10 ILCS 5/ Election Code.

(10 ILCS 5/24A-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-3)

Sec. 24A-3. 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 voting system approved for use by the State Board of Elections and may use such voting system in all or some of the precincts within its jurisdiction, or in combination with paper ballots or voting machines. Any such 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 an electronic voting system or voting system component without the approval of the State Board of Elections as provided by Section 24A-16. However, the county board and board of county commissioners of each county having a population of 40,000 or more, with respect to all elections for which the county board or the county clerk is charged with the duty of providing materials and supplies, and each board of election commissioners in a municipality having a population of 40,000 or more, with respect to elections under its jurisdiction, must provide either voting systems approved for use by the State Board of Elections under this Article or voting machines under Article 24 for each precinct for all such elections except as provided in Section 24-1.2. For purposes of this Section 24A-3, the term "population" does not include persons prohibited from voting by Section 3-5 of this Act.

Before any such 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 wherein such voting 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, as the case may be, in which 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 an electronic voting system will be used.

Dated at .... on (insert date).

The notice referred to herein shall be given only at the first election at which such voting machines or voting systems are used.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-3.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-3.1)

Sec. 24A-3.1. When an 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 so as to change the number of registered voters of the precincts using the electronic voting system, establishing the number of registered voters within each precinct at such 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 so 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 such 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. 86-867.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-4)

Sec. 24A-4. Voting systems may be used in elections provided that such systems enable the voter to cast a vote for all offices and on all measures on which he is entitled to vote, and that the automatic tabulating equipment may be set to reject all votes for any office or measure when the number of votes therefor exceeds the number which the voter is entitled to cast, and 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 electronic voting systems are used.

(Source: P.A. 84-862.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-5)

Sec. 24A-5. In precincts where an electronic voting system is used, a sufficient number of voting booths shall be provided for the use of such systems according to the requirements determined by the State Board of Elections, and the booths shall be arranged in the same manner as provided for use with paper ballots. Each such booth shall be placed so that the entrance to each booth faces a wall in such a manner that no judge of election or pollwatcher is able to observe a voter casting a ballot.

Whenever at a primary election at which an electronic voting system is used there is also an election for officers or on propositions in which qualified voters have the right to vote without participating in the primary of any party, a separate voting booth may be provided for those voters who do not wish to participate in the primary of any party. Such determination shall be made by resolution of the county board, municipal board of election commissioners or county board of election commissioners, whichever is applicable. Unless paper ballots are used for such other election, such separate voting booth shall contain a ballot label booklet containing only those officers and propositions on which such voters are entitled to vote.

(Source: P.A. 84-659.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-5.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-5.1)

Sec. 24A-5.1. For the instruction of voters on election day, the election official in charge of the election shall provide at each polling place one instruction-model electronic voting system marking device. Each such instruction-model shall show the arrangement of party rows, office columns and questions. Such model shall be located at a place which voters must pass to reach the official marking device used in the actual casting of votes.

Before entering the voting booth each voter shall be offered instruction in the operation of the marking device by use of the instruction-model and the voter shall be given ample opportunity to operate the model by himself. In instructing voters, no precinct official may show partiality to any political party. The duties of instruction shall be discharged by a judge from each of the political parties represented and they shall alternate serving as instructor so that each judge shall serve a like time at such duties. No instructions may be given after the voter has entered the voting booth.

No precinct official, or person assisting a voter may in any manner request, suggest, or seek to persuade or induce any voter to cast his vote for any particular ticket, candidate, amendment, question or proposition. All instructions shall be given by precinct officials in such a manner that it may be observed by other persons in the polling place.

(Source: P.A. 89-700, eff. 1-17-97.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-5.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-5.2)

Sec. 24A-5.2. When an electronic voting system is used in a forthcoming election, the election authority may provide, for the purpose of instructing voters in such election, one demonstrator electronic voting system marking device for placement in any public library within the political subdivision in which the election occurs. If such placement of a demonstrator takes place it shall be made available at least 30 days before the election.

