HB4838 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 25389 AWJ 34670 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4838

Introduced 1/27/2022, by Rep. Carol Ammons

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/11-9 new

Amends the Election Code. Allows the election authority in Champaign County to establish a pilot program that creates one or more vote centers for an election. Provides that if a vote center is used in a political subdivision, precinct polling places shall not also be used in the election in that political subdivision, unless each precinct polling place has a secure electronic connection to provide voting information to and receive voting information from the online voter registration system maintained by the election authority. Requires each vote center used to have a secure electronic connection to the online voter registration system maintained by the election authority permitting all voting information processed by any computer at a vote center to be immediately accessible to all other computers at all vote centers in the county and the ability for each voter to securely cast their ballot in a tabulation machine designed and programmed to accept all ballot styles for the current election. Provides for the number, location, and manner of operation and location of vote centers. Provides that vote centers shall receive and return all election supplies and ballots as a single entity, not by individual precinct requirements. Includes provisions concerning minimum requirements for operation of vote centers, early voting, and election judge requirements. Defines "vote center" to mean a polling place at which any registered elector or eligible elector in the political subdivision holding the election may vote, regardless of the precinct in which the elector resides. Repeals the provisions on January 1, 2025.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning elections.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Election Code is amended by adding Section 11-9 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/11-9 new)

Sec. 11-9. Vote center pilot program; Champaign County.

(a) As used in this Section, "vote center" means a polling place at which any registered elector or eligible elector in the political subdivision holding the election may vote, regardless of the precinct in which the elector resides.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the election authority in Champaign County may establish a pilot program that creates one or more vote centers for any election. The election authority shall publish the location of the vote centers pursuant to Article 12.

(c) If vote centers are used in an election in a political subdivision, precinct polling places shall not also be used in the election in that political subdivision, unless each precinct polling place has a secure electronic connection to provide voting information to and receive voting information from the online voter registration system maintained by the election authority.

(d) Each vote center used shall have a secure electronic connection to the online voter registration system maintained by the election authority permitting all voting information processed by any computer at a vote center to be immediately accessible to all other computers at all vote centers in the county and the ability for each voter to securely cast their ballot in a tabulation machine designed and programmed to accept all ballot styles for the current election.

(e) The number, location, and manner of operation and location of vote centers shall be determined by the election authority based on this Section.

There shall be at least one vote center per political subdivision (excluding townships) with a population of at least 2,500. Additional sites shall be added for every 5,000 registered voters in the political subdivision. If a geographical area exists in a county where there is no voting center required based on population within a 7.5 mile radius of a political subdivision, a precinct-based polling location or a vote center must be utilized. Number and placement of multiple vote centers in a political subdivision shall include abutting precincts that are in unincorporated area. The election authority shall calculate the population based upon the federal decennial census immediately preceding the election.

There shall be at least one vote center: in each minority-majority county board district (based upon the federal decennial census immediately preceding the election); on a university campus; in the clerk's office or appropriate designation as determined by the clerk; and in every 10 contiguous precincts, regardless of township, where there are no more than 10,000 active voters. The vote center at the university shall be at the student union or other common area open to the public and shall be conducted as required under Section 1-12, including early voting, grace period registration, and grace period voting.

The election authority reserves the right to use any public building as vote center for any or all of the voting period. Upon request by an election authority, a unit of local government shall make the unit's public buildings within the election authority's jurisdiction available as a vote center, which may or may not, at the election authority's discretion, serve early voting, without charge. The unit of local government shall make the building available at a reasonable time before and after the period of voting is conducted at that building. The unit of local government shall ensure that any portion of the building made available is accessible to voters with disabilities and elderly voters.

(f) Vote centers shall receive and return all election supplies and ballots as a single entity, not by individual precinct requirements. Any other statutory reference pertaining to precinct-based polling places shall apply to vote centers as a single entity, not as housing individual precincts.

(g) On election day, all vote centers shall be open for voting from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone in line at 7 p.m. is entitled to vote. Each vote center or precinct-based polling place shall, at minimum, have 2 voter-processing stations. For a vote center or precinct-based polling place with more than 3,000 registered voters, each center or polling place shall have an additional 1 voter-processing station for up to 1,000 registered voters.

The minimum number of election judges during early voting per polling place, either vote center or precinct-based, shall be the number of voter processing stations plus 1. Of the minimum 3 election judges, one shall be a member of the political party represented by a majority of the commissioners and one a member of the political party represented by a minority of such commissioners. The first time a vote center is used as the home precinct (the precinct the vote center is physically located in), the majority/minority political party representation as provided in this paragraph determines election judge ratios. In subsequent elections, the political party representation shall be determined by the voter turnout at that site in the previous primary election.

A minimum of one voting booth is required for every 500 registered voters in a political subdivision and the voting booths shall be evenly divided between the vote centers within that political subdivision. For every 5 booths required, a minimum of one must be ADA compliant. If less than 5 booths are required, at least 1 ADA-compliant booth is required. Partial numbers shall be rounded to the next highest whole number.

Vote centers shall have at least 1 specimen copy of every ballot style available for voter review upon request.

The Champaign County Clerk has the discretion to reasonably adjust additional procedures outlined in this Code to fit the use of vote centers.

(h) All vote center provisions outlined in this Section apply to the use of vote centers as early voting sites. Vote centers opened as early voting site must open at least 1 day before Election Day and offer at least 6 hours of voting time on weekdays and 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Election judge coverage for early voting at a vote center may be done in shifts and entire days of service are not required. On election day, judges must serve the entire day.

(i) Election judges for vote centers must attend 4 hours of training and pass a test drafted by the Champaign County Clerk. Commissioned judges are not exempt from the training and test required in this subsection.

(j) If any provision of law conflicts with any part of this Section, this Section prevails.

(k) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2025.