500 signatures. If a candidate seeks to run for judicial office in a district, circuit, or subcircuit, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain the number of signatures equal to 0.25% of the number of votes cast for the judicial candidate of his or her political party who received the highest number of votes at the last general election at which a judicial officer from the same district, circuit, or subcircuit was regularly scheduled to be elected, but in no event less than 500 signatures.

(i) Precinct, ward, and township committeeperson. If a candidate seeks to run for precinct committeeperson, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least 10 signatures of the primary electors of his or her party for the precinct. If a candidate seeks to run for ward committeeperson, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain no less than the number of signatures equal to 10% of the primary electors of his or her party of the ward, but no more than 16% of those same electors; provided that the maximum number of signatures may be 50 more than the minimum number, whichever is greater. If a candidate seeks to run for township committeeperson, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain no less than the number of signatures equal to 5% of the primary electors of his or her party of the township, but no more than 8% of those same electors; provided that the maximum number of signatures may be 50 more than the minimum number, whichever is greater.

(j) State's attorney or regional superintendent of schools for multiple counties. If a candidate seeks to run for State's attorney or regional Superintendent of Schools who serves more than one county, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the primary electors of his or her party in the territory comprising the counties.

(k) Any other office. If a candidate seeks any other office, then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the registered voters of the political subdivision, district, or division for which the nomination is made or 25 signatures, whichever is greater.

For purposes of this Section the number of primary electors shall be determined by taking the total vote cast, in the applicable district, for the candidate for that political party who received the highest number of votes, statewide, at the last general election in the State at which electors for President of the United States were elected. For political subdivisions, the number of primary electors shall be determined by taking the total vote cast for the candidate for that political party who received the highest number of votes in the political subdivision at the last regular election at which an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from that subdivision. For wards or districts of political subdivisions, the number of primary electors shall be determined by taking the total vote cast for the candidate for that political party who received the highest number of votes in the ward or district at the last regular election at which an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from that ward or district.

A "qualified primary elector" of a party may not sign petitions for or be a candidate in the primary of more than one party.

The changes made to this Section of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly are declarative of existing law, except for item (3) of subsection (d).

Petitions of candidates for nomination for offices herein specified, to be filed with the same officer, may contain the names of 2 or more candidates of the same political party for the same or different offices.

(Source: P.A. 92-16, eff. 6-28-01; 92-129, eff. 7-20-01; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/7-15) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-15)

Sec. 7-15. At least 60 days prior to each general and consolidated primary, the election authority shall provide public notice, calculated to reach elderly and handicapped voters, of the availability of registration and voting aids under the Federal Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act, of the availability of assistance in marking the ballot, and procedures for voting by absentee ballot, and procedures for early voting by personal appearance. At least 20 days before the general primary the county clerk of each county, and not more than 30 nor less than 10 days before the consolidated primary the election authority, shall prepare in the manner provided in this Act, a notice of such primary which notice shall state the time and place of holding the primary, the hours during which the polls will be open, the offices for which candidates will be nominated at such primary and the political parties entitled to participate therein, notwithstanding that no candidate of any such political party may be entitled to have his name printed on the primary ballot. Such notice shall also include the list of addresses of precinct polling places for the consolidated primary unless such list is separately published by the election authority not less than 10 days before the consolidated primary.

In counties, municipalities, or towns having fewer than 500,000 inhabitants notice of the general primary shall be published once in two or more newspapers published in the county, municipality or town, as the case may be, or if there is no such newspaper, then in any two or more newspapers published in the county and having a general circulation throughout the community.

In counties, municipalities, or towns having 500,000 or more inhabitants notice of the general primary shall be published at least 15 days prior to the primary by the same authorities and in the same manner as notice of election for general elections are required to be published in counties, municipalities or towns of 500,000 or more inhabitants under this Act.

Notice of the consolidated primary shall be published once in one or more newspapers published in each political subdivision having such primary, and if there is no such newspaper, then published once in a local, community newspaper having general circulation in the subdivision, and also once in a newspaper published in the county wherein the political subdivisions, or portions thereof, having such primary are situated.

(Source: P.A. 84-808.)

