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Illinois Compiled Statutes

Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

ELECTIONS
(10 ILCS 5/) Election Code.

10 ILCS 5/24B-9.1

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-9.1)
    Sec. 24B-9.1. Examination of Votes by Electronic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology Scanning Process or other authorized electronic process; definition of a vote.
    (a) Examination of Votes by Electronic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology Scanning Process. Whenever a Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology process is used to automatically examine and count the votes on ballot sheets, the provisions of this Section shall apply. A voter shall cast a proper vote on a ballot sheet by making a mark, or causing a mark to be made, in the designated area for the casting of a vote for any party or candidate or for or against any proposition. For this purpose, a mark is an intentional darkening of the designated area on the ballot, and not an identifying mark.
    (b) For any ballot sheet that does not register a vote for one or more ballot positions on the ballot sheet on a Electronic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology Scanning Process, the following shall constitute a vote on the ballot sheet:
        (1) the designated area for casting a vote for a
    
particular ballot position on the ballot sheet is fully darkened or shaded in;
        (2) the designated area for casting a vote for a
    
particular ballot position on the ballot sheet is partially darkened or shaded in;
        (3) the designated area for casting a vote for a
    
particular ballot position on the ballot sheet contains a dot or ".", a check, or a plus or "+";
        (4) the designated area for casting a vote for a
    
particular ballot position on the ballot sheet contains some other type of mark that indicates the 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 marks on other ballot positions from the same ballot sheet; or
        (5) the designated area for casting a vote for a
    
particular ballot position on the ballot sheet is not marked, but the ballot sheet contains other markings associated with a particular ballot position, such as circling a candidate's name, that indicates the 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 markings on other ballot positions from the same ballot sheet.
    (c) For other electronic voting systems that use a computer as the marking device to mark a ballot sheet, the bar code found on the ballot sheet shall constitute the votes found on the ballot. If, however, the county clerk or board of election commissioners determines that the votes represented by the tally on the bar code for one or more ballot positions is inconsistent with the votes represented by numerical ballot positions identified on the ballot sheet produced using a computer as the marking device, then the numerical ballot positions identified on the ballot sheet shall constitute the votes for purposes of any official canvass or recount proceeding. An electronic voting system that uses a computer as the marking device to mark a ballot sheet shall be capable of producing a ballot sheet that contains all numerical ballot positions selected by the voter, and provides a place for the voter to cast a write-in vote for a candidate for a particular numerical ballot position.
    (d) The election authority shall provide an envelope, sleeve or other device to each voter so the voter can deliver the voted ballot sheet to the counting equipment and ballot box without the votes indicated on the ballot sheet being visible to other persons in the polling place.
(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-10

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-10)
    Sec. 24B-10. Receiving, counting, tallying and return of ballots; acceptance of ballots by election authority.
    (a) In an election jurisdiction which has adopted an electronic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology voting system, the election official in charge of the election shall select one of the 3 following procedures for receiving, counting, tallying, and return of the ballots:
        (1) Two ballot boxes shall be provided for each
    
polling place. The first ballot box is for the depositing of votes cast on the electronic voting system; and the second ballot box is for all votes cast on other ballots, including any paper ballots required to be voted other than on the Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology electronic voting system. Ballots deposited in the second ballot box shall be counted, tallied, and returned as is elsewhere provided in this Code for the counting and handling of paper ballots. Immediately after the closing of the polls, the judges of election shall make out a slip indicating the number of persons who voted in the precinct at the election. The slip shall be signed by all the judges of election and shall be inserted by them in the first ballot box. The judges of election shall thereupon immediately lock each ballot box; provided, that if the box is not of a type which may be securely locked, the box shall be sealed with filament tape provided for the purpose that shall be wrapped around the box lengthwise and crosswise, at least twice each way, and in a manner that the seal completely covers the slot in the ballot box, and each of the judges shall sign the seal. Two of the judges of election, of different political parties, shall by the most direct route transport both ballot boxes to the counting location designated by the county clerk or board of election commissioners.
        Before the ballots of a precinct are fed to the
    
electronic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology tabulating equipment, the first ballot box shall be opened at the central counting station by the 2 precinct transport judges. Upon opening a ballot box, the team shall first count the number of ballots in the box. If 2 or more are folded together to appear to have been cast by the same person, all of the ballots folded together shall be marked and returned with the other ballots in the same condition, as near as may be, in which they were found when first opened, but shall not be counted. If the remaining ballots are found to exceed the number of persons voting in the precinct as shown by the slip signed by the judges of election, the ballots shall be replaced in the box, and the box closed and well shaken and again opened and one of the precinct transport judges shall publicly draw out so many ballots unopened as are equal to the excess.
        The excess ballots shall be marked "Excess-Not
    
