Bill Text: IL HB4613 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Provides that every ballot measure to be placed on a ballot shall be written in plain language and include a ballot measure summary that describes the primary purpose of the ballot measure and the material legal effect if the ballot measure is approved or rejected. Sets forth provisions concerning the preparation of ballot measures and ballot measure summaries. Provides that a registered voter may challenge a ballot measure or ballot measure summary for non-compliance with the provision. Makes conforming changes.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced) 2026-03-27 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB4613 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB4613-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026HB4613 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/16-7 from Ch. 46, par. 16-7
10 ILCS 5/28-14 new
Amends the Election Code. Provides that every ballot measure to be placed on a ballot shall be written in plain language and include a ballot measure summary that describes the primary purpose of the ballot measure and the material legal effect if the ballot measure is approved or rejected. Sets forth provisions concerning the preparation of ballot measures and ballot measure summaries. Provides that a registered voter may challenge a ballot measure or ballot measure summary for non-compliance with the provision. Makes conforming changes.
LRB104 17988 SPS 31425 b
A BILL FOR
HB4613 LRB104 17988 SPS 31425 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
Section 16-7 and by adding Section 28-14 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/16-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 16-7)
Sec. 16-7. Whenever a public question is to be submitted
to be voted upon and has been initiated and certified in
accordance with Article 28 of this Code, the election
authorities to whom the question is certified shall print the
question on the ballot for the proper election in accordance
with Section 28-14, and shall cause it to be submitted in the
proper precincts to those electors entitled by reason of their
residency to vote on such question.
The substance of such public measure shall be clearly
indicated on a separate ballot, and two spaces shall be left
upon the right-hand margin thereof, one for the votes favoring
the public measure, to be designated by the word, "Yes", and
one for the votes opposing the measure, to be designated by the
word, "No", as in the form herein given:
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Shall (here print YES
the substance of the ------------------------------

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public measure). NO
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The elector shall designate his vote by a cross mark,
thus: (X). Any such separate ballot shall be printed on paper
of sufficient size so that when folded once it shall be large
enough to contain the following words, which shall be printed
on the back, "Ballot for (name of public measure to be voted
on)." Such ballot shall be handed to the elector at the same
time as the ballot containing the names of the candidates, and
returned therewith by the elector to the proper office in the
manner designated by this Act. All provisions of this Act
relating to ballots shall apply to such separate ballot,
except as herein otherwise provided. Such separate ballot or
ballots shall be printed upon paper of a distinctly different
color from any other ballot for candidates used at such
election and from those for the question of retention in
office of judges and of constitutional amendments and as near
as may be practicable, be of uniform size. Any variation in the
size of such ballots shall not impair their validity.
In the case of a public question described in subsection
(b) of Section 28-6, the election authority shall include on
the ballot the description of the territory concerning which
the question is to be submitted, as set forth in the
certification of the public question or, where the question is
initiated by petition filed with the authority, as set forth
in such petition. If the election authority determines the

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description cannot be included within the space limitations of
the ballot, the election authority shall prepare large printed
copies of a notice of the public question, which shall include
the description. The notice shall be prominently displayed in
the polling place of each precinct in which the question is to
be submitted.
In precincts in which voting machines are used, separate
ballots shall not be required if such voting machines permit
the casting of votes on such proposition.
An electronic voting system authorized by Article 24A may
be used in voting and tabulating the ballots on a public
measure. When an electronic voting system is used, which
utilizes a ballot label booklet and ballot card, there shall
be used in the ballot label booklet a separate ballot label
page or pages as required for such public measures or
propositions. The page or pages for such public measures or
propositions shall be of a color separate and distinct from
the ballot label page or pages used for candidates and from
those used for the propositions of retention in office of
judges and of constitutional amendments. The ballot card
provided for recording the voter's vote or choice on public
measures or propositions may be the same card as is used for
recording his vote for candidates. More than one public
measure or proposition may be placed on the same ballot label
page or series of pages and may be voted or recorded on the
same column or series of columns on the same ballot card, and

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all columns on the ballot card may be of the same color.
However, at the nonpartisan, consolidated primary, and
consolidated elections, the proposition for a public question
relating to a political subdivision shall be placed on the
ballot together with the ballot for the nomination or election
of officers of such political subdivision to be voted upon at
the same election, unless such placement is not feasible.
(Source: P.A. 84-1467.)
(10 ILCS 5/28-14 new)
Sec. 28-14. Plain language and readability standards.
(a) As used in this Section:
"Ballot measure" means any public question, constitutional
amendment, referendum, or other proposition submitted to
voters under this Article.
"Plain language" means wording that is clear, concise,
logically organized, and written so that the intended audience
can understand it without specialized legal knowledge. "Plain
language" does not include wording that:
(1) contains more than one passive sentence;
(2) uses unnecessary semicolons rather than separate
sentences; or
(3) contains double negatives.
"Readability standard" means an objective measure of text
complexity, as determined by the Flesch-Kincaid readability
test.

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(b) Every ballot measure to be placed on a ballot shall be
written in plain language and shall include a ballot measure
summary that describes the primary purpose of the ballot
measure and the material legal effect if the ballot measure is
approved or rejected.
(c) A ballot measure summary required under subsection (b)
shall:
(1) be neutral, non-argumentative, and avoid the
unnecessary use of legal terms;
(2) state the effect of a "Yes" vote and of a "No"
vote;
(3) be written to have a Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
score no higher than the eighth grade; and
(4) be no longer than 75 words for statewide ballot
measures or 50 words for local ballot measures.
(d) The State Board of Elections, in consultation with the
Attorney General, shall prepare and review statewide ballot
measures and ballot measure summaries for compliance with this
Section before certification. A local election authority shall
prepare and review local ballot measures and ballot measure
summaries for compliance with this Section before
certification.
(e) A registered voter may challenge a ballot measure or
ballot measure summary for non-compliance with this Section.
If a court finds that a ballot measure or a ballot measure
summary does not comply, it may order that the State Board of

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Elections or local election authority make revisions necessary
to satisfy the requirements of this Section.