(10 ILCS 5/7-34) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-34)

Sec. 7-34. Pollwatchers in a primary election shall be authorized in the following manner:

(1) Each established political party shall be entitled to appoint one pollwatcher per precinct. Such pollwatchers must be affiliated with the political party for which they are pollwatching and must be a registered voter in Illinois.

(2) Each candidate shall be entitled to appoint two pollwatchers per precinct. For Federal, State, and county, township, and municipal primary 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 names and addresses of its principal officers with the proper election authority at least 40 days before the primary election, shall be entitled to appoint one pollwatcher per precinct. For all primary elections, the pollwatcher must be registered to vote in Illinois.

(4) 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 primary election, shall be entitled to appoint one pollwatcher per precinct. The pollwatcher must be registered to vote in Illinois.

(5) In any primary election held to nominate 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 a county in which any part of the municipality is situated shall be eligible to serve as a pollwatcher in any polling place located within such municipality, provided that such pollwatcher otherwise complies with the respective requirements of subsections (1) through (4) of this Section and is a registered voter whose residence is within 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 and shall be available for distribution 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.

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) 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, qualified civic organizations and proponents and opponents of a ballot proposition 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 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 candidate and 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. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/7-56) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-56)

Sec. 7-56. As soon as complete returns are delivered to the proper election authority, the returns shall be canvassed for all primary elections as follows:

1. In the case of the nomination of candidates for city offices, by the mayor, the city attorney and the city clerk.

2. In the case of nomination of candidates for village offices, by the president of the board of trustees, one member of the board of trustees, and the village clerk.

3. In the case of nomination of candidates for township offices, by the town supervisor, the town assessor and the town clerk; in the case of nomination of candidates for incorporated town offices, by the corporate authorities of the incorporated town.

3.5. For multi-township assessment districts, by the chairman, clerk, and assessor of the multi-township assessment district.

4. For road district offices, by the highway commissioner and the road district clerk.

5. The officers who are charged by law with the duty of canvassing returns of general elections made to the county clerk, shall also open and canvass the returns of a primary made to such county clerk. Upon the completion of the canvass of the returns by the county canvassing board, said canvassing board shall make a tabulated statement of the returns for each political party separately, stating in appropriate columns and under proper headings, the total number of votes cast in said county for each candidate for nomination by said party, including candidates for President of the United States and for State central committeemen, and for delegates and alternate delegates to National nominating conventions, and for precinct committeemen, township committeemen, and for ward committeemen. Within two (2) days after the completion of said canvass by said canvassing board the county clerk shall mail to the State Board of Elections a certified copy of such tabulated statement of returns. Provided, however, that the number of votes cast for the nomination for offices, the certificates of election for which offices, under this Act or any other laws are issued by the county clerk shall not be included in such certified copy of said tabulated statement of returns, nor shall the returns on the election of precinct, township or ward committeemen be so certified to the State Board of Elections. The said officers shall also determine and set down as to each precinct the number of ballots voted by the primary electors of each party at the primary.

6. In the case of the nomination of candidates for offices, including President of the United States and the State central committeemen, and delegates and alternate delegates to National nominating conventions, certified tabulated statement of returns for which are filed with the State Board of Elections, said returns shall be canvassed by the board. And, provided, further, that within 5 days after said returns shall be canvassed by the said Board, the Board shall cause to be published in one daily newspaper of general circulation at the seat of the State government in Springfield a certified statement of the returns filed in its office, showing the total vote cast in the State for each candidate of each political party for President of the United States, and showing the total vote for each candidate of each political party for President of the United States, cast in each of the several congressional districts in the State.

7. Where in cities or villages which have a board of election commissioners, the returns of a primary are made to such board of election commissioners, said return shall be canvassed by such board, and, excepting in the case of the nomination for any municipal office, tabulated statements of the returns of such primary shall be made to the county clerk.

8. Within 48 hours of the delivery of complete returns of the consolidated primary to the election authority, the election authority shall deliver an original certificate of results to each local election official, with respect to whose political subdivisions nominations were made at such primary, for each precinct in his jurisdiction in which such nominations were on the ballot. Such original certificate of results need not include any offices or nominations for any other political subdivisions. The local election official shall immediately transmit the certificates to the canvassing board for his political subdivisions, which shall open and canvass the returns, make a tabulated statement of the returns for each political party separately, and as nearly as possible, follow the procedures required for the county canvassing board. Such canvass of votes shall be conducted within 21 7 days after the close of the consolidated primary.