Counted" and signed by the 2 precinct transport judges and shall be placed in the "After 7:00 p.m. Defective Ballots Envelope". The number of excess ballots shall be noted in the remarks section of the Certificate of Results. "Excess" ballots shall not be counted in the total of "defective" ballots.
        The precinct transport judges shall then examine the
    
remaining ballots for write-in votes and shall count and tabulate the write-in vote.
        (2) A single ballot box, for the deposit of all votes
    
cast, shall be used. All ballots which are not to be tabulated on the electronic voting system shall be counted, tallied, and returned as elsewhere provided in this Code for the counting and handling of paper ballots.
        All ballots to be processed and tabulated with the
    
electronic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology voting system shall be processed as follows:
        Immediately after the closing of the polls, the
    
precinct judges of election shall open the ballot box and canvass the votes polled to determine that the number of ballots agree with the number of voters voting as shown by the applications for ballot, or if the same do not agree the judges of election shall make such ballots agree with the applications for ballot in the manner provided by Section 17-18 of this Code.
        In case of an overvote for any office, the judges of
    
election, consisting in each case of at least one judge of election of each of the 2 major political parties, shall make a true duplicate ballot of all votes on the ballot except for the office which is overvoted, by using the ballot of the precinct and one of the marking devices, or equivalent ballot, of the precinct to transfer all votes of the voter except for the office overvoted, to an official ballot of that kind used in the precinct at that election. The original ballot upon which there is an overvote shall be clearly labeled "Overvoted Ballot", and each shall bear the same serial number which shall be placed thereon by the judges of election, beginning with number 1 and continuing consecutively for the ballots of that kind in that precinct. The judges of election shall initial the "Duplicate Overvoted Ballot" ballots and shall place them in the box for return of the ballots. The "Overvoted Ballot" ballots shall be placed in the "Duplicate Ballots" envelope. The ballots except any defective or overvoted ballot shall be placed separately in the box for return of the ballots. The judges of election shall examine the ballots to determine if any is damaged, defective, or cannot otherwise be counted by the automatic tabulating equipment. If any ballot is damaged, defective, or cannot otherwise properly be counted by the automatic tabulating equipment, the judges of election, consisting in each case of at least one judge of election of each of the 2 major political parties, shall make a true duplicate ballot of all votes on such ballot by using the ballot of the precinct and one of the marking devices, or equivalent ballot, of the precinct. The original ballot and ballot envelope shall be clearly labeled "Damaged Ballot" and the ballot so produced "Duplicate Damaged Ballot", and each shall bear the same number which shall be placed thereon by the judges of election, commencing with number 1 and continuing consecutively for the ballots of that kind in the precinct. The judges of election shall initial the "Duplicate Damaged Ballot" ballot and shall place them in the box for return of the ballots. The "Damaged Ballot" ballots shall be placed in the "Duplicated Ballots" envelope. A slip indicating the number of voters voting in person and the total number of voters of the precinct who voted at the election shall be made out, signed by all judges of election, and inserted in the box for return of the ballots. The tally sheets recording the write-in votes shall be placed in this box. The judges of election immediately shall securely lock the ballot box or other suitable box furnished for return of the ballots by the election official in charge of the election; provided that if the box is not of a type which may be securely locked, the box shall be sealed with filament tape provided for the purpose which shall be wrapped around the box lengthwise and crosswise, at least twice each way. A separate adhesive seal label signed by each of the judges of election of the precinct shall be affixed to the box to cover any slot therein and to identify the box of the precinct; and if the box is sealed with filament tape as provided rather than locked, such tape shall be wrapped around the box as provided, but in such manner that the separate adhesive seal label affixed to the box and signed by the judges may not be removed without breaking the filament tape and disturbing the signature of the judges. Two of the judges of election, of different major political parties, shall by the most direct route transport the box for return of the ballots and enclosed ballots and returns to the central counting location designated by the election official in charge of the election. If, however, because of the lack of adequate parking facilities at the central counting location or for any other reason, it is impossible or impracticable for the boxes from all the polling places to be delivered directly to the central counting location, the election official in charge of the election may designate some other location to which the boxes shall be delivered by the 2 precinct judges. While at the other location the boxes shall be in the care and custody of one or more teams, each consisting of 4 persons, 2 from each of the 2 major political parties, designated for such purpose by the election official in charge of elections from recommendations by the appropriate political party organizations. As soon as possible, the boxes shall be transported from the other location to the central counting location by one or more teams, each consisting of 4 persons, 2 from each of the 2 major political parties, designated for the purpose by the election official in charge of elections from recommendations by the appropriate political party organizations.
        The "Defective Ballots" envelope, and "Duplicated
    
Ballots" envelope each shall be securely sealed and the flap or end of each envelope signed by the precinct judges of election and returned to the central counting location with the box for return of the ballots, enclosed ballots and returns.
        At the central counting location, a team of tally
    
judges designated by the election official in charge of the election shall check the box returned containing the ballots to determine that all seals are intact, and shall open the box, check the voters' slip and compare the number of ballots so delivered against the total number of voters of the precinct who voted, remove the ballots and deliver them to the technicians operating the automatic tabulating equipment. Any discrepancies between the number of ballots and total number of voters shall be noted on a sheet furnished for that purpose and signed by the tally judges.
        (3) A single ballot box, for the deposit of all votes
    
