96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB0502

 

Introduced 2/4/2009, by Rep. Keith Farnham

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/4-50
10 ILCS 5/5-50
10 ILCS 5/6-100
10 ILCS 5/17-7.5 new
10 ILCS 5/18-4.5 new
10 ILCS 5/19-2.3 new
10 ILCS 5/19A-30.5 new

    Amends the Election Code. At polling places, authorizes persons aged 75 or older to request preference over other persons in obtaining and casting ballots. Requires that election authorities give that requested preference, and sets forth steps election authorities must take to make older persons aware of that preference.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB0502 LRB096 04678 JAM 14739 b

1     AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
5 Sections 4-50, 5-50, and 6-100 and by adding Sections 17-7.5,
6 18-4.5, 19-2.3, and 19A-30.5 as follows:
 
7     (10 ILCS 5/4-50)
8     Sec. 4-50. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other
9 provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority
10 shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and
11 for change of address during the period from the close of
12 registration for a primary or election and until the 14th day
13 before the primary or election. During this grace period, an
14 unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a
15 registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person
16 in the office of the election authority or at a voter
17 registration location specifically designated for this purpose
18 by the election authority. The election authority shall
19 register that individual, or change a registered voter's
20 address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this
21 Article for registration and change of address.
22     If a voter who registers or changes address during this
23 grace period wishes to vote at the first election or primary

 

 

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1 occurring after the grace period, he or she must do so by grace
2 period voting, either in person in the office of the election
3 authority or at a location specifically designated for this
4 purpose by the election authority, or by mail, at the
5 discretion of the election authority. Grace period voting shall
6 be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article
7 19.
8     Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot,
9 the election authority shall transmit the voter's name, street
10 address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as
11 the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall
12 maintain those names and that information in an electronic
13 format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to
14 State and local political committees. The name of each person
15 issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the
16 appropriate precinct list of persons to whom absentee and early
17 ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9
18 and 18-5.
19     A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be
20 permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with
21 respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons
22 who register or change address during the grace period must be
23 transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central
24 ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and
25 counted at precinct polling places. The grace period ballots
26 determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for

 

 

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1 the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which
2 the ballots were opened.
3     Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to obtain and cast a
4 grace period ballot may request, and shall be given, preference
5 at the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and
6 cast grace period ballots. The purpose of this provision is to
7 eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in
8 lines, either inside or outside polling places. Each election
9 authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside
10 each grace period polling place, at least one clearly legible
11 sign informing voters of the right of older persons to
12 preferential treatment. Each election authority shall
13 designate at least one election judge or official at each grace
14 period polling place of whom an older person may request
15 preferential treatment pursuant to this paragraph. Each
16 election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify
17 that election judge or official to persons within the polling
18 place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.
19 (Source: P.A. 93-1082, eff. 7-1-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06.)
 
20     (10 ILCS 5/5-50)
21     Sec. 5-50. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other
22 provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority
23 shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and
24 for change of address during the period from the close of
25 registration for a primary or election and until the 14th day

 

 

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1 before the primary or election. During this grace period, an
2 unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a
3 registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person
4 in the office of the election authority or at a voter
5 registration location specifically designated for this purpose
6 by the election authority. The election authority shall
7 register that individual, or change a registered voter's
8 address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this
9 Article for registration and change of address.
10      If a voter who registers or changes address during this
11 grace period wishes to vote at the first election or primary
12 occurring after the grace period, he or she must do so by grace
13 period voting, either in person in the office of the election
14 authority or at a location specifically designated for this
15 purpose by the election authority, or by mail, at the
16 discretion of the election authority. Grace period voting shall
17 be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article
18 19.
19     Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot,
20 the election authority shall transmit the voter's name, street
21 address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as
22 the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall
23 maintain those names and that information in an electronic
24 format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to
25 State and local political committees. The name of each person
26 issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the

 

 

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1 appropriate precinct list of persons to whom absentee and early
2 ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9
3 and 18-5.
4     A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be
5 permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with
6 respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons
7 who register or change address during the grace period must be
8 transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central
9 ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and
10 counted at precinct polling places. The grace period ballots
11 determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for
12 the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which
13 the ballots were opened.
14     Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to obtain and cast a
15 grace period ballot may request, and shall be given, preference
16 at the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and
17 cast grace period ballots. The purpose of this provision is to
18 eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in
19 lines, either inside or outside polling places. Each election
20 authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside
21 each grace period polling place, at least one clearly legible
22 sign informing voters of the right of older persons to
23 preferential treatment. Each election authority shall
24 designate at least one election judge or official at each grace
25 period polling place of whom an older person may request
26 preferential treatment pursuant to this paragraph. Each

 

 

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1 election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify
2 that election judge or official to persons within the polling
3 place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.
4 (Source: P.A. 93-1082, eff. 7-1-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06.)
 