(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-6)

Sec. 24A-6. The ballot information, whether placed on the ballot or on the marking device, shall, as far as practicable, be in the order of arrangement provided for paper ballots, except that such information may be in vertical or horizontal rows, or in a number of separate pages. Ballots for all questions or propositions to be voted on must be provided in the same manner and must be arranged on or in the marking device or on the ballot sheet in the places provided for such purposes.

When an electronic voting system utilizes a ballot label booklet and ballot card, ballots for candidates, ballots calling for a constitutional convention, constitutional amendment ballots, judicial retention ballots, public measures, and all propositions to be voted upon may be placed on the electronic voting device by providing in the ballot booklet separate ballot label pages or series of pages distinguished by differing colors as provided below. When an electronic voting system utilizes a ballot sheet, ballots calling for a constitutional convention, constitutional amendment ballots and judicial retention ballots shall be placed on the ballot sheet by providing a separate portion of the ballot sheet for each such kind of ballot which shall be printed in ink of a color distinct from the color of ink used in printing any other portion of the ballot sheet. Ballots for candidates, public measures and all other propositions to be voted upon shall be placed on the ballot sheet by providing a separate portion of the ballot sheet for each such kind of ballot. Whenever a person has submitted a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate as required in Sections 17-16.1 and 18-9.1, a line on which the name of a candidate may be written by the voter shall be printed below the name of the last candidate nominated for such office, and immediately to the left of such line an area shall be provided for marking a vote for such write-in candidate. The number of write-in lines for an office shall equal the number of persons who have filed declarations of intent to be write-in candidates plus an additional line or lines for write-in candidates who qualify to file declarations to be write-in candidates under Sections 17-16.1 and 18-9.1 when the certification of ballot contains the words "OBJECTION PENDING" next to the name of the candidate, up to the number of candidates for which a voter may vote. More than one amendment to the constitution may be placed on the same ballot page or series of pages or on the same portion of the ballot sheet, as the case may be. Ballot label pages for constitutional conventions or constitutional amendments shall be on paper of blue color and shall precede all other ballot label pages in the ballot label booklet. More than one public measure or proposition may be placed on the same ballot label page or series of pages or on the same portion of the ballot sheet, as the case may be. More than one proposition for retention of judges in office may be placed on the same ballot label page or series of pages or on the same portion of the ballot sheet, as the case may be. Ballot label pages for candidates shall be on paper of white color, except that in primary elections the ballot label page or pages for the candidates of each respective political party shall be of the color designated by the election official in charge of the election for that political party's candidates; provided that the ballot label pages or pages for candidates for use at the nonpartisan and consolidated elections may be on paper of different colors, except blue, whenever necessary or desirable to facilitate distinguishing between the pages for different political subdivisions. On each page of the candidate booklet, where the election is made to list ballot information vertically, the party affiliation of each candidate or the word "independent" shall appear immediately to the left of the candidate's name, and the name of candidates for the same office shall be listed vertically under the title of that office. If no candidate or candidates file for an office and if no person or persons file a declaration as a write-in candidate for that office, then below the title of that office the election authority instead shall print "No Candidate". In the case of nonpartisan elections for officers of political subdivisions, unless the statute or an ordinance adopted pursuant to Article VII of the Constitution requires otherwise, the listing of such nonpartisan candidates shall not include any party or "independent" designation. Ballot label pages for judicial retention ballots shall be on paper of green color, and ballot label pages for all public measures and other propositions shall be on paper of some other distinct and different color. In primary elections, a separate ballot label booklet, marking device and voting booth shall be used for each political party holding a primary, with the ballot label booklet arranged to include ballot label pages of the candidates of the party and public measures and other propositions to be voted upon on the day of the primary election. One ballot card may be used for recording the voter's vote or choice on all such ballots, proposals, public measures or propositions, and such ballot card shall be arranged so as to record the voter's vote or choice in a separate column or columns for each such kind of ballot, proposal, public measure or proposition.

