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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 5/13-1.1

    (10 ILCS 5/13-1.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-1.1)
    Sec. 13-1.1. In addition to the list provided for in Section 13-1 or 13-2, the chair of the county central committee, or each township committeeperson in a county with a population of more than 3,000,000, of each of the two leading political parties shall submit to the county board a supplemental list, arranged according to precincts in which they are to serve, of persons available as judges of election, the names and number of all persons listed thereon to be acknowledged in writing to the county chair or township committeeperson, as the case may be, submitting such list by the county board. Vacancies among the judges of election shall be filled by selection from this supplemental list of persons qualified under Section 13-4. If the list provided for in Section 13-1 or 13-2 for any precinct is exhausted, then selection shall be made from the supplemental list submitted by the chair of the county central committee, or each township committeeperson in a county with a population of more than 3,000,000, of the party. If such supplemental list is exhausted for any precinct, then selection shall be made from any of the persons on the supplemental list without regard to the precincts in which they are listed to serve. No selection or appointment from the supplemental list shall be made more than 21 days prior to the date of precinct registration for those judges needed as precinct registrars, and more than 60 days prior to the date of an election for those additional persons needed as election judges. In any case where selection cannot be made from the supplemental list without violating Section 13-4, selection shall be made from outside the supplemental list of some person qualified under Section 13-4.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

10 ILCS 5/13-2

    (10 ILCS 5/13-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-2)
    Sec. 13-2. In counties under the township organization the county board shall at its meeting in July in each even-numbered year except in counties containing a population of 3,000,000 inhabitants or over and except when such judges are appointed by election commissioners, select in each election precinct in the county, 5 capable and discreet persons to be judges of election who shall possess the qualifications required by this Act for such judges. Where neither voting machines nor electronic, mechanical or electric voting systems are used, the county board may, for any precinct with respect to which the board considers such action necessary or desirable in view of the number of voters, and shall for general elections for any precinct containing more than 600 registered voters, appoint in addition to the 5 judges of election a team of 5 tally judges. In such precincts the judges of election shall preside over the election during the hours the polls are open, and the tally judges, with the assistance of the holdover judges designated pursuant to Section 13-6.2, shall count the vote after the closing of the polls. The tally judges shall possess the same qualifications and shall be appointed in the same manner and with the same division between political parties as is provided for judges of election.
    However, the county board may appoint 3 judges of election to serve in lieu of the 5 judges of election otherwise required by this Section (1) to serve in any emergency referendum, or in any odd-year regular election or in any special primary or special election called for the purpose of filling a vacancy in the office of representative in the United States Congress or to nominate candidates for such purpose or (2) if the county board passes an ordinance to reduce the number of judges of election to 3 for primary elections.
    In addition to such precinct judges, the county board shall appoint special panels of 3 judges each, who shall possess the same qualifications and shall be appointed in the same manner and with the same division between political parties as is provided for other judges of election. The number of such panels of judges required shall be determined by regulations of the State Board of Elections, which shall base the required number of special panels on the number of registered voters in the jurisdiction or the number of absentee ballots voted at recent elections or any combination of such factors.
    No more than 3 persons of the same political party shall be appointed judges in the same election district or undivided precinct. The election of the judges of election in the various election precincts shall be made in the following manner: The county board shall select and approve 3 of the election judges in each precinct from a certified list furnished by the chair of the County Central Committee of the first leading political party in such election precinct and shall also select and approve 2 judges of election in each election precinct from a certified list furnished by the chair of the County Central Committee of the second leading political party in such election precinct. However, if only 3 judges of election serve in each election precinct, no more than 2 persons of the same political party shall be judges of election in the same election precinct; and which political party is entitled to 2 judges of election and which political party is entitled to one judge of election shall be determined in the same manner as set forth in the next two preceding sentences with regard to 5 election judges in each precinct. The respective County Central Committee chair shall notify the county board by June 1 of each odd-numbered year immediately preceding the annual meeting of the county board whether or not such certified list will be filed by such chair. Such list shall be arranged according to precincts. The chair of each county central committee shall, insofar as possible, list persons who reside within the precinct in which they are to serve as judges. However, he may, in his sole discretion, submit the names of persons who reside outside the precinct but within the county embracing the precinct in which they are to serve. He must, however, submit the names of at least 2 residents of the precinct for each precinct in which his party is to have 3 judges and must submit the name of at least one resident of the precinct for each precinct in which his party is to have 2 judges. Such certified list, if filed, shall be filed with the county clerk not less than 20 days before the annual meeting of the county board. The county board shall acknowledge in writing to each county chair the names of all persons submitted on such certified list and the total number of persons listed thereon. If no such list is filed or the list is incomplete (that is, no names or an insufficient number of names are furnished for certain election precincts), the county board shall make or complete such list from the names contained in the supplemental list provided for in Section 13-1.1. Provided, further, that in any case where a township has been or shall be redistricted, in whole or in part, subsequent to one general election for Governor, and prior to the next, the judges of election to be selected for all new or altered precincts shall be selected in that one of the methods above detailed, which shall be applicable according to the facts and circumstances of the particular case, but the majority of such judges for each such precinct shall be selected from the first leading political party, and the minority judges from the second leading political party. Provided, further, that in counties having a population of 3,000,000 inhabitants or over the selection of judges of election shall be made in the same manner in all respects as in other counties, except that the provisions relating to tally judges are inapplicable to such counties and except that the county board shall meet during the month of January for the purpose of making such selection, each township committeeperson shall assume the responsibilities given to the chair of the county central committee in this Section for the precincts within his or her township, and the township committeeperson shall notify the county board by the preceding October 1 whether or not the certified list will be filed. Such judges of election shall hold their office for 2 years from their appointment and until their successors are duly appointed in the manner provided in this Act. The county board shall fill all vacancies in the office of judges of elections at any time in the manner herein provided.
    Such selections under this Section shall be confirmed by the circuit court as provided in Section 13-3 of this Article.
(Source: P.A. 100-337, eff. 8-25-17; 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