cast, shall be used. Immediately after the closing of the polls, the precinct judges of election shall securely lock the ballot box; provided that if such box is not of a type which may be securely locked, the box shall be sealed with filament tape provided for the purpose which shall be wrapped around the box lengthwise and crosswise, at least twice each way. A separate adhesive seal label signed by each of the judges of election of the precinct shall be affixed to the box to cover any slot therein and to identify the box of the precinct; and if the box is sealed with filament tape as provided rather than locked, such tape shall be wrapped around the box as provided, but in a manner that the separate adhesive seal label affixed to the box and signed by the judges may not be removed without breaking the filament tape and disturbing the signature of the judges. Two of the judges of election, of different major political parties, shall by the most direct route transport the box for return of the ballots and enclosed vote by mail and early ballots and returns to the central counting location designated by the election official in charge of the election. If however, because of the lack of adequate parking facilities at the central counting location or for some other reason, it is impossible or impracticable for the boxes from all the polling places to be delivered directly to the central counting location, the election official in charge of the election may designate some other location to which the boxes shall be delivered by the 2 precinct judges. While at the other location the boxes shall be in the care and custody of one or more teams, each consisting of 4 persons, 2 from each of the 2 major political parties, designated for the purpose by the election official in charge of elections from recommendations by the appropriate political party organizations. As soon as possible, the boxes shall be transported from the other location to the central counting location by one or more teams, each consisting of 4 persons, 2 from each of the 2 major political parties, designated for the purpose by the election official in charge of the election from recommendations by the appropriate political party organizations.
        At the central counting location there shall be one
    
or more teams of tally judges who possess the same qualifications as tally judges in election jurisdictions using paper ballots. The number of the teams shall be determined by the election authority. Each team shall consist of 5 tally judges, 3 selected and approved by the county board from a certified list furnished by the chair of the county central committee of the party with the majority of members on the county board and 2 selected and approved by the county board from a certified list furnished by the chair of the county central committee of the party with the second largest number of members on the county board. At the central counting location a team of tally judges shall open the ballot box and canvass the votes polled to determine that the number of ballot sheets therein agree with the number of voters voting as shown by the applications for ballot and, if the same do not agree, the tally judges shall make such ballots agree with the number of applications for ballot in the manner provided by Section 17-18 of this Code. The tally judges shall then examine all ballot sheets that are in the ballot box to determine whether they bear the initials of the precinct judge of election. If any ballot is not initialed, it shall be marked on the back "Defective", initialed as to that label by all tally judges immediately under the word "Defective", and not counted, but placed in the envelope provided for that purpose labeled "Defective Ballots Envelope". An overvote for one office shall invalidate only the vote or count for that particular office.
        At the central counting location, a team of tally
    
judges designated by the election official in charge of the election shall deliver the ballot sheets to the technicians operating the automatic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology tabulating equipment. Any discrepancies between the number of ballots and total number of voters shall be noted on a sheet furnished for that purpose and signed by the tally judges.
    (b) Regardless of which procedure described in subsection (a) of this Section is used, the judges of election designated to transport the ballots properly signed and sealed, shall ensure that the ballots are delivered to the central counting station no later than 12 hours after the polls close. At the central counting station, a team of tally judges designated by the election official in charge of the election shall examine the ballots so transported and shall not accept ballots for tabulating which are not signed and sealed as provided in subsection (a) of this Section until the judges transporting the ballots make and sign the necessary corrections. Upon acceptance of the ballots by a team of tally judges at the central counting station, the election judges transporting the ballots shall take a receipt signed by the election official in charge of the election and stamped with the date and time of acceptance. The election judges whose duty it is to transport any ballots shall, in the event the ballots cannot be found when needed, on proper request, produce the receipt which they are to take as above provided.
(Source: P.A. 102-819, eff. 5-13-22.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-10.1