If the ballot label booklet includes both candidates for office and public measures or propositions to be voted on, the election official in charge of the election shall divide the pages by protruding tabs identifying the division of the pages, and printing on such tabs "Candidates" and "Propositions".

The ballot card and all of its columns and the ballot card envelope shall be of the color prescribed for candidate's ballots at the general or primary election, whichever is being held. At an election where no candidates are being nominated or elected, the ballot card, its columns, and the ballot card envelope shall be of a color designated by the election official in charge of the election.

The ballot cards, ballot card envelopes and ballot sheets may, at the discretion of the election authority, be printed on white paper and then striped with the appropriate colors.

When ballot sheets are used, the various portions thereof shall be arranged to conform to the foregoing format.

Vote by mail ballots may consist of ballot cards, envelopes, paper ballots, or ballot sheets. Where a ballot card is used for voting by mail it must be accompanied by a punching tool or other appropriate marking device, voter instructions and a specimen ballot showing the proper positions to vote on the ballot card or ballot sheet for each party, candidate, proposal, public measure or proposition, and in the case of a ballot card must be mounted on a suitable material to receive the punched out chip.

Any voter who spoils his ballot or makes an error may return the ballot to the judges of election and secure another. However, the protruding identifying tab for proposals for a constitutional convention or constitutional amendments shall have printed thereon "Constitutional Ballot", and the ballot label page or pages for such proposals shall precede the ballot label pages for candidates in the ballot label booklet.

(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-6.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-6.1)

Sec. 24A-6.1. In all elections conducted pursuant to this Article, ballot cards shall have a security punch. In precincts where more than one ballot configuration may be voted upon, ballot cards shall have a different security punch for each ballot configuration. If a precinct has only one possible ballot configuration, the ballot cards must have a security punch to identify the election. Where ballot cards from more than one precinct are being tabulated, precinct header cards shall also be used: official results shall not be generated unless the precinct identification of the header cards for any precinct correspond. Where the tabulating equipment being used requires entering the program immediately prior to tabulating the ballot cards for each precinct, the precinct program may be used in lieu of header cards.

(Source: P.A. 82-1014.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-6.2)

Sec. 24A-6.2. Programming of automatic tabulating equipment. Beginning with the 2014 general election and all primary, consolidated, general, and special elections thereafter, automatic tabulating equipment authorized by this Section and programmed for a primary, consolidated, general, or special election conducted pursuant to general election law shall be programmed using the unique race and candidate ID numbers assigned by the State Board of Elections. The unique race and candidate ID numbers will be provided to the county clerk or election authority, as the case may be, with the candidate certification prepared by the State Board of Elections. In addition, any new voting system approved by the state after the 2014 general election shall have the capability to export the election results by ballot style and group them by precinct in an electronic format prescribed by the State Board of Elections.

(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 7-29-13.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-7)

Sec. 24A-7. A separate write-in ballot, which may be in the form of a paper ballot, card or envelope in which the elector places his ballot card after voting, shall be provided if necessary to permit electors to write in the names of persons whose names are not on the ballot. The ballots, ballot cards and ballot card envelopes may, at the discretion of the election authority, be printed on white paper and then striped with the appropriate colors. When an electronic voting system is used which utilizes a ballot card, each ballot card envelope shall contain the write-in form and information required by Section 16-3 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 83-110.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-8)

Sec. 24A-8. The county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, shall cause the marking devices to be put in order, set, adjusted and made ready for voting when delivered to the polling places. Before the opening of the polls the judges of election shall compare the ballots used in the marking devices with the specimen ballots furnished and see that the names, numbers and letters thereon agree and shall certify thereto on forms provided by the county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be.

In addition, in those polling places where in-precinct counting equipment is utilized, the judges of election shall make an operational check of the automatic tabulating equipment before the opening of the polls. A precinct identification card provided by the election authority shall be entered into the automatic tabulating equipment to ensure that the totals are all zeroes in the count column on the printing unit.