10 ILCS 5/13-2.1

    (10 ILCS 5/13-2.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-2.1)
    Sec. 13-2.1. In each county the County Clerk shall establish a training course for judges of elections not subject to Article 14 of this Act. The curriculum of such course shall be approved by the County Clerk. A suitable certificate shall be issued by the County Clerk to each student upon his satisfactory completion of the course.
    Such course may be established jointly with a course in the county established as provided in Section 14-4.1 of this Act.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 3399.)

10 ILCS 5/13-2.2

    (10 ILCS 5/13-2.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-2.2)
    Sec. 13-2.2. Such course shall be devised so as to instruct its students in the duties of an election judge and shall consist of at least 4 hours of instruction and an examination which tests reading skills, ability to work with poll lists, ability to add and knowledge of election laws governing the operation of polling places.
    Such course shall be conducted at least once after the day the report of the selection of election judges is filed in the circuit court, but before the day fixed by the court for confirmation of such selection, and once as soon as practicable after the day fixed by the court for such confirmation. Every person reported as selected to be an election judge shall be notified in good time of the place and time each such course is to be conducted. All such persons may attend such course and, upon satisfactory completion thereof, shall be entitled to a certificate of such completion.
    Not later than March 1, 1981 the election authorities shall also conduct special training courses for election judges concerning the administration of the nonpartisan and consolidated elections. The State shall reimburse each county and each municipality under the jurisdiction of a board of election commissioners (except in municipalities with a population of more than 500,000) for the payment of a $10 stipend to each judge of election for attendance at such special training course.
(Source: P.A. 81-1535.)

10 ILCS 5/13-2.5

    (10 ILCS 5/13-2.5)
    Sec. 13-2.5. Time off from work to serve as election judge. Any person who is appointed as an election judge under Section 13-1 or 13-2 may, after giving his or her employer at least 20 days' written notice, be absent from his or her place of work for the purpose of serving as an election judge. An employer may not penalize an employee for that absence other than a deduction in salary for the time the employee was absent from his or her place of employment. An employer may not require an employee to use earned vacation time or any form of paid leave time to serve as an election judge.
    This Section does not apply to an employer with fewer than 25 employees. An employer with more than 25 employees shall not be required to permit more than 10% of the employees to be absent under this Section on the same election day.
(Source: P.A. 98-691, eff. 7-1-14.)

