(10 ILCS 5/19-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-10)
Sec. 19-10. Pollwatchers may be appointed to observe in-person absentee
voting procedures and view all reasonably requested records relating to the conduct of the election, provided the secrecy of the ballot is not impinged, at the office of the election authority as well as at
municipal, township or road district clerks' offices where such absentee
voting is conducted. Such pollwatchers shall qualify and be appointed in
the same manner as provided in Sections 7-34 and 17-23, except each
candidate, political party or organization of citizens may appoint only one
pollwatcher for each location where in-person absentee voting is conducted.
Pollwatchers must be registered to vote in Illinois and possess valid
pollwatcher credentials.
In the polling place on election day, pollwatchers shall be permitted
to be present during the casting of the absent voters' ballots and the vote
of any absent voter may be challenged for cause the same as if he were
present and voted in person, and the judges of the election or a majority
thereof shall have power and authority to hear and determine the legality
of such ballot; Provided, however, that if a challenge to any absent
voter's right to vote is sustained, notice of the same must be given by the
judges of election by mail addressed to the voter's place of residence.
Where certain absent voters' ballots are counted on the day of the election
in the office of the election authority as provided in Section 19-8 of this
Act, each political party, candidate and qualified civic organization shall
be entitled to have present one pollwatcher for each panel of election judges
therein assigned. Such pollwatchers shall be subject to the same provisions
as are provided for pollwatchers in Sections 7-34 and 17-23 of this Code,
and shall be permitted to observe the election judges making the signature
comparison between that which is on the ballot envelope and that which is
on the permanent voter registration record card taken from the master file.
(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)
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