Public Act 097-1134
 
SB3338 EnrolledLRB097 19253 PJG 64496 b

    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 changing
Sections 1-4 and 25-7 as follows:
 
    (10 ILCS 5/1-4)  (from Ch. 46, par. 1-4)
    Sec. 1-4.
    (a) In any case in which this Act prescribes a period of
time within which petitions for nomination must be filed, the
office in which petitions must be filed shall remain open for
the receipt of such petitions until 5:00 P.M. on the last day
of the filing period.
    (b) For the 2013 consolidated election period, an election
authority or local election official shall accept until 104
days before the election at which candidates are to be on the
ballot any petitions for nomination or certificate of
nomination required by this Code to be filed no earlier than
113 and no later than 106 days before the consolidated
election. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, for
purposes of this subsection (b) only, signatures and circulator
statements on petitions for nomination filed with an election
authority or local election official on the final day for
filing petitions for nomination shall not be deemed invalid for
the sole reason that the petitions were circulated between 90
and 92 days before the last day for filing petitions.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)
 
    (10 ILCS 5/25-7)  (from Ch. 46, par. 25-7)
    Sec. 25-7.
    (a) When any vacancy shall occur in the office of
representative in congress from this state more than 180 days
before the next general election, the Governor shall issue a
writ of election within 5 days after the occurrence of that
vacancy to the county clerks of the several counties in the
district where the vacancy exists, appointing a day within 115
days of issuance of the writ to hold a special election to fill
such vacancy.
    (b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Section or any
other law to the contrary, a special election to fill a vacancy
in the office of representative in congress occurring less than
60 days following the 2012 general election shall be held as
provided in this subsection (b). A special primary election
shall be held on February 26, 2013, and a special election
shall be held on April 9, 2013.
    Except as provided in this subsection (b), the provisions
of Article 7 of this Code are applicable to petitions for the
special primary election and special election. Petitions for
nomination in accordance with Article 7 shall be filed in the
principal office of the State Board of Elections not more than
54 and not less than 50 days prior to the date of the special
primary election, excluding Saturday and Sunday. Petitions for
the nomination of independent candidates and candidates of new
political parties shall be filed in the principal office of the
State Board of Elections not more than 68 and not less than 64
days prior to the date of the special election, excluding
Saturday and Sunday.
    Except as provided in this subsection, the State Board of
Elections shall have authority to establish, in conjunction
with the impacted election authorities, an election calendar
for the special election and special primary.
    If an election authority is unable to have a sufficient
number of ballots printed so that ballots will be available for
mailing at least 46 days prior to the special primary election
or special election to persons who have filed an application
for a ballot under the provisions of Article 20 of this Code,
the election authority shall, no later than 45 days prior to
each election, mail to each of those persons a Special Write-in
Absentee Voter's Blank Ballot in accordance with Section
16-5.01 of this Code. The election authority shall advise those
persons that the names of candidates to be nominated or elected
shall be available on the election authority's website and
shall provide a phone number the person may call to request the
names of the candidates for nomination or election.
(Source: P.A. 78-781.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.