10 ILCS 5/13-3

    (10 ILCS 5/13-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-3)
    Sec. 13-3. After the judges of election have been selected and approved as hereinbefore provided, a report of such selections shall be made by the county board and filed in the circuit court, and application shall then be made by the county board to the court for their confirmation and appointment, whereupon the court shall enter an order that cause be shown, if any exists, against the confirmation and appointment of such persons so named on or before the opening of the court on a day to be fixed by the court. The county board shall immediately give notice of such order and the names of all such judges so reported to such court for confirmation and their residence and the precinct for which they were selected by causing a notice to be published in one or more newspapers in the county and if no newspaper be published therein then by posting such notice in 5 of the most public places in the county. The notice shall state that a list of judges of election is available for public inspection in the office of the election authority. If no cause to the contrary is shown prior to the day fixed, and if, in each precinct, at least one judge representing each of the two major political parties has been certified by the county clerk as having satisfactorily completed within the preceding 6 months the training course and examination for judges of election, as provided in Section 13-2.1 and 13-2.2 of this Act, such appointment shall be confirmed by order entered by that court.
    If in any precinct the requisite 2 judges have not been so certified by the county clerk as having satisfactorily completed such course and examination, the county clerk shall immediately notify all judges in that precinct, to whose appointment there is no other objection, that all such judges shall attend the next such course. The county clerk shall then certify to the court that all such judges have been so notified (and such certification need contain no detail other than a mere recital). The appointment of such judges shall then be confirmed by order entered by the court. If any judge so notified and so confirmed fails to attend the next such course, such failure shall subject such judge to possible removal from office at the option of the election authority.
    If objections to the appointment of any judge be filed prior to the day fixed by the court for confirmation of judges, the court shall hear such objections and the evidence introduced in support thereof, and shall confirm or refuse to confirm such nominations as the interests of the public may require. No reasons may be given for the refusal to confirm. If any vacancy exists at any time the county board shall, subject to the provisions of Section 13-1.1, further report and nominate persons to fill such vacancies so existing in the manner aforesaid, and a court in the same way shall consider such nominations and shall confirm or refuse to confirm the same in the manner aforesaid. Upon the confirmation of such judges, at any time, a commission shall issue to each of such judges, under the seal of such court, and appropriate forms shall be prepared by the county clerk of each county for such purpose and furnished to the county board, and after confirmation and acceptance of such commission, such judges shall thereupon become officers of such court. If a vacancy occurs so late that nomination by the county board and application to and confirmation by the court cannot be had before the election, then the court shall, subject to the provisions of Section 13-1.1, make an appointment and issue a commission to such officer or officers, and when thus appointed such officer shall be considered an officer of the court and subject to the same rules as if nominated by the county board and confirmed by the court, and any judge, however appointed, and at whatever time, shall be considered an officer of court and be subject to the same control and punishment in case of misbehavior. Not more than 10 business days after the day of election, the county clerk shall compile a list containing the name, address and party affiliation of each judge of election who served on the day of election, and shall preserve such list and make it available for public inspection and copying for a period of not more than one year from the date of receipt of such list. Copies of such list shall be available for purchase at a cost not to exceed the cost of duplication. The board has the right, at any time, in case of misbehavior or neglect of duty, to remove any judge of election and cause such vacancy to be filled in accordance with this Act. Except for judges appointed under subsection (b) of Section 13-4, the board shall have the right, at any time, to remove any judge of election for failing to vote the primary ballot of the political party he represents, at a primary election at which he served as such judge, and shall cause such vacancy to be filled in accordance with this Act. The board shall remove any judge of election who, twice during the same term of office, fails to provide for the opening of the polling place at the time prescribed in Section 17-1 or Section 18-2, whichever is applicable, unless such delay can be demonstrated by the judge of election to be beyond his or her control. In the event that any judge of election is removed for cause, the board shall specify such cause in writing and make such writing a matter of public record, with a copy to be sent to the appropriate county chair who made the initial recommendation of the election judge. If any vacancies occur or exist more than 15 days before election the judges appointed to such places must be confirmed by such court. The county board shall not voluntarily remove any judge within 15 days of such election except for flagrant misbehavior, incapacity or dishonesty, and the reason therefor must afterward be reported in writing to such court and made a matter of public record, with a copy to be sent to the appropriate county chair who made the initial recommendation of the election judge. Provided further that where a vacancy in the office of judge of election exists 20 days or less prior to any election in counties having a population of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, or where such vacancy exists 10 days or less prior to any election in counties having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the county clerk shall, subject to the provisions of Section 13-1.1, appoint a person of the same major political party to fill such vacancy and issue a commission thereto. The name of the officer so appointed shall be reported to the court as a matter of record and after acceptance of such commission such person shall be liable in the same manner as officers regularly appointed by the county board and confirmed by the court. The county clerk shall have the power on election day to remove without cause any judge of election appointed by the other judges of election pursuant to Section 13-7 and to appoint another judge of election to serve for that election. Such substitute judge of election must be selected, where possible, pursuant to the provisions of Section 13-1.1 and must be qualified in accordance with Section 13-4.
    If any precinct has increased in voter registration beyond the maximum of 800 provided in Section 11-2, the county clerk may appoint one additional judge of election from each political party for each 200 voters in excess of 800.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)