Pollwatchers as provided by law shall be permitted to closely observe the judges in these procedures and to periodically inspect the equipment when not in use by the voters to see that the ballot labels are in proper position and have not been marked upon or mutilated.

(Source: P.A. 82-1014.)

(10 ILCS 5/24A-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-9)

Sec. 24A-9. Prior to the public test, the election authority shall conduct an errorless pre-test of the automatic tabulating equipment and program to ascertain that they will correctly count the votes cast for all offices and all measures. On any day not less than 5 days prior to the election day, the election authority shall publicly test the automatic tabulating equipment and program to ascertain that they will correctly count the votes cast for all offices and on all measures. Public notice of the time and place of the test shall be given at least 48 hours prior thereto by publication once in one or more newspapers published within the election jurisdiction of the election authority if a newspaper is published therein, otherwise in a newspaper of general circulation therein. Timely written notice stating the date, time and location of the public test shall also be provided to the State Board of Elections. The test shall be open to representatives of the political parties, the press, representatives of the State Board of Elections, and the public. The test shall be conducted by processing a preaudited group of ballots so punched or marked as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each measure, and shall include for each office one or more ballots which have votes in excess of the number allowed by law in order to test the ability of the automatic tabulating equipment to reject such votes. Such test shall also include the use of precinct header cards and may include the production of an edit listing. In those election jurisdictions where in-precinct counting equipment is utilized, a public test of both such equipment and program shall be conducted as nearly as possible in the manner prescribed above. The State Board of Elections may select as many election jurisdictions as the Board deems advisable in the interests of the election process of this State in which to order a special test of the automatic tabulating equipment and program prior to any regular election. The Board may order a special test in any election jurisdiction where, during the preceding twelve months, computer programming errors or other errors in the use of electronic voting systems resulted in vote tabulation errors. Not less than 30 days prior to any election, the State Board of Elections shall provide written notice to those selected jurisdictions of their intent to conduct a test. Within 5 days of receipt of the State Board of Elections' written notice of intent to conduct a test, the selected jurisdictions shall forward to the principal office of the State Board of Elections a copy of all specimen ballots. The State Board of Elections' tests shall be conducted and completed not less than 2 days prior to the public test and under the supervision of the Board. The vendor, person, or other private entity shall be solely responsible for the production and cost of: 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. After an errorless test, materials used in the public test, including the program, if appropriate, shall be sealed and remain so until the test is run again on election day. If any error is detected, the cause therefor shall be ascertained and corrected and an errorless public test shall be made before the automatic tabulating equipment is approved. Each election authority shall file a sealed copy of each tested program to be used within its jurisdiction at an election with the State Board of Elections prior to the election. The Board shall secure the program or programs of each election jurisdiction so filed in its office until the next election of the same type (general primary, general election, consolidated primary, or consolidated election) for which the program or programs were filed. Upon the expiration of that time, if no election contest or appeal therefrom is pending in an election jurisdiction, the Board shall destroy the sealed program or programs. Except where in-precinct counting equipment is utilized, the test shall be repeated immediately before the start of the official count of the ballots, in the same manner as set forth above. After the completion of the count, the test shall be re-run using the same program. An election jurisdiction that was employing, as of January 1, 1983, an electronic voting system that, because of its design, is not technically capable of compliance with such a post-tabulation testing requirement shall satisfy the post-tabulation testing requirement by conducting the post-tabulation test on a duplicate program until such electronic voting system is replaced or until November 1, 1992, whichever is earlier. Immediately thereafter the ballots, all material employed in testing the program and the program shall be sealed and retained under the custody of the election authority for a period of 60 days. At the expiration of that time the election authority shall destroy the voted ballot cards, together with all unused ballots returned from the precincts. Provided, if any contest of election is pending at such time in which such ballots may be required as evidence and such election authority has notice thereof, the same shall not be destroyed until after such contest is finally determined. If the use of back-up equipment becomes necessary, the same testing required for the original equipment shall be conducted.

(Source: P.A. 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06.)