(Source: P.A. 87-1052.)

(10 ILCS 5/7-60) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-60)

Sec. 7-60. Not less than 67 days before the date of the general election, the State Board of Elections shall certify to the county clerks the names of each of the candidates who have been nominated as shown by the proclamation of the State Board of Elections as a canvassing board or who have been nominated to fill a vacancy in nomination and direct the election authority to place upon the official ballot for the general election the names of such candidates in the same manner and in the same order as shown upon the certification, except as otherwise provided in this Section.

Not less than 61 days before the date of the general election, each county clerk shall certify the names of each of the candidates for county offices who have been nominated as shown by the proclamation of the county canvassing board or who have been nominated to fill a vacancy in nomination and declare that the names of such candidates for the respective offices shall be placed upon the official ballot for the general election in the same manner and in the same order as shown upon the certification, except as otherwise provided by this Section. Each county clerk shall place a copy of the certification on file in his or her office and at the same time issue to the State Board of Elections a copy of such certification. In addition, each county clerk in whose county there is a board of election commissioners shall, not less than 61 days before the date of the general election, issue to such board a copy of the certification that has been filed in the county clerk's office, together with a copy of the certification that has been issued to the clerk by the State Board of Elections, with directions to the board of election commissioners to place upon the official ballot for the general election in that election jurisdiction the names of all candidates that are listed on such certifications, in the same manner and in the same order as shown upon such certifications, except as otherwise provided in this Section.

Whenever there are two or more persons nominated by the same political party for multiple offices for any board, the name of the candidate of such party receiving the highest number of votes in the primary election as a candidate for such office, as shown by the official election returns of the primary, shall be certified first under the name of such offices, and the names of the remaining candidates of such party for such offices shall follow in the order of the number of votes received by them respectively at the primary election as shown by the official election results.

No person who is shown by the canvassing board's proclamation to have been nominated or elected at the primary as a write-in candidate shall have his or her name certified unless such person shall have filed with the certifying office or board within 10 days after the canvassing board's proclamation a statement of candidacy pursuant to Section 7-10, and a statement pursuant to Section 7-10.1, and a receipt for the filing of a statement of economic interests in relation to the unit of government to which he or she has been elected or nominated.

Each county clerk and board of election commissioners shall determine by a fair and impartial method of random selection the order of placement of established political party candidates for the general election ballot. Such determination shall be made within 30 days following the canvass and proclamation of the results of the general primary in the office of the county clerk or board of election commissioners 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 each such election authority, to the County Chairman of each established political party, and to each organization of citizens within the election jurisdiction which was entitled, under this Article, at the next preceding election, to have pollwatchers present on the day of election. Each election authority shall post in a conspicuous, open and public place, at the entrance of the election authority office, notice of the time and place of such lottery. However, a board of election commissioners may elect to place established political party candidates on the general election ballot in the same order determined by the county clerk of the county in which the city under the jurisdiction of such board is located.

Each certification shall indicate, where applicable, the following:

(1) The political party affiliation of the candidates for the respective offices;

(2) If there is to be more than one candidate elected to an office from the State, political subdivision or district;

(3) If the voter has the right to vote for more than one candidate for an office;

(4) The term of office, if a vacancy is to be filled for less than a full term or if the offices to be filled in a political subdivision are for different terms.

The State Board of Elections or the county clerk, as the case may be, shall issue an amended certification whenever it is discovered that the original certification is in error.

(Source: P.A. 86-867; 86-875; 86-1028.)

(10 ILCS 5/7-61) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-61)

Sec. 7-61. Whenever a special election is necessary the provisions of this Article are applicable to the nomination of candidates to be voted for at such special election.

In cases where a primary election is required the officer or board or commission whose duty it is under the provisions of this Act relating to general elections to call an election, shall fix a date for the primary for the nomination of candidates to be voted for at such special election. Notice of such primary shall be given at least 15 days prior to the maximum time provided for the filing of petitions for such a primary as provided in Section 7-12.

