102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB2600

 

Introduced 2/19/2021, by Rep. Ryan Spain

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/19-7  from Ch. 46, par. 19-7

    Amends the Election Code. Provides that an election authority shall appoint panels as needed of 3 election judges from the list of election judges submitted by the county parties to compare the voter's signature on the certification envelope of the vote by mail ballot with the signature of the voter on file in the office of the election authority. Provides the procedure for verifying or rejecting the signature. Provides that if a vote by mail ballot is rejected, the election authority shall notify the voter within 2 days after the rejection or within one day if the rejection occurs after election day and in all cases before the close of the period for counting provisional ballots. Allows a voter to submit a statement confirming the vote if the signature was rejected. Allows a voter to cast a new ballot if the vote by mail ballot was rejected because the envelope was delivered opened.


LRB102 12097 SMS 17434 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2600LRB102 12097 SMS 17434 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
5Section 19-7 as follows:
 
6    (10 ILCS 5/19-7)  (from Ch. 46, par. 19-7)
7    Sec. 19-7. (a) Upon receipt of such vote by mail voter's
8ballot, the election authority shall forthwith enclose the
9same unopened, together with the application made by said vote
10by mail voter in a large or carrier envelope which shall be
11securely sealed and endorsed with the name and official title
12of such officer and the words, "This envelope contains a vote
13by mail ballot and must be opened on election day," together
14with the number and description of the precinct in which said
15ballot is to be voted, and such officer shall thereafter
16safely keep the same in his office until counted by him as
17provided in the next section.
18    (b) Within one day after receipt of such vote by mail
19voter's ballot, the election authority shall transmit, by
20electronic means pursuant to a process established by the
21State Board of Elections, the voter's name, street address,
22e-mail address, and precinct, ward, township, and district
23numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections,

 

 

HB2600- 2 -LRB102 12097 SMS 17434 b

1which shall maintain those names and that information in an
2electronic format on its website, arranged by county and
3accessible to State and local political committees.
4    (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
5contrary, within 2 days after a vote by mail ballot is
6received, but in all cases before the close of the period for
7counting provisional ballots, the election authority shall
8appoint panels as needed of 3 election judges, of which no more
9than 2 shall be from the same political party, from the list of
10election judges submitted by the county parties for this
11specific purpose to compare the voter's signature on the
12certification envelope of the vote by mail ballot with the
13signature of the voter on file in the office of the election
14authority. The signature shall be presumed to match unless 3
15out of 3 election judges determine that the 2 signatures do not
16match. A vote by mail ballot may only be rejected by a vote of
173 of 3 election judges and only for the following reasons: (1)
18the signature on the certification envelope and the signature
19used by the election authority for verification purposes do
20not match or the certification envelope contains no signature;
21(2) the ballot envelope was delivered opened; (3) the voter
22has already cast a ballot; (4) if the voter voted in person on
23election day; or (5) the voter is not a duly registered voter
24in the precinct. If 3 of 3 election judges determine the ballot
25should be rejected for any reasons stated in this subsection
26(c), the judges shall mark across the face of the

 

 

HB2600- 3 -LRB102 12097 SMS 17434 b

1certification envelope the word "rejected" and the date and
2names of the judges voting to reject the ballot.
3    (d) If a vote by mail ballot is rejected, the election
4authority shall notify the voter within 2 days after the
5rejection or within one day if the rejection occurs after
6election day and in all cases before the close of the period
7for counting provisional ballots. The voter shall be notified
8through mail or email, or both, and the notice shall inform the
9voter of the reason or reasons the ballot was rejected. If the
10ballot was rejected based on the signature or lack of a
11signature, the voter shall be permitted to submit a statement
12the voter cast the ballot, and upon receipt the ballot shall be
13determined valid and counted before the close of the period
14for counting provisional ballots. If the ballot was rejected
15because the envelope was delivered opened, the voter shall be
16permitted to vote in person or request to receive another vote
17by mail ballot, provided the voter submits an application and
18casts a new ballot prior to the close of polls on election day.
19(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 7-29-13; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)