101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB3615

 

Introduced , by Rep. Jerry Costello, II

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/19-2  from Ch. 46, par. 19-2
10 ILCS 5/19-3  from Ch. 46, par. 19-3

    Amends the Election Code. Allows an elector to be added to a list of permanent vote by mail status voters who receive an official vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections. Provides that voters whose application for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election authority shall remain on the permanent vote by mail list until either the voter requests to be removed from permanent vote by mail status or provides notice to the election authority of a change in registration. Provides the application form for a permanent vote by mail ballot.


LRB101 09782 SMS 54883 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3615LRB101 09782 SMS 54883 b

1    AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
5Sections 19-2 and 19-3 as follows:
 
6    (10 ILCS 5/19-2)  (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2)
7    Sec. 19-2. Any elector as defined in Section 19-1 may by
8mail or electronically on the website of the appropriate
9election authority, not more than 90 nor less than 5 days prior
10to the date of such election, or by personal delivery not more
11than 90 nor less than one day prior to the date of such
12election, make application to the county clerk or to the Board
13of Election Commissioners for an official ballot for the
14voter's precinct to be voted at such election, or be added to a
15list of permanent vote by mail status voters who receive an
16official vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections.
17Voters who make an application for permanent vote by mail
18ballot status shall follow the procedures specified herein.
19Voters whose application for permanent vote by mail status is
20accepted by the election authority shall remain on the
21permanent vote by mail list until either the voter requests to
22be removed from permanent vote by mail status or provides
23notice to the election authority of a change in registration.

 

 

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1The URL address at which voters may electronically request a
2vote by mail ballot shall be fixed no later than 90 calendar
3days before an election and shall not be changed until after
4the election. Such a ballot shall be delivered to the elector
5only upon separate application by the elector for each
6election.
7(Source: P.A. 97-81, eff. 7-5-11; 98-115, eff. 7-29-13; 98-691,
8eff. 7-1-14; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
 
9    (10 ILCS 5/19-3)  (from Ch. 46, par. 19-3)
10    Sec. 19-3. The application for vote by mail ballot shall be
11substantially in the following form:
12
APPLICATION FOR VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT
13    To be voted at the .... election in the County of .... and
14State of Illinois, in the .... precinct of the (1) *township of
15.... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in the City of ....
16    I state that I am a resident of the .... precinct of the
17(1) *township of .... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in
18the city of .... residing at .... in such city or town in the
19county of .... and State of Illinois; that I have lived at such
20address for .... month(s) last past; that I am lawfully
21entitled to vote in such precinct at the .... election to be
22held therein on ....; and that I wish to vote by vote by mail
23ballot.
24    I hereby make application for an official ballot or ballots
25to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I shall

 

 

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1return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing the same
2prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the election
3or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than election day,
4for counting no later than during the period for counting
5provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th day
6following election day.
7    I understand that this application is made for an official
8vote by mail ballot or ballots to be voted by me at the
9election specified in this application and that I must submit a
10separate application for an official vote by mail ballot or
11ballots to be voted by me at any subsequent election.
12    Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section
1329-10 of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
14statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
15
....
16
*fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
17
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
18...............
19    The application for a permanent vote by mail ballot shall
20be substantially in the following form:
21
APPLICATION FOR A PERMANENT VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT
22    I am currently a registered voter and wish to apply for
23permanent vote by mail status.
24    I state that I am a resident of the ....precinct of the (1)
25*township of .... (2) *City of ....or (3) *.... ward in the
26city of .... residing at .... in such city or town in the

 

 

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1county of .... and State of Illinois; that I have lived at such
2address for .... month(s) last past; that I am lawfully
3entitled to vote in such precinct at the .... election to be
4held therein on ....; and that I wish to vote by vote by mail
5ballot in all subsequent elections.
6    I hereby make application for an official ballot or ballots
7to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I shall
8return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing the same
9prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the election
10or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than election day,
11for counting no later than during the period for counting
12provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th day
13following election day.
14    Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section
1529-10 of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
16statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
17
....
18
*fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
19
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
20...............
21    However, if application is made for a primary election
22ballot, such application shall require the applicant to
23designate the name of the political party with which the
24applicant is affiliated.
25    If application is made electronically, the applicant shall
26mark the box associated with the above described statement

 

 

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1included as part of the online application certifying that the
2statements set forth in this application are true and correct,
3and a signature is not required.
4    Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or return to
5an election authority the application for vote by mail ballot.
6If applications are sent to a post office box controlled by any
7individual or organization that is not an election authority,
8those applications shall (i) include a valid and current phone
9number for the individual or organization controlling the post
10office box and (ii) be turned over to the appropriate election
11authority within 7 days of receipt or, if received within 2
12weeks of the election in which an applicant intends to vote,
13within 2 days of receipt. Failure to turn over the applications
14in compliance with this paragraph shall constitute a violation
15of this Code and shall be punishable as a petty offense with a
16fine of $100 per application. Removing, tampering with, or
17otherwise knowingly making the postmark on the application
18unreadable by the election authority shall establish a
19rebuttable presumption of a violation of this paragraph. Upon
20receipt, the appropriate election authority shall accept and
21promptly process any application for vote by mail ballot
22submitted in a form substantially similar to that required by
23this Section, including any substantially similar production
24or reproduction generated by the applicant.
25(Source: P.A. 99-522, eff. 6-30-16; 100-623, eff. 7-20-18.)