Any vacancy in nomination under the provisions of this Article 7 occurring on or after the primary and prior to certification of candidates by the certifying board or officer, must be filled prior to the date of certification. Any vacancy in nomination occurring after certification but prior to 15 days before the general election shall be filled within 8 days after the event creating the vacancy. The resolution filling the vacancy shall be sent by U. S. mail or personal delivery to the certifying officer or board within 3 days of the action by which the vacancy was filled; provided, if such resolution is sent by mail and the U. S. postmark on the envelope containing such resolution is dated prior to the expiration of such 3 day limit, the resolution shall be deemed filed within such 3 day limit. Failure to so transmit the resolution within the time specified in this Section shall authorize the certifying officer or board to certify the original candidate. Vacancies shall be filled by the officers of a local municipal or township political party as specified in subsection (h) of Section 7-8, other than a statewide political party, that is established only within a municipality or township and the managing committee (or legislative committee in case of a candidate for State Senator or representative committee in the case of a candidate for State Representative in the General Assembly or State central committee in the case of a candidate for statewide office, including but not limited to the office of United States Senator) of the respective political party for the territorial area in which such vacancy occurs.

The resolution to fill a vacancy in nomination shall be duly acknowledged before an officer qualified to take acknowledgements of deeds and shall include, upon its face, the following information:

(a) the name of the original nominee and the office vacated;

(b) the date on which the vacancy occurred;

(c) the name and address of the nominee selected to fill the vacancy and the date of selection.

The resolution to fill a vacancy in nomination shall be accompanied by a Statement of Candidacy, as prescribed in Section 7-10, completed by the selected nominee and a receipt indicating that such nominee has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.

The provisions of Section 10-8 through 10-10.1 relating to objections to certificates of nomination and nomination papers, hearings on objections, and judicial review, shall apply to and govern objections to resolutions for filling a vacancy in nomination.

Any vacancy in nomination occurring 15 days or less before the consolidated election or the general election shall not be filled. In this event, the certification of the original candidate shall stand and his name shall appear on the official ballot to be voted at the general election.

A vacancy in nomination occurs when a candidate who has been nominated under the provisions of this Article 7 dies before the election (whether death occurs prior to, on or after the day of the primary), or declines the nomination; provided that nominations may become vacant for other reasons.

If the name of no established political party candidate was printed on the consolidated primary ballot for a particular office and if no person was nominated as a write-in candidate for such office, a vacancy in nomination shall be created which may be filled in accordance with the requirements of this Section. If the name of no established political party candidate was printed on the general primary ballot for a particular office and if no person was nominated as a write-in candidate for such office, a vacancy in nomination shall be created, but no candidate of the party for the office shall be listed on the ballot at the general election unless such vacancy is filled in accordance with the requirements of this Section within 60 days after the date of the general primary.

A candidate for whom a nomination paper has been filed as a partisan candidate at a primary election, and who is defeated for his or her nomination at such primary election, is ineligible to be listed on the ballot at that general or consolidated election as a candidate of another political party.

A candidate seeking election to an office for which candidates of political parties are nominated by caucus who is a participant in the caucus and who is defeated for his or her nomination at such caucus, is ineligible to be listed on the ballot at that general or consolidated election as a candidate of another political party.

In the proceedings to nominate a candidate to fill a vacancy or to fill a vacancy in the nomination, each precinct, township, ward, county or congressional district, as the case may be, shall through its representative on such central or managing committee, be entitled to one vote for each ballot voted in such precinct, township, ward, county or congressional district, as the case may be, by the primary electors of its party at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting at which such vacancy is to be filled.

For purposes of this Section, the words "certify" and "certification" shall refer to the act of officially declaring the names of candidates entitled to be printed upon the official ballot at an election and directing election authorities to place the names of such candidates upon the official ballot. "Certifying officers or board" shall refer to the local election official, election authority or the State Board of Elections, as the case may be, with whom nomination papers, including certificates of nomination and resolutions to fill vacancies in nomination, are filed and whose duty it is to "certify" candidates.

(Source: P.A. 86-867; 86-1348; 87-1052.)

(10 ILCS 5/7-100 new)

Sec. 7-100. Definition of a vote.