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-10.1)
    Sec. 24B-10.1. In-precinct counting equipment; procedures for counting and tallying ballots. In an election jurisdiction where Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology counting equipment is used, the following procedures for counting and tallying the ballots shall apply:
    Before the opening of the polls, and before the ballots are entered into the automatic tabulating equipment, the judges of election shall be sure that the totals are all zeros in the counting column. Ballots may then be counted by entering or scanning each ballot into the automatic tabulating equipment. Throughout the election day and before the closing of the polls, no person may check any vote totals for any candidate or proposition on the automatic tabulating equipment. Such automatic tabulating equipment shall be programmed so that no person may reset the equipment for refeeding of ballots unless provided a code from an authorized representative of the election authority. At the option of the election authority, the ballots may be fed into the Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology equipment by the voters under the direct supervision of the judges of elections.
    Immediately after the closing of the polls, the precinct judges of election shall open the ballot box and count the number of ballots to determine if the number agrees with the number of voters voting as shown on the Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology equipment and by the applications for ballot or, if the same do not agree, the judges of election shall make the ballots agree with the applications for ballot in the manner provided by Section 17-18 of this Code. The judges of election shall then examine all ballots which are in the ballot box to determine whether the ballots contain the initials of a precinct judge of election. If any ballot is not initialed, it shall be marked on the back "Defective", initialed as to such label by all judges immediately under the word "Defective" and not counted. The judges of election shall place an initialed blank official ballot in the place of the defective ballot, so that the count of the ballots to be counted on the automatic tabulating equipment will be the same, and each "Defective Ballot" and "Replacement" ballot shall contain the same serial number which shall be placed thereon by the judges of election, beginning with number 1 and continuing consecutively for the ballots of that kind in that precinct. The original "Defective" ballot shall be placed in the "Defective Ballot Envelope" provided for that purpose.
    If the judges of election have removed a ballot pursuant to Section 17-18, have labeled "Defective" a ballot which is not initialed, or have otherwise determined under this Code to not count a ballot originally deposited into a ballot box, the judges of election shall be sure that the totals on the automatic tabulating equipment are reset to all zeros in the counting column. Thereafter the judges of election shall enter or otherwise scan each ballot to be counted in the automatic tabulating equipment. Resetting the automatic tabulating equipment to all zeros and re-entering of ballots to be counted may occur at the precinct polling place, the office of the election authority, or any receiving station designated by the election authority. The election authority shall designate the place for resetting and re-entering or re-scanning.
    When a Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology electronic voting system is used which uses a paper ballot, the judges of election shall examine the ballot for write-in votes. When the voter has cast a write-in vote, the judges of election shall compare the write-in vote with the votes on the ballot to determine whether the write-in results in an overvote for any office, unless the Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology equipment has already done so. In case of an overvote for any office, the judges of election, consisting in each case of at least one judge of election of each of the 2 major political parties, shall make a true duplicate ballot of all votes on such ballot except for the office which is overvoted, by using the ballot of the precinct and one of the marking devices, or equivalent ballot, of the precinct so as to transfer all votes of the voter, except for the office overvoted, to a duplicate ballot. The original ballot upon which there is an overvote shall be clearly labeled "Overvoted Ballot", and each such "Overvoted Ballot" as well as its "Replacement" shall contain the same serial number which shall be placed thereon by the judges of election, beginning with number 1 and continuing consecutively for the ballots of that kind in that precinct. The "Overvoted Ballot" shall be placed in an envelope provided for that purpose labeled "Duplicate Ballot" envelope, and the judges of election shall initial the "Replacement" ballots and shall place them with the other ballots to be counted on the automatic tabulating equipment.
    If any ballot is damaged, defective, or if any ballot otherwise contains a Voting Defect, so that it cannot properly be counted by the automatic tabulating equipment, the voter or the judges of election, consisting in each case of at least one judge of election of each of the 2 major political parties, shall make a true duplicate ballot of all votes on such ballot by using the ballot of the precinct and one of the marking devices of the precinct, or equivalent. If a damaged ballot, the original ballot shall be clearly labeled "Damaged Ballot" and the ballot so produced shall be clearly labeled "Damaged Ballot" and the ballot so produced shall be clearly labeled "Duplicate Damaged Ballot", and each shall contain the same serial number which shall be placed by the judges of election, beginning with number 1 and continuing consecutively for the ballots of that kind in the precinct. The judges of election shall initial the "Duplicate Damaged Ballot" ballot and shall enter or otherwise scan the duplicate damaged ballot into the automatic tabulating equipment. The "Damaged Ballots" shall be placed in the "Duplicated Ballots" envelope; after all ballots have been successfully read, the judges of election shall check to make certain that the Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology equipment readout agrees with the number of voters making application for ballot in that precinct. The number shall be listed on the "Statement of Ballots" form provided by the election authority.
    The totals for all candidates and propositions shall be tabulated. One copy of an "In-Precinct Totals Report" shall be generated by the automatic tabulating equipment for return to the election authority. One copy of an "In-Precinct Totals Report" shall be generated and posted in a conspicuous place inside the polling place, provided that any authorized pollwatcher or other official authorized to be present in the polling place to observe the counting of ballots is present. The judges of election shall provide, if requested, a copy for each authorized pollwatcher or other official authorized to be present in the polling place to observe the counting of ballots. In addition, sufficient time shall be provided by the judges of election to the pollwatchers to allow them to copy information from the copy which has been posted.
    The judges of election shall count all unused ballots and enter the number on the "Statement of Ballots". All "Spoiled", "Defective" and "Duplicated" ballots shall be counted and the number entered on the "Statement of Ballots".
    The precinct judges of election shall select a bi-partisan team of 2 judges, who shall immediately return the ballots in a sealed container, along with all other election materials as instructed by the election authority; provided, however, that such container must first be sealed by the election judges with filament tape or other approved sealing devices provided for the purpose which shall be wrapped around the container lengthwise and crosswise, at least twice each way, in a manner that the ballots cannot be removed from the container without breaking the seal and filament tape and disturbing any signatures affixed by the election judges to the container, or which other approved sealing devices are affixed in a manner approved by the election authority. The election authority shall keep the office of the election authority or any receiving stations designated by the authority, open for at least 12 consecutive hours after the polls close or until the ballots from all precincts with in-precinct counting equipment within the jurisdiction of the election authority have been returned to the election authority. Ballots returned to the office of the election authority which are not signed and sealed as required by law shall not be accepted by the election authority until the judges returning the ballots make and sign the necessary corrections. Upon acceptance of the ballots by the election authority, the judges returning the ballots shall take a receipt signed by the election authority and stamped with the time and date of the return. The election judges whose duty it is to return any ballots as provided shall, in the event the ballots cannot be found when needed, on proper request, produce the receipt which they are to take as above provided. The precinct judges of election shall also deliver the Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology equipment to the election authority.
(Source: P.A. 102-819, eff. 5-13-22.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-11

