Bill Text: IL SB0057 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Provides that any campaign, party, or other organization or individual that engages in a vote by mail operation in which voters are sent applications for vote by mail ballots shall also provide the voter with a return envelope addressed only to the appropriate local election authority for that registered voter. Removes language providing for if an application is sent to a post office box controlled by an individual or organization that is not an election authority.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2021-01-13 - Session Sine Die [SB0057 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SB0057-Introduced.html

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101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2019 and 2020 SB0057 Introduced 1/16/2019, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
Amends the Election Code. Provides that any campaign, party, or other organization or individual that engages in a vote by mail operation in which voters are sent applications for vote by mail ballots shall also provide the voter with a return envelope addressed only to the appropriate local election authority for that registered voter. Removes language providing for if an application is sent to a post office box controlled by an individual or organization that is not an election authority.
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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
19-3 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/19-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-3)
Sec. 19-3. The application for vote by mail ballot shall be
substantially in the following form:
APPLICATION FOR VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT
To be voted at the .... election in the County of .... and
State of Illinois, in the .... precinct of the (1) *township of
.... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in the City of ....
I state that I am a resident of the .... precinct of the
(1) *township of .... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in
the city of .... residing at .... in such city or town in the
county of .... and State of Illinois; that I have lived at such
address for .... month(s) last past; that I am lawfully
entitled to vote in such precinct at the .... election to be
held therein on ....; and that I wish to vote by vote by mail
ballot.
I hereby make application for an official ballot or ballots
to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I shall
return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing the same

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prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the election
or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than election day,
for counting no later than during the period for counting
provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th day
following election day.
I understand that this application is made for an official
vote by mail ballot or ballots to be voted by me at the
election specified in this application and that I must submit a
separate application for an official vote by mail ballot or
ballots to be voted by me at any subsequent election.
Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section
29-10 of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
....
*fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
...............
However, if application is made for a primary election
ballot, such application shall require the applicant to
designate the name of the political party with which the
applicant is affiliated.
If application is made electronically, the applicant shall
mark the box associated with the above described statement
included as part of the online application certifying that the
statements set forth in this application are true and correct,
and a signature is not required.

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Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or return to
an election authority the application for vote by mail ballot.
Any campaign, party, or other organization or individual that
engages in a vote by mail operation in which voters are sent
applications for vote by mail ballots shall also provide the
voter with a return envelope addressed only to the appropriate
local election authority for that registered voter. If
applications are sent to a post office box controlled by any
individual or organization that is not an election authority,
those applications shall (i) include a valid and current phone
number for the individual or organization controlling the post
office box and (ii) be turned over to the appropriate election
authority within 7 days of receipt or, if received within 2
weeks of the election in which an applicant intends to vote,
within 2 days of receipt. Failure to turn over the applications
in compliance with this paragraph shall constitute a violation
of this Code and shall be punishable as a petty offense with a
fine of $100 per application. Removing, tampering with, or
otherwise knowingly making the postmark on the application
unreadable by the election authority shall establish a
rebuttable presumption of a violation of this paragraph. Upon
receipt, the appropriate election authority shall accept and
promptly process any application for vote by mail ballot
submitted in a form substantially similar to that required by
this Section, including any substantially similar production
or reproduction generated by the applicant.

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(Source: P.A. 99-522, eff. 6-30-16; 100-623, eff. 7-20-18.)