(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, for the purpose of this Article, a person casts a valid vote on a punch card ballot when:

(1) A chad on the card has at least one corner detached from the card;

(2) The fibers of paper on at least one edge of the chad are broken in a way that permits unimpeded light to be seen through the card; or

(3) An indentation on the chad from the stylus or other object is present and indicates a clearly ascertainable intent of the voter to vote based on the totality of the circumstances, including but not limited to any pattern or frequency of indentations on other ballot positions from the same ballot card.

(b) Write-in votes shall be counted in a manner consistent with the existing provisions of this Code.

(c) For purposes of this Section, a "chad" is that portion of a ballot card that a voter punches or perforates with a stylus or other designated marking device to manifest his or her vote for a particular ballot position on a ballot card as defined in subsection (a).

(d) Prior to the original counting of any punch card ballots, an election judge may not alter a punch card ballot in any manner, including, but not limited to, the removal or manipulation of chads.

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

Sec. 8-8. Form of petition for nomination. The name of no candidate for nomination shall be printed upon the primary ballot unless a petition for nomination shall have been filed in his behalf as provided for in this Section. Each such petition shall include as a part thereof the oath required by Section 7-10.1 of this Act and a statement of candidacy by the candidate filing or in whose behalf the petition is filed. This statement shall set out the address of such candidate, the office for which he is a candidate, shall state that the candidate is a qualified primary voter of the party to which the petition relates, is qualified for the office specified and has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, shall request that the candidate's name be placed upon the official ballot and shall be subscribed and sworn by such candidate before some officer authorized to take acknowledgment of deeds in this State and may be in substantially the following form:

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

I, ...., being first duly sworn, say that I reside at .... street in the city (or village of) .... in the county of .... State of Illinois; that I am a qualified voter therein and am a qualified primary voter of .... party; that I am a candidate for nomination to the office of .... to be voted upon at the primary election to be held on (insert date); that I am legally qualified to hold such office and that I have filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act and I hereby request that my name be printed upon the official primary ballot for nomination for such office.

Signed ....................

Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ...., who is to me personally known, on (insert date).

Signed .... (Official Character)

(Seal if officer has one.)

The receipt issued by the Secretary of State indicating that the candidate has filed the statement of economic interests required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act must be filed with the petitions for nomination as provided in subsection (8) of Section 7-12 of this Code.

All petitions for nomination for the office of State Senator shall be signed by 1% or 1,000 600, whichever is greater, of the qualified primary electors of the candidate's party in his legislative district, except that for the first primary following a redistricting of legislative districts, such petitions shall be signed by at least 1,000 600 qualified primary electors of the candidate's party in his legislative district.

All petitions for nomination for the office of Representative in the General Assembly shall be signed by at least 1% or 500 300, whichever is greater, of the qualified primary electors of the candidate's party in his or her representative district, except that for the first primary following a redistricting of representative districts such petitions shall be signed by at least 500 300 qualified primary electors of the candidate's party in his or her representative district.

Opposite the signature of each qualified primary elector who signs a petition for nomination for the office of State Representative or State Senator such elector's residence address shall be written or printed. The residence address required to be written or printed opposite each qualified primary elector's name shall include the street address or rural route number of the signer, as the case may be, as well as the signer's county and city, village or town.

For the purposes of this Section, the number of primary electors shall be determined by taking the total vote cast, in the applicable district, for the candidate for such political party who received the highest number of votes, state-wide, at the last general election in the State at which electors for President of the United States were elected.

A "qualified primary elector" of a party may not sign petitions for or be a candidate in the primary of more than one party.

In the affidavit at the bottom of each sheet, the petition circulator, who shall be a person 18 years of age or older who is a citizen of the United States, shall state his or her street address or rural route number, as the case may be, as well as his or her county, city, village or town, and state; and shall certify that the signatures on that sheet of the petition were signed in his or her presence; and shall certify that the signatures are genuine; and shall certify that to the best of his or her knowledge and belief the persons so signing were at the time of signing the petition qualified primary voters for which the nomination is sought.

In the affidavit at the bottom of each petition sheet, the petition circulator shall either (1) indicate the dates on which he or she circulated that sheet, or (2) indicate the first and last dates on which the sheet was circulated, or (3) certify that none of the signatures on the sheet were signed more than 90 days preceding the last day for the filing of the petition. No petition sheet shall be circulated more than 90 days preceding the last day provided in Section 8-9 for the filing of such petition.