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-11)
    Sec. 24B-11. Proceedings at location for central counting; employees; approval of list. All proceedings at the location for central counting shall be under the direction of the county clerk or board of election commissioners. Except for any specially trained technicians required for the operation of the automatic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology tabulating equipment, the employees at the counting station shall be equally divided between members of the 2 leading political parties and all duties performed by the employees shall be by teams consisting of an equal number of members of each political party. Thirty days before an election the county clerk or board of election commissioners shall submit to the chair of each political party, for his or her approval or disapproval, a list of persons of his or her party proposed to be employed. If a chair fails to notify the election authority of his or her disapproval of any proposed employee within a period of 10 days thereafter the list shall be deemed approved.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-13

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-13)
    Sec. 24B-13. Tabulating Votes; Direction; Presence of Public; Computer Operator's Log and Canvass. The procedure for tabulating the votes by the automatic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology tabulating equipment shall be under the direction of the election authority and shall conform to the requirements of the automatic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology tabulating equipment. During any election-related activity using the automatic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology tabulating equipment, the election authority shall make a reasonable effort to dedicate the equipment to vote processing to ensure the security and integrity of the system.
    A reasonable number of pollwatchers shall be admitted to the counting location. Persons may observe the tabulating process at the discretion of the election authority; however, at least one representative of each established political party and authorized agents of the State Board of Elections shall be permitted to observe this process at all times. No persons except those employed and authorized for the purpose shall touch any ballot, ballot box, return, or equipment.
    The computer operator shall be designated by the election authority and shall be sworn as a deputy of the election authority. In conducting the vote tabulation and canvass, the computer operator must maintain a log which shall include the following information:
        a. alterations made to programs associated with the
    
vote counting process;
        b. if applicable, console messages relating to the
    
program and the respective responses made by the operator;
        c. the starting time for each precinct counted, the
    
number of ballots counted for each precinct, any equipment problems and, insofar as practicable, the number of invalid security designations encountered during that count; and
        d. changes and repairs made to the equipment during
    
the vote tabulation and canvass.
    The computer operator's log and canvass shall be available for public inspection in the office of the election authority for a period of 60 days following the proclamation of election results. A copy of the computer operator's log and the canvass shall be transmitted to the State Board of Elections upon its request and at its expense.
(Source: P.A. 89-394, eff. 1-1-97.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-14

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-14)
    Sec. 24B-14. Damaged, defective, or unreadable ballots; duplicates. If any ballot is damaged, defective, or cannot otherwise properly be counted by the automatic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology tabulating equipment, a true duplicate copy shall be made of the ballot in the presence of witnesses and substituted for the original ballot. Likewise, a duplicate ballot shall not include the invalid votes appearing on the original ballot. All duplicate ballots shall be clearly labeled "Duplicate", shall bear a serial number which shall be registered on the damaged, defective, or otherwise unreadable ballot, and shall be counted in lieu of the damaged, defective, or otherwise unreadable ballot.
(Source: P.A. 102-819, eff. 5-13-22.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-15

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-15)
    Sec. 24B-15. Official return of precinct; check of totals; retabulation. The precinct return printed by the automatic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology tabulating equipment shall include the number of ballots cast and votes cast for each candidate and proposition and shall constitute the official return of each precinct. In addition to the precinct return, the election authority shall provide the number of applications for ballots in each precinct, the write-in votes, the total number of ballots counted in each precinct for each political subdivision and district and the number of registered voters in each precinct. However, the election authority shall check the totals shown by the precinct return and, if there is an obvious discrepancy regarding the total number of votes cast in any precinct, shall have the ballots for that precinct retabulated to correct the return. The procedures for retabulation shall apply prior to and after the proclamation is completed; however, after the proclamation of results, the election authority must obtain a court order to unseal voted ballots except for election contests and discovery recounts. In those election jurisdictions that use in-precinct counting equipment, the certificate of results, which has been prepared by the judges of election after the ballots have been tabulated, shall be the document used for the canvass of votes for such precinct. Whenever a discrepancy exists during the canvass of votes between the unofficial results and the certificate of results, or whenever a discrepancy exists during the canvass of votes between the certificate of results and the set of totals which has been affixed to the certificate of results, the ballots for that precinct shall be retabulated to correct the return. As an additional part of this check prior to the proclamation, in those jurisdictions where in-precinct counting equipment is used, the election authority shall retabulate the total number of votes cast in 5% of the precincts within the election jurisdiction, as well as 5% of the voting devices used in early voting. The precincts and the voting devices to be retabulated shall be selected after election day on a random basis by the State Board of Elections, so that every precinct in the election jurisdiction and every voting device used in early voting has an equal mathematical chance of being selected. The State Board of Elections shall design a standard and scientific random method of selecting the precincts and voting devices which are to be retabulated. The State central committee chair of each established political party shall be given prior written notice of the time and place of the random selection procedure and may be represented at the procedure. The retabulation shall consist of counting the ballots which were originally counted and shall not involve any determination of which ballots were, in fact, properly counted. The ballots from the precincts selected for the retabulation shall remain at all times under the custody and control of the election authority and shall be transported and retabulated by the designated staff of the election authority.
    As part of the retabulation, the election authority shall test the computer program in the selected precincts and on the selected early voting devices. The test shall be conducted by processing a preaudited group of ballots marked to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each public question, and shall include for each office one or more ballots which have votes in excess of the number allowed by law to test the ability of the equipment and the marking device to reject such votes. If any error is detected, the cause shall be determined and corrected, and an errorless count shall be made prior to the official canvass and proclamation of election results.
    The State Board of Elections, the State's Attorney and other appropriate law enforcement agencies, the county chair of each established political party and qualified civic organizations shall be given prior written notice of the time and place of the retabulation and may be represented at the retabulation.
    The results of this retabulation shall be treated in the same manner and have the same effect as the results of the discovery procedures set forth in Section 22-9.1 of this Code. Upon completion of the retabulation, the election authority shall print a comparison of the results of the retabulation with the original precinct return printed by the automatic tabulating equipment. The comparison shall be done for each precinct and for each early voting device selected for testing and for each office voted upon within that precinct or on that voting device, and the comparisons shall be open to the public. Upon completion of the retabulation, the returns shall be open to the public.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-15.01

