Bill Text: IL HB4892 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Provides that a ranked-choice voting method that allows voters to rank candidates for an office in order of preference and has ranked-choice ballots cast tabulated in multiple rounds following the elimination of a candidate until a single candidate attains a majority may not be used in determining the election or nomination of any candidate to any local, State, or federal elective office in this State. Provides that an ordinance existing on the effective date of the amendatory Act or adopted after the effective date of the amendatory Act by a county, a municipality, or any other unit of local government that is in conflict with the provisions is void. Removes a provision allowing a municipality to adopt an ordinance to administer an election using a ranked ballot for municipal and township office candidates to be voted on in the consolidated election.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-04-05 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB4892 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB4892-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB4892 Introduced , by Rep. Dennis Tipsword, Jr. SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/1-26 new
10 ILCS 5/16-5.01 from Ch. 46, par. 16-5.01
Amends the Election Code. Provides that a ranked-choice voting method that allows voters to rank candidates for an office in order of preference and has ranked-choice ballots cast tabulated in multiple rounds following the elimination of a candidate until a single candidate attains a majority may not be used in determining the election or nomination of any candidate to any local, State, or federal elective office in this State. Provides that an ordinance existing on the effective date of the amendatory Act or adopted after the effective date of the amendatory Act by a county, a municipality, or any other unit of local government that is in conflict with the provisions is void. Removes a provision allowing a municipality to adopt an ordinance to administer an election using a ranked ballot for municipal and township office candidates to be voted on in the consolidated election.
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A BILL FOR
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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 16-5.01 and by adding Section 1-26 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/1-26 new)
Sec. 1-26. Ranked-choice voting prohibited.
(a) A ranked-choice voting method that allows voters to
rank candidates for an office in order of preference and has
ranked-choice ballots cast tabulated in multiple rounds
following the elimination of a candidate until a single
candidate attains a majority may not be used in determining
the election or nomination of any candidate to any local,
state, or federal elective office in this State.
(b) An ordinance existing on the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly or adopted after
the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General
Assembly by a county, a municipality, or any other unit of
local government that is in conflict with this Section is
void.
(10 ILCS 5/16-5.01) (from Ch. 46, par. 16-5.01)
Sec. 16-5.01. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this

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Code, the election authority shall, at least 46 days prior to
the date of any election at which federal officers are elected
and 45 days prior to any other regular election, have a
sufficient number of ballots printed so that such ballots will
be available for mailing 45 days prior to the date of the
election to persons who have filed application for a ballot
under the provisions of Article 20 of this Code.
(b) If at any election at which federal offices are
elected or nominated the election authority is unable to
comply with the provisions of subsection (a), the election
authority shall mail to each such person, in lieu of the
ballot, a Special Write-in Vote by Mail Voter's Blank Ballot.
The Special Write-in Vote by Mail Voter's Blank Ballot shall
be used at all elections at which federal officers are elected
or nominated and shall be prepared by the election authority
in substantially the following form:
Special Write-in Vote by Mail Voter's Blank Ballot
(To vote for a person, write the title of the office and
his or her name on the lines provided. Place to the left of and
opposite the title of office a square and place a cross (X) in
the square.)
Title of Office Name of Candidate
( )
( )
( )
( )

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( )
( )
The election authority shall send with the Special
Write-in Vote by Mail Voter's Blank Ballot a list of all
referenda for which the voter is qualified to vote and all
candidates for whom nomination papers have been filed and for
whom the voter is qualified to vote. The voter shall be
entitled to write in the name of any candidate seeking
election and any referenda for which he or she is entitled to
vote.
On the back or outside of the ballot, so as to appear when
folded, shall be printed the words "Official Ballot", the date
of the election and a facsimile of the signature of the
election authority who has caused the ballot to be printed.
The provisions of Article 20, insofar as they may be
applicable to the Special Write-in Vote by Mail Voter's Blank
Ballot, shall be applicable herein.
(c) (Blank). Notwithstanding any provision of this Code or
other law to the contrary, the governing body of a
municipality may adopt, upon submission of a written statement
by the municipality's election authority attesting to the
administrative ability of the election authority to administer
an election using a ranked ballot to the municipality's
governing body, an ordinance requiring, and that
municipality's election authority shall prepare, a ranked vote
by mail ballot for municipal and township office candidates to

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be voted on in the consolidated election. This ranked ballot
shall be for use only by a qualified voter who either is a
member of the United States military or will be outside of the
United States on the consolidated primary election day and the
consolidated election day. The ranked ballot shall contain a
list of the titles of all municipal and township offices
potentially contested at both the consolidated primary
election and the consolidated election and the candidates for
each office and shall permit the elector to vote in the
consolidated election by indicating his or her order of
preference for each candidate for each office. To indicate his
or her order of preference for each candidate for each office,
the voter shall put the number one next to the name of the
candidate who is the voter's first choice, the number 2 for his
or her second choice, and so forth so that, in consecutive
numerical order, a number indicating the voter's preference is
written by the voter next to each candidate's name on the
ranked ballot. The voter shall not be required to indicate his
or her preference for more than one candidate on the ranked
ballot. The voter may not cast a write-in vote using the ranked
ballot for the consolidated election. The election authority
shall, if using the ranked vote by mail ballot authorized by
this subsection, also prepare instructions for use of the
ranked ballot. The ranked ballot for the consolidated election
shall be mailed to the voter at the same time that the ballot
for the consolidated primary election is mailed to the voter

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