All petition sheets which are filed with the State Board of Elections shall be the original sheets which have been signed by the voters and by the circulator, and not photocopies or duplicates of such sheets.

The person circulating the petition, or the candidate on whose behalf the petition is circulated, may strike any signature from the petition, provided that:

(1) the person striking the signature shall initial the petition at the place where the signature is struck; and

(2) the person striking the signature shall sign a certification listing the page number and line number of each signature struck from the petition. Such certification shall be filed as a part of the petition.

(Source: P.A. 91-57, eff. 6-30-99; 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 92-129, eff. 7-20-01.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.4) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.4)

Sec. 9-1.4. "Contribution" means-

(1) a gift, subscription, donation, dues, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of value, knowingly received in connection with the nomination for election, or election, of any person to public office, in connection with the election of any person as ward or township committeeman in counties of 3,000,000 or more population, or in connection with any question of public policy;

(1.5) a gift, subscription, donation, dues, loan, advance, deposit of money, or anything of value that constitutes an electioneering communication regardless of whether the communication is made in concert or cooperation with or at the request, suggestion, or knowledge of a candidate, a candidate's authorized local political committee, a State political committee, a political committee in support of or opposition to a question of public policy, or any of their agents;

(2) the purchase of tickets for fund-raising events, including but not limited to dinners, luncheons, cocktail parties, and rallies made in connection with the nomination for election, or election, of any person to public office, in connection with the election of any person as ward or township committeeman in counties of 3,000,000 or more population, or in connection with any question of public policy;

(3) a transfer of funds between political committees; and

(4) the services of an employee donated by an employer, in which case the contribution shall be listed in the name of the employer, except that any individual services provided voluntarily and without promise or expectation of compensation from any source shall not be deemed a contribution; but

(5) does not include--

(a) the use of real or personal property and the cost of invitations, food, and beverages, voluntarily provided by an individual in rendering voluntary personal services on the individual's residential premises for candidate-related activities; provided the value of the service provided does not exceed an aggregate of $150 in a reporting period;

(b) the sale of any food or beverage by a vendor for use in a candidate's campaign at a charge less than the normal comparable charge, if such charge for use in a candidate's campaign is at least equal to the cost of such food or beverage to the vendor.

(Source: P.A. 89-405, eff. 11-8-95.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.14)

Sec. 9-1.14. Electioneering communication defined.

(a) "Electioneering communication" means, for the purposes of this Article, any form of communication, in whatever medium, including but not limited to a newspaper, radio, television, or Internet communication, that (1) refers to a clearly identified candidate or candidates who will appear on the ballot, refers to a clearly identified political party, or refers to a clearly identified question of public policy that will appear on the ballot and (2) is made within (i) 60 days before a general election or consolidated election or (ii) 30 days before a primary election.

(b) "Electioneering communication" does not include:

(1) A communication, other than an advertisement, appearing in a news story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of any legitimate news organization, unless the facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, political committee, or candidate.

(2) A communication made solely to promote a candidate debate or forum that is made by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the debate or forum.

(3) A communication made as part of a non-partisan activity designed to encourage individuals to vote or to register to vote.

(4) A communication by an organization operating and remaining in good standing under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(5) A communication exclusively between a labor organization, as defined under federal or State law, and its members.

(6) A communication exclusively between an organization formed under Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code and its members.

(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 93-615, eff. 11-19-03; 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-3)

Sec. 9-3. Every state political committee and every local political committee shall file with the State Board of Elections, and every local political committee shall file with the county clerk, a statement of organization within 10 business days of the creation of such committee, except any political committee created within the 30 days before an election shall file a statement of organization within 5 business days. A political committee that acts as both a state political committee and a local political committee shall file a copy of each statement of organization with the State Board of Elections and the county clerk. The Board shall impose a civil penalty of $25 per business day upon political committees for failing to file or late filing of a statement of organization, except that for committees formed to support candidates for statewide office, the civil penalty shall be $50 per business day. Such penalties shall not exceed $5,000, and shall not exceed $10,000 for statewide office political committees. There shall be no fine if the statement is mailed and postmarked at least 72 hours prior to the filing deadline.