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-15.01)
    Sec. 24B-15.01. Transporting Ballots to Central Counting Station; Container. Upon completion of the tabulation and retabulation of votes pursuant to Sections 24B-11 through 24B-15, the ballots from each precinct shall be replaced in the container in which they were transported to the central counting station. If the container is not a type which may be securely locked, then each container, before being transferred from the counting station to storage, shall be sealed with filament tape wrapped around the container lengthwise and crosswise, at least twice each way, and in a manner that the ballots cannot be removed from the container without breaking the tape.
(Source: P.A. 89-394, eff. 1-1-97.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-15.1

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-15.1)
    Sec. 24B-15.1. Discovery recounts and election contests. Except as provided, discovery recounts and election contests shall be conducted as otherwise provided for in this Code. The automatic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology tabulating equipment shall be tested prior to the discovery recount or election contest as provided in Section 24B-9, and then the official ballots shall be recounted on the automatic tabulating equipment. In addition, (a) the ballots shall be checked for the presence or absence of judges' initials and other distinguishing marks, and (b) the ballots marked "Rejected", "Defective", "Objected To", "Early Ballot", and "Vote by Mail Ballot" shall be examined to determine the propriety of the labels, and (c) the "Duplicate Vote by Mail Ballots", "Duplicate Overvoted Ballots", "Duplicate Early Ballot", and "Duplicate Damaged Ballots" shall be compared with their respective originals to determine the correctness of the duplicates.
    Any person who has filed a petition for discovery recount may request that a redundant count be conducted in those precincts in which the discovery recount is being conducted. The additional costs of a redundant count shall be borne by the requesting party.
    The log of the computer operator and all materials retained by the election authority in relation to vote tabulation and canvass shall be made available for any discovery recount or election contest.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-16

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-16)
    Sec. 24B-16. Approval of Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology Voting Systems; Requisites. The State Board of Elections shall approve all Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology voting systems provided by this Article.
    No Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology voting system shall be approved unless it fulfills the following requirements:
        (a) It enables a voter to vote in absolute secrecy;
        (b) (Blank);
        (c) It enables a voter to vote a ticket selected in
    
part from the nominees of one party, and in part from the nominees of any or all parties, and in part from independent candidates, and in part of candidates whose names are written in by the voter;
        (d) It enables a voter to vote a written or printed
    
ticket of his or her own selection for any person for any office for whom he or she may desire to vote;
        (e) It will reject all votes for an office or upon a
    
proposition when the voter has cast more votes for the office or upon the proposition than he or she is entitled to cast;
        (e-5) It will identify when a voter has not voted for
    
all statewide constitutional offices; and
        (f) It will accommodate all propositions to be
    
submitted to the voters in the form provided by law or, where no form is provided, then in brief form, not to exceed 75 words.
    The State Board of Elections shall not approve any voting equipment or system that includes an external Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communications port.
    The State Board of Elections is authorized to withdraw its approval of a Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology voting system if the system fails to fulfill the above requirements.
    The vendor, person, or other private entity shall be solely responsible for the production and cost of: all application fees; all ballots; additional temporary workers; and other equipment or facilities needed and used in the testing of the vendor's, person's, or other private entity's respective equipment and software.
    Any voting system vendor, person, or other private entity seeking the State Board of Elections' approval of a voting system shall, as part of the approval application, submit to the State Board a non-refundable fee. The State Board of Elections by rule shall establish an appropriate fee structure, taking into account the type of voting system approval that is requested (such as approval of a new system, a modification of an existing system, the size of the modification, etc.). No voting system or modification of a voting system shall be approved unless the fee is paid.
    No vendor, person, or other entity may sell, lease, or loan, or have a written contract, including a contract contingent upon State Board approval of the voting system or voting system component, to sell, lease, or loan, a voting system or Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology voting system component to any election jurisdiction unless the voting system or voting system component is first approved by the State Board of Elections pursuant to this Section.
(Source: P.A. 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06; 95-699, eff. 11-9-07.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-17

