Bill Text: IL SB0059 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Secretary of State Act. Provides that, by January 1, 2026, the Secretary of State shall establish and maintain a secure database that is accessible to local election officials and that indicates whether the particular person to whom a driver's license or State identification card has been issued is a United States citizen. Amends the Election Code. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2026, before an applicant is registered to vote, the registration officer shall verify the applicant's citizenship status using the secure database maintained by the Secretary of State. Provides that, if the information in the database indicates that the applicant is not a United States citizen, then the applicant's card shall be marked with the word "incomplete", and the registration officer shall notify the applicant in writing that (i) the application is incomplete and (ii) the applicant may not vote unless the applicant appears before the county clerk to present evidence that the applicant is a United States citizen. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-13 - Referred to Assignments [SB0059 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB0059-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB0059 Introduced 1/13/2025, by Sen. Steve McClure SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/4-10 from Ch. 46, par. 4-10
10 ILCS 5/5-9 from Ch. 46, par. 5-9
10 ILCS 5/6-37 from Ch. 46, par. 6-37
15 ILCS 305/38 new
Amends the Secretary of State Act. Provides that, by January 1, 2026, the Secretary of State shall establish and maintain a secure database that is accessible to local election officials and that indicates whether the particular person to whom a driver's license or State identification card has been issued is a United States citizen. Amends the Election Code. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2026, before an applicant is registered to vote, the registration officer shall verify the applicant's citizenship status using the secure database maintained by the Secretary of State. Provides that, if the information in the database indicates that the applicant is not a United States citizen, then the applicant's card shall be marked with the word "incomplete", and the registration officer shall notify the applicant in writing that (i) the application is incomplete and (ii) the applicant may not vote unless the applicant appears before the county clerk to present evidence that the applicant is a United States citizen. Effective immediately.
LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
A BILL FOR
SB0059 LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 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 4-10, 5-9, and 6-37 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/4-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 4-10)
Sec. 4-10. Except as herein provided, no person shall be
registered, unless he applies in person to a registration
officer, answers such relevant questions as may be asked of
him by the registration officer, and executes the affidavit of
registration. The registration officer shall require the
applicant to furnish two forms of identification, and except
in the case of a homeless individual, one of which must include
his or her residence address. These forms of identification
shall include, but not be limited to, any of the following:
driver's license, social security card, public aid
identification card, utility bill, employee or student
identification card, lease or contract for a residence, credit
card, or a civic, union or professional association membership
card. The registration officer shall require a homeless
individual to furnish evidence of his or her use of the mailing
address stated. This use may be demonstrated by a piece of mail
addressed to that individual and received at that address or

SB0059 - 2 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
by a statement from a person authorizing use of the mailing
address. The registration officer shall require each applicant
for registration to read or have read to him the affidavit of
registration before permitting him to execute the affidavit.
One of the registration officers or a deputy registration
officer, county clerk, or clerk in the office of the county
clerk, shall administer to all persons who shall personally
apply to register the following oath or affirmation:
"You do solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will fully and
truly answer all such questions as shall be put to you touching
your name, place of residence, place of birth, your
qualifications as an elector and your right as such to
register and vote under the laws of the State of Illinois."
The registration officer shall satisfy himself that each
applicant for registration is qualified to register before
registering him. If the registration officer has reason to
believe that the applicant is a resident of a Soldiers' and
Sailors' Home or any facility which is licensed or certified
pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental
Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care
Act, or the MC/DD Act, the following question shall be put,
"When you entered the home which is your present address, was
it your bona fide intention to become a resident thereof?" Any
voter of a township, city, village or incorporated town in
which such applicant resides, shall be permitted to be present
at the place of any precinct registration and shall have the

SB0059 - 3 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
right to challenge any applicant who applies to be registered.
In case the officer is not satisfied that the applicant is
qualified he shall forthwith notify such applicant in writing
to appear before the county clerk to complete his
registration. Upon the card of such applicant shall be written
the word "incomplete" and no such applicant shall be permitted
to vote unless such registration is satisfactorily completed
as hereinafter provided. No registration shall be taken and
marked as incomplete if information to complete it can be
furnished on the date of the original application.
Any person claiming to be an elector in any election
precinct and whose registration card is marked "Incomplete"
may make and sign an application in writing, under oath, to the
county clerk in substance in the following form:
"I do solemnly swear that I, ...., did on (insert date)
make application to the board of registry of the .... precinct
of the township of .... (or to the county clerk of .... county)
and that said board or clerk refused to complete my
registration as a qualified voter in said precinct. That I
reside in said precinct, that I intend to reside in said
precinct, and am a duly qualified voter of said precinct and am
entitled to be registered to vote in said precinct at the next
election.
(Signature of applicant) ............................."
All such applications shall be presented to the county