In addition to the civil penalties authorized by this Section, the State Board of Elections or any other affected political committee may apply to the circuit court for a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent injunction against the political committee to cease the expenditure of funds and to cease operations until the statement of organization is filed.

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

The statement of organization shall include -

(a) the name and address of the political committee (the name of the political committee must include the name of any sponsoring entity);

(b) the scope, area of activity, party affiliation, candidate affiliation and his county of residence, and purposes of the political committee;

(c) the name, address, and position of each custodian of the committee's books and accounts;

(d) the name, address, and position of the committee's principal officers, including the chairman, treasurer, and officers and members of its finance committee, if any;

(e) (Blank);

(f) a statement of what specific disposition of residual fund will be made in the event of the dissolution or termination of the committee;

(g) a listing of all banks or other financial institutions, safety deposit boxes, and any other repositories or custodians of funds used by the committee;

(h) the amount of funds available for campaign expenditures as of the filing date of the committee's statement of organization.

For purposes of this Section, a "sponsoring entity" is (i) any person, political committee, organization, corporation, or association that contributes at least 33% of the total funding of the political committee or (ii) any person or other entity that is registered or is required to register under the Lobbyist Registration Act and contributes at least 33% of the total funding of the political committee; except that a political committee is not a "sponsoring entity" for purposes of this Section if it is a political committee organized by (i) an established political party as defined in Section 10-2, (ii) a partisan caucus of either house of the General Assembly, or (iii) the Speaker or Minority Leader of the House of Representatives or the President or Minority Leader of the Senate, in his or her capacity as a legislative leader of the House of Representatives or Senate and not as a candidate for Representative or Senator.

(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 93-615, eff. 11-19-03.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-7.5)

Sec. 9-7.5. Nonprofit organization registration and disclosure.

(a) Each nonprofit organization, except for a labor union, (i) registered under the Lobbyist Registration Act or for which lobbying is undertaken by persons registered under that Act, (ii) that has not established a political committee, and (iii) that accepts contributions, makes contributions, or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 (I) on behalf of or in opposition to public officials, candidates for public office, or a question of public policy or (II) for electioneering communications and (II) for the purpose of influencing legislative, executive, or administrative action as defined in the Lobbyist Registration Act shall register with the State Board of Elections. The Board by rule shall prescribe the registration procedure and form. The registration form shall require the following information:

(1) The registrant's name, address, and purpose.

(2) The name, address, and position of each custodian of the registrant's financial books, accounts, and records.

(3) The name, address, and position of each of the registrant's principal officers.

(b) Each nonprofit organization required to register under subsection (a) shall file contribution and expenditure reports with the Board. The Board by rule shall prescribe the form, which shall require the following information:

(1) The organization's name, address, and purpose.

(2) The amount of funds on hand at the beginning of the reporting period.

(3) The full name and address of each person who has made one or more contributions to or for the organization within the reporting period in an aggregate amount or value in excess of $150, together with the amount and date of the contributions, and if a contributor is an individual who contributed more than $500, the occupation and employer of the contributor or, if the occupation and employer of the contributor are unknown, a statement that the organization has made a good faith effort to ascertain this information.

(4) The total sum of individual contributions made to or for the organization during the reporting period and not reported in item (3).

(5) The name and address of each organization and political committee from which the reporting organization received, or to which that organization made, any transfer of funds in an aggregate amount or value in excess of $150, together with the amounts and dates of the transfers.

(6) The total sum of transfers made to or from the organization during the reporting period and not reported in item (5).

(7) Each loan to or from any person within the reporting period by or to the organization in an aggregate amount or value in excess of $150, together with the full names and mailing addresses of the lender and endorsers, if any, and the date and amount of the loans, and if a lender or endorser is an individual who loaned or endorsed a loan of more than $500, the occupation and employer of the individual or, if the occupation and employer of the individual are unknown, a statement that the organization has made a good faith effort to ascertain this information.

(8) The total amount of proceeds received by the organization from (i) the sale of tickets for each dinner, luncheon, cocktail party, rally, and other fundraising event, (ii) mass collections made at those events, and (iii) sales of items such as buttons, badges, flags, emblems, hats, banners, literature, and similar materials.