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-17)
    Sec. 24B-17. Rules; Number of Voting Booths. The State Board of Elections may make reasonable rules for the administration of this Article and may prescribe the number of voting booths required for the various types of voting systems.
(Source: P.A. 89-394, eff. 1-1-97.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-18

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-18)
    Sec. 24B-18. Specimen Ballots; Publication. When an electronic Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology voting system is used, the election authority shall cause to be published, at least 5 days before the day of each general and general primary election, in 2 or more newspapers published in and having a general circulation in the county, a true and legible copy of the specimen ballot. A true legible copy may be in the form of an actual size ballot and shall be published as required by this Section if distributed in 2 or more newspapers published and having a general circulation in the county as an insert. For each election prescribed in Article 2A of this Code, specimen ballots shall be made available for public distribution and shall be supplied to the judges of election for posting in the polling place on the day of election. Notice for the nonpartisan and consolidated elections shall be given as provided in Article 12.
(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-19

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-19)
    Sec. 24B-19. Additional Method of Voting. The foregoing Sections of this Article shall be deemed to provide a method of voting in addition to the methods otherwise provided in this Code.
(Source: P.A. 89-394, eff. 1-1-97.)

10 ILCS 5/24B-20

    (10 ILCS 5/24B-20)
    Sec. 24B-20. Voting Defect Identification Capabilities. An election authority is required to use the Voting Defect Identification capabilities of the automatic tabulating equipment when used in-precinct, including both the capability of identifying an under-vote and the capability of identifying an over-vote.
(Source: P.A. 95-699, eff. 11-9-07.)

10 ILCS 5/Art. 24C

 
    (10 ILCS 5/Art. 24C heading)
ARTICLE 24C. DIRECT RECORDING ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS

10 ILCS 5/24C-1

    (10 ILCS 5/24C-1)
    Sec. 24C-1. Purpose. The purpose of this Article is to authorize the use of Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems approved by the State Board of Elections. In a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System, voters cast votes by means of a ballot display provided with mechanical or electro-optical devices that can be activated by the voters to mark their choices for the candidates of their preference and for or against public questions. Such voting devices shall be capable of instantaneously recording such votes, storing such votes, producing a permanent paper record and tabulating such votes at the precinct or at one or more counting stations. This Article authorizes the use of Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems for in-precinct counting applications and for early voting in the office of the election authority and in the offices of local officials authorized by the election authority to conduct such early voting. All other early ballots must be counted at the office of the election authority.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)

10 ILCS 5/24C-2

    (10 ILCS 5/24C-2)
    Sec. 24C-2. Definitions. As used in this Article:
    "Audit trail" or "audit capacity" means a continuous trail of evidence linking individual transactions related to the casting of a vote, the vote count and the summary record of vote totals, but which shall not allow for the identification of the voter. It shall permit verification of the accuracy of the count and detection and correction of problems and shall provide a record of each step taken in: defining and producing ballots and generating related software for specific elections; installing ballots and software; testing system readiness; casting and tabulating ballots; and producing images of votes cast and reports of vote totals. The record shall incorporate system status and error messages generated during election processing, including a log of machine activities and routine and unusual intervention by authorized and unauthorized individuals. Also part of an audit trail is the documentation of such items as ballots delivered and collected, administrative procedures for system security, pre-election testing of voting systems, and maintenance performed on voting equipment. All test plans, test results, documentation, and other records used to plan, execute, and record the results of the testing and verification, including all material prepared or used by independent testing authorities or other third parties, shall be made part of the public record and shall be freely available via the Internet and paper copy to anyone. "Audit trail" or "audit capacity" also means that the voting system is capable of producing and shall produce immediately after a ballot is cast a permanent paper record of each ballot cast that shall be available as an official record for any recount, redundant count, or verification or retabulation of the vote count conducted with respect to any election in which the voting system is used.
    "Ballot" means an electronic audio or video display or any other medium, including paper, used to record a voter's choices for the candidates of their preference and for or against public questions.
    "Ballot configuration" means the particular combination of political subdivision or district ballots including, for each political subdivision or district, the particular combination of offices, candidate names and public questions as it appears for each group of voters who may cast the same ballot.
    "Ballot image" means a corresponding representation in electronic or paper form of the mark or vote position of a ballot.
    "Ballot label" or "ballot screen" means the display of material containing the names of offices and candidates and public questions to be voted on.
    "Central counting" means the counting of ballots in one or more locations selected by the election authority for the processing or counting, or both, of ballots. A location for central counting shall be within the territorial jurisdiction of the election authority unless there is no suitable tabulating equipment available within his territorial jurisdiction. However, in any event a counting location shall be within this State.
    "Computer", "automatic tabulating equipment" or "equipment" includes apparatus necessary to automatically examine and count votes as designated on ballots, and data processing machines which can be used for counting ballots and tabulating results.
    "Computer operator" means any person or persons designated by the election authority to operate the automatic tabulating equipment during any portion of the vote tallying process in an election, but shall not include judges of election operating vote tabulating equipment in the precinct.
    "Computer program" or "program" means the set of operating instructions for the automatic tabulating equipment that examines, records, displays, counts, tabulates, canvasses, or prints votes recorded by a voter on a ballot or that displays any and all information, graphics, or other visual or audio information or images used in presenting voting information, instructions, or voter choices.
    "Direct recording electronic voting system", "voting system" or "system" means the total combination of mechanical, electromechanical or electronic equipment, programs and practices used to define ballots, cast and count votes, report or display election results, maintain or produce any audit trail information, identify all system components, test the system during development, maintenance and operation, maintain records of system errors and defects, determine specific system changes to be made to a system after initial qualification, and make available any materials to the voter such as notices, instructions, forms or paper ballots.
    "Edit listing" means a computer generated listing of the names of each candidate and public question as they appear in the program for each precinct.
    "In-precinct counting" means the recording and counting of ballots on automatic tabulating equipment provided by the election authority in the same precinct polling place in which those ballots have been cast.
    "Marking device" means any device approved by the State Board of Elections for marking a ballot so as to enable the ballot to be recorded, counted and tabulated by automatic tabulating equipment.
    "Permanent paper record" means a paper record upon which shall be printed in human readable form the votes cast for each candidate and for or against each public question on each ballot recorded in the voting system. Each permanent paper record shall be printed by the voting device upon activation of the marking device by the voter and shall contain a unique, randomly assigned identifying number that shall correspond to the number randomly assigned by the voting system to each ballot as it is electronically recorded.
    "Redundant count" means a verification of the original computer count of ballots by another count using compatible equipment or other means as part of a discovery recount, including a count of the permanent paper record of each ballot cast by using compatible equipment, different equipment approved by the State Board of Elections for that purpose, or by hand.
    "Separate ballot" means a separate page or display screen of the ballot that is clearly defined and distinguishable from other portions of the ballot.
    "Voting device" or "voting machine" means an apparatus that contains the ballot label or ballot screen and allows the voter to record his or her vote.
(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)