SB0059 - 4 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
clerk or to his duly authorized representative by the
applicant, in person between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00
p.m. on any day after the days on which the 1969 and 1970
precinct re-registrations are held but not on any day within
27 days preceding the ensuing general election and thereafter
for the registration provided in Section 4-7 all such
applications shall be presented to the county clerk or his
duly authorized representative by the applicant in person
between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on any day prior
to 27 days preceding the ensuing general election. Such
application shall be heard by the county clerk or his duly
authorized representative at the time the application is
presented. If the applicant for registration has registered
with the county clerk, such application may be presented to
and heard by the county clerk or by his duly authorized
representative upon the dates specified above or at any time
prior thereto designated by the county clerk.
Any otherwise qualified person who is absent from his
county of residence either due to business of the United
States or because he is temporarily outside the territorial
limits of the United States may become registered by mailing
an application to the county clerk within the periods of
registration provided for in this Article, or by simultaneous
application for registration by mail and vote by mail ballot
as provided in Article 20 of this Code.
Upon receipt of such application the county clerk shall

SB0059 - 5 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
immediately mail an affidavit of registration in duplicate,
which affidavit shall contain the following and such other
information as the State Board of Elections may think it
proper to require for the identification of the applicant:
Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first
or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial
for such middle name, if any.
Sex.
Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue or
other location of the dwelling, and such additional clear and
definite description as may be necessary to determine the
exact location of the dwelling of the applicant. Where the
location cannot be determined by street and number, then the
Section, congressional township and range number may be used,
or such other information as may be necessary, including post
office mailing address.
Electronic mail address, if the registrant has provided
this information.
Term of residence in the State of Illinois and the
precinct.
Nativity. The State or country in which the applicant was
born.
Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or
naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place and date of
naturalization.
Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.

SB0059 - 6 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
Out of State address of ..........................
AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION
State of ...........)
)ss
County of ..........)
I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the
United States; that on the day of the next election I shall
have resided in the State of Illinois and in the election
precinct 30 days; that I am fully qualified to vote, that I am
not registered to vote anywhere else in the United States,
that I intend to remain a resident of the State of Illinois and
of the election precinct, that I intend to return to the State
of Illinois, and that the above statements are true.
..............................
(His or her signature or mark)
Subscribed and sworn to before me, an officer qualified to
administer oaths, on (insert date).
........................................
Signature of officer administering oath.
Upon receipt of the executed duplicate affidavit of
Registration, the county clerk shall transfer the information
contained thereon to duplicate Registration Cards provided for
in Section 4-8 of this Article and shall attach thereto a copy
of each of the duplicate affidavit of registration and
thereafter such registration card and affidavit shall
constitute the registration of such person the same as if he

SB0059 - 7 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
had applied for registration in person.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and after
January 1, 2026, before an applicant is registered under this
Section, the registration officer shall verify the applicant's
citizenship status using the secure database maintained by the
Secretary of State under Section 38 of the Secretary of State
Act. If the information in the database indicates that the
applicant is not a United States citizen, then the applicant's
card shall be marked with the word "incomplete", and the
registration officer shall notify the applicant in writing
that (i) the application is incomplete and (ii) the applicant
may not vote unless the applicant appears before the county
clerk to present evidence that the applicant is a United
States citizen.
(Source: P.A. 98-104, eff. 7-22-13; 98-115, eff. 10-1-13;
98-756, eff. 7-16-14; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15; 99-180, eff.
7-29-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-9)
Sec. 5-9. Except as herein provided, no person shall be
registered unless he applies in person to registration
officer, answers such relevant questions as may be asked of
him by the registration officer, and executes the affidavit of
registration. The registration officer shall require the
applicant to furnish two forms of identification, and except
in the case of a homeless individual, one of which must include

SB0059 - 8 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
his or her residence address. These forms of identification
shall include, but not be limited to, any of the following:
driver's license, social security card, public aid
identification card, utility bill, employee or student
identification card, lease or contract for a residence, credit
card, or a civic, union or professional association membership
card. The registration officer shall require a homeless
individual to furnish evidence of his or her use of the mailing
address stated. This use may be demonstrated by a piece of mail
addressed to that individual and received at that address or
by a statement from a person authorizing use of the mailing
address. The registration officer shall require each applicant
for registration to read or have read to him the affidavit of
registration before permitting him to execute the affidavit.
One of the Deputy Registrars, the Judge of Registration,
or an Officer of Registration, County Clerk, or clerk in the
office of the County Clerk, shall administer to all persons
who shall personally apply to register the following oath or
affirmation:
"You do solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will fully and
truly answer all such questions as shall be put to you touching
your place of residence, name, place of birth, your
qualifications as an elector and your right as such to
register and vote under the laws of the State of Illinois."
The Registration Officer shall satisfy himself that each
applicant for registration is qualified to register before