(9) Each contribution, rebate, refund, or other receipt in excess of $150 received by the organization not otherwise listed under items (3) through (8), and if a contributor is an individual who contributed more than $500, the occupation and employer of the contributor or, if the occupation and employer of the contributor are unknown, a statement that the organization has made a good faith effort to ascertain this information.

(10) The total sum of all receipts by or for the organization during the reporting period.

(11) The full name and mailing address of each person to whom expenditures have been made by the organization within the reporting period in an aggregate amount or value in excess of $150, the amount, date, and purpose of each expenditure, and the question of public policy on behalf of which the expenditure was made.

(12) The full name and mailing address of each person to whom an expenditure for personal services, salaries, and reimbursed expenses in excess of $150 has been made and which is not otherwise reported, including the amount, date, and purpose of the expenditure.

(13) The total sum of expenditures made by the organization during the reporting period.

(14) The full name and mailing address of each person to whom the organization owes debts or obligations in excess of $150 and the amount of the debts or obligations.

The State Board by rule shall define a "good faith effort".

(c) The reports required under subsection (b) shall be filed at the same times and for the same reporting periods as reports of campaign contributions and semi-annual reports of campaign contributions and expenditures required by this Article of political committees. The reports required under subsection (b) shall be available for public inspection and copying in the same manner as reports filed by political committees. The Board may charge a fee that covers the costs of copying and distribution, if any.

(d) An organization required to file reports under subsection (b) shall include a statement on all literature and advertisements soliciting funds stating the following:

"A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois".

(Source: P.A. 90-737, eff. 1-1-99.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-9.5)

Sec. 9-9.5. Disclosures in political communications. 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 Section does not apply to items that are too small to contain the required disclosure. Nothing in this Section 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 Section, 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 Section shall be kept for a period of one year after the date upon which payment was received for the services.

(Source: P.A. 93-615, eff. 11-19-03; 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)

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

Sec. 9-10. Financial reports.

(a) The treasurer of every state political committee and the treasurer of every local political committee shall file with the Board, and the treasurer of every local political committee shall file with the county clerk, reports of campaign contributions, and semi-annual reports of campaign contributions and expenditures on forms to be prescribed or approved by the Board. The treasurer of every political committee that acts as both a state political committee and a local political committee shall file a copy of each report with the State Board of Elections and the county clerk. Entities subject to Section 9-7.5 shall file reports required by that Section at times provided in this Section and are subject to the penalties provided in this Section.

(b) Reports of campaign contributions shall be filed no later than the 15th day next preceding each election including a primary election in connection with which the political committee has accepted or is accepting contributions or has made or is making expenditures. Such reports shall be complete as of the 30th day next preceding each election including a primary election. The Board shall assess a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a violation of this subsection, except that for State officers and candidates and political committees formed for statewide office, the civil penalty may not exceed $10,000. The fine, however, shall not exceed $500 for a first filing violation for filing less than 10 days after the deadline. There shall be no fine if the report is mailed and postmarked at least 72 hours prior to the filing deadline. For the purpose of this subsection, "statewide office" and "State officer" means the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer. However, a continuing political committee that does not make neither accepts contributions nor makes expenditures in excess of $500 on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate or public question on the ballot at an election shall not be required to file the reports heretofore prescribed but may file in lieu thereof a Statement of Nonparticipation in the Election with the Board or the Board and the county clerk; except that if the political committee, by the terms of its statement of organization filed in accordance with this Article, is organized to support or oppose a candidate or public question on the ballot at the next election or primary, that committee must file reports required by this subsection (b) and by subsection (b-5).

(b-5) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) and Section 1.25 of the Statute on Statutes, any contribution of more than $500 received in the interim between the last date of the period covered by the last report filed under subsection (b) prior to the election and the date of the election shall be filed with and must actually be received by the State Board of Elections within 2 business days after receipt of such contribution. The State Board shall allow filings of reports of contributions of more than $500 under this subsection (b-5) by political committees that are not required to file electronically to be made by facsimile transmission. For the purpose of this subsection, a contribution is considered received on the date the public official, candidate, or political committee (or equivalent person in the case of a reporting entity other than a political committee) actually receives it or, in the case of goods or services, 2 business days after the date the public official, candidate, committee, or other reporting entity receives the certification required under subsection (b) of Section 9-6. Failure to report each