10 ILCS 5/24C-3

    (10 ILCS 5/24C-3)
    Sec. 24C-3. Adoption, experimentation or abandonment of Direct Recording Electronic Voting System; Boundaries of precincts; Notice. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, any county board, board of county commissioners and any board of election commissioners, with respect to territory within its jurisdiction, may adopt, experiment with, or abandon a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System approved for use by the State Board of Elections and may use such System in all or some of the precincts within its jurisdiction, or in combination with paper ballots or other voting systems. Any county board, board of county commissioners or board of election commissioners may contract for the tabulation of votes at a location outside its territorial jurisdiction when there is no suitable tabulating equipment available within its territorial jurisdiction. In no case may a county board, board of county commissioners or board of election commissioners contract or arrange for the purchase, lease or loan of a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System or System component without the approval of the State Board of Elections as provided by Section 24C-16.
    Before any Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is introduced, adopted or used in any precinct or territory at least 2 months public notice must be given before the date of the first election where the System is to be used. The election authority shall publish the notice at least once in one or more newspapers published within the county or other jurisdiction, where the election is held. If there is no such newspaper, the notice shall be published in a newspaper published in the county and having a general circulation within such jurisdiction. The notice shall be substantially as follows:
    "Notice is hereby given that on ... (give date) ..., at ... (give place where election is held) ... in the county of ..., an election will be held for ... (give name of offices to be filled) ... at which a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System will be used."
    Dated at ... this ... day of ... 20....?
    This notice referred to shall be given only at the first election at which the Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is used.
(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

10 ILCS 5/24C-3.1

    (10 ILCS 5/24C-3.1)
    Sec. 24C-3.1. Retention or consolidation or alteration of existing precincts; Change of location. When a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is used, the county board or board of election commissioners may retain existing precincts or may consolidate, combine, alter, decrease or enlarge the boundaries of the precincts to change the number of registered voters of the precincts using the System, establishing the number of registered voters within each precinct at a number not to exceed 800 as the appropriate county board or board of election commissioners determines will afford adequate voting facilities and efficient and economical elections.
    Except in the event of a fire, flood or total loss of heat in a place fixed or established pursuant to law by any county board or board of election commissioners as a polling place for an election, no election authority shall change the location of a polling place established for any precinct after notice of the place of holding the election for that precinct has been given as required under Article 12 unless the election authority notifies all registered voters in the precinct of the change in location by first class mail in sufficient time for the notice to be received by the registered voters in the precinct at least one day prior to the date of the election.
(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

10 ILCS 5/24C-4

    (10 ILCS 5/24C-4)
    Sec. 24C-4. Use of Direct Recording Electronic Voting System; Requisites; Applicable procedure. Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems may be used in elections provided that such Systems are approved for use by the State Board of Elections. So far as applicable, the procedure provided for voting paper ballots shall apply when Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems are used. However, the provisions of this Article 24C will govern when there are conflicts.
(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)

10 ILCS 5/24C-5

    (10 ILCS 5/24C-5)
    Sec. 24C-5. Voting Stations. In precincts where a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is used, a sufficient number of voting stations shall be provided for the use of the System according to the requirements determined by the State Board of Elections. Each station shall be placed in a manner so that no judge of election or pollwatcher is able to observe a voter casting a ballot.
(Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03.)