5     (10 ILCS 5/6-100)
6     Sec. 6-100. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other
7 provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority
8 shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and
9 for change of address during the period from the close of
10 registration for a primary or election and until the 14th day
11 before the primary or election. During this grace period, an
12 unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a
13 registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person
14 in the office of the election authority or at a voter
15 registration location specifically designated for this purpose
16 by the election authority. The election authority shall
17 register that individual, or change a registered voter's
18 address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this
19 Article for registration and change of address.
20     If a voter who registers or changes address during this
21 grace period wishes to vote at the first election or primary
22 occurring after the grace period, he or she must do so by grace
23 period voting, either in person in the office of the election
24 authority or at a location specifically designated for this
25 purpose by the election authority, or by mail, at the

 

 

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1 discretion of the election authority. Grace period voting shall
2 be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article
3 19.
4     Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot,
5 the election authority shall transmit the voter's name, street
6 address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as
7 the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall
8 maintain those names and that information in an electronic
9 format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to
10 State and local political committees. The name of each person
11 issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the
12 appropriate precinct list of persons to whom absentee and early
13 ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9
14 and 18-5.
15     A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be
16 permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with
17 respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons
18 who register or change address during the grace period must be
19 transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central
20 ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and
21 counted at precinct polling places. The grace period ballots
22 determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for
23 the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which
24 the ballots were opened.
25     Any person aged 75 or older who wishes to obtain and cast a
26 grace period ballot may request, and shall be given, preference

 

 

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1 at the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and
2 cast grace period ballots. The purpose of this provision is to
3 eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in
4 lines, either inside or outside polling places. Each election
5 authority shall prominently display, both inside and outside
6 each grace period polling place, at least one clearly legible
7 sign informing voters of the right of older persons to
8 preferential treatment. Each election authority shall
9 designate at least one election judge or official at each grace
10 period polling place of whom an older person may request
11 preferential treatment pursuant to this paragraph. Each
12 election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify
13 that election judge or official to persons within the polling
14 place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.
15 (Source: P.A. 93-1082, eff. 7-1-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06.)
 
16     (10 ILCS 5/17-7.5 new)
17     Sec. 17-7.5. Senior voters. Any person aged 75 or older who
18 wishes to vote may request, and shall be given, preference at
19 the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and cast
20 ballots. The purpose of this Section is to eliminate or
21 minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in lines,
22 either inside or outside polling places.
23     Each election authority shall prominently display, both
24 inside and outside each polling place, at least one clearly
25 legible sign informing voters of the right of older persons to

 

 

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1 preferential treatment. Each election authority shall
2 designate at least one election judge or official at each
3 polling place of whom an older person may request preferential
4 treatment pursuant to this Section. Each election authority
5 shall take the steps necessary to identify that election judge
6 or official to persons within the polling place and to persons
7 waiting for entry into the polling place.
 
8     (10 ILCS 5/18-4.5 new)
9     Sec. 18-4.5. Senior voters. Any person aged 75 or older who
10 wishes to vote may request, and shall be given, preference at
11 the polling place over other persons waiting to obtain and cast
12 ballots. The purpose of this Section is to eliminate or
13 minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in lines,
14 either inside or outside polling places.
15     Each election authority shall prominently display, both
16 inside and outside each polling place, at least one clearly
17 legible sign informing voters of the right of older persons to
18 preferential treatment. Each election authority shall
19 designate at least one election judge or official at each
20 polling place of whom an older person may request preferential
21 treatment pursuant to this Section. Each election authority
22 shall take the steps necessary to identify that election judge
23 or official to persons within the polling place and to persons
24 waiting for entry into the polling place.
 

 

 

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1     (10 ILCS 5/19-2.3 new)
2     Sec. 19-2.3. Senior voters. Any person aged 75 or older who
3 wishes to obtain or cast an absentee ballot in person may
4 request, and shall be given, preference at the in-person
5 absentee polling place over other persons waiting to obtain or
6 cast absentee ballots. The purpose of this Section is to
7 eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in
8 lines, either inside or outside polling places.
9     Each election authority shall prominently display, both
10 inside and outside each in-person absentee polling place, at
11 least one clearly legible sign informing voters of the right of
12 older persons to preferential treatment. Each election
13 authority shall designate at least one election judge or
14 official at each such polling place of whom an older person may
15 request preferential treatment pursuant to this Section. Each
16 election authority shall take the steps necessary to identify
17 that election judge or official to persons within the polling
18 place and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.
 
19     (10 ILCS 5/19A-30.5 new)
20     Sec. 19A-30.5. Senior voters. Any person aged 75 or older
21 who wishes to vote may request, and shall be given, preference
22 at the early voting polling place over other persons waiting to
23 obtain and cast ballots. The purpose of this Section is to
24 eliminate or minimize the necessity for older voters to wait in
25 lines, either inside or outside polling places.

 

 

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1     Each election authority shall prominently display, both
2 inside and outside each early voting polling place, at least
3 one clearly legible sign informing voters of the right of older
4 persons to preferential treatment. Each election authority
5 shall designate at least one election judge or official at each
6 early voting polling place of whom an older person may request
7 preferential treatment pursuant to this Section. Each election
8 authority shall take the steps necessary to identify that
9 election judge or official to persons within the polling place
10 and to persons waiting for entry into the polling place.