SB0059 - 9 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
registering him. If the registration officer has reason to
believe that the applicant is a resident of a Soldiers' and
Sailors' Home or any facility which is licensed or certified
pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental
Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care
Act, or the MC/DD Act, the following question shall be put,
"When you entered the home which is your present address, was
it your bona fide intention to become a resident thereof?" Any
voter of a township, city, village or incorporated town in
which such applicant resides, shall be permitted to be present
at the place of precinct registration, and shall have the
right to challenge any applicant who applies to be registered.
In case the officer is not satisfied that the applicant is
qualified, he shall forthwith in writing notify such applicant
to appear before the County Clerk to furnish further proof of
his qualifications. Upon the card of such applicant shall be
written the word "Incomplete" and no such applicant shall be
permitted to vote unless such registration is satisfactorily
completed as hereinafter provided. No registration shall be
taken and marked as "incomplete" if information to complete it
can be furnished on the date of the original application.
Any person claiming to be an elector in any election
precinct in such township, city, village or incorporated town
and whose registration is marked "Incomplete" may make and
sign an application in writing, under oath, to the County
Clerk in substance in the following form:

SB0059 - 10 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
"I do solemnly swear that I, .........., did on (insert
date) make application to the Board of Registry of the
........ precinct of ........ ward of the City of .... or of
the ......... District ......... Town of .......... (or to the
County Clerk of .............) and ............ County; that
said Board or Clerk refused to complete my registration as a
qualified voter in said precinct, that I reside in said
precinct (or that I intend to reside in said precinct), am a
duly qualified voter and entitled to vote in said precinct at
the next election.
...........................
(Signature of Applicant)"
All such applications shall be presented to the County
Clerk by the applicant, in person between the hours of nine
o'clock a.m. and five o'clock p.m., on Monday and Tuesday of
the third week subsequent to the weeks in which the 1961 and
1962 precinct re-registrations are to be held, and thereafter
for the registration provided in Section 5-17 of this Article,
all such applications shall be presented to the County Clerk
by the applicant in person between the hours of nine o'clock
a.m. and nine o'clock p.m. on Monday and Tuesday of the third
week prior to the date on which such election is to be held.
Any otherwise qualified person who is absent from his
county of residence either due to business of the United
States or because he is temporarily outside the territorial
limits of the United States may become registered by mailing

SB0059 - 11 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
an application to the county clerk within the periods of
registration provided for in this Article or by simultaneous
application for registration by mail and vote by mail ballot
as provided in Article 20 of this Code.
Upon receipt of such application the county clerk shall
immediately mail an affidavit of registration in duplicate,
which affidavit shall contain the following and such other
information as the State Board of Elections may think it
proper to require for the identification of the applicant:
Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first
or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial
for such middle name, if any.
Sex.
Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue or
other location of the dwelling, and such additional clear and
definite description as may be necessary to determine the
exact location of the dwelling of the applicant. Where the
location cannot be determined by street and number, then the
Section, congressional township and range number may be used,
or such other information as may be necessary, including post
office mailing address.
Electronic mail address, if the registrant has provided
this information.
Term of residence in the State of Illinois and the
precinct.
Nativity. The State or country in which the applicant was

SB0059 - 12 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
born.
Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or
naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place and date of
naturalization.
Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.
Out of State address of ..........................
AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION
State of .........)
)ss
County of ........)
I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the
United States; that on the day of the next election I shall
have resided in the State of Illinois for 6 months and in the
election precinct 30 days; that I am fully qualified to vote,
that I am not registered to vote anywhere else in the United
States, that I intend to remain a resident of the State of
Illinois and of the election precinct, that I intend to return
to the State of Illinois, and that the above statements are
true.
..............................
(His or her signature or mark)
Subscribed and sworn to before me, an officer qualified to
administer oaths, on (insert date).
........................................
Signature of officer administering oath.

SB0059 - 13 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
Upon receipt of the executed duplicate affidavit of
Registration, the county clerk shall transfer the information
contained thereon to duplicate Registration Cards provided for
in Section 5-7 of this Article and shall attach thereto a copy
of each of the duplicate affidavit of registration and
thereafter such registration card and affidavit shall
constitute the registration of such person the same as if he
had applied for registration in person.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and after
January 1, 2026, before an applicant is registered under this
Section, the registration officer shall verify the applicant's
citizenship status using the secure database maintained by the
Secretary of State under Section 38 of the Secretary of State
Act. If the information in the database indicates that the
applicant is not a United States citizen, then the applicant's
card shall be marked with the word "incomplete", and the
registration officer shall notify the applicant in writing
that (i) the application is incomplete and (ii) the applicant
may not vote unless the applicant appears before the county
clerk to present evidence that the applicant is a United
States citizen.
(Source: P.A. 98-104, eff. 7-22-13; 98-115, eff. 10-1-13;
98-756, eff. 7-16-14; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15; 99-180, eff.
7-29-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/6-37) (from Ch. 46, par. 6-37)

SB0059 - 14 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
Sec. 6-37. Except as otherwise provided for in Section
6-29 of this Article, no person shall be registered unless he
applies in person to a registration officer, answers such
relevant questions as may be asked of him by the registration
officer, and executes the affidavit of registration. The
registration officer shall require the applicant to furnish
two forms of identification, and except in the case of a
homeless individual, one of which must include his or her
residence address. These forms of identification shall
include, but not be limited to, any of the following: driver's
license, social security card, public aid identification card,
utility bill, employee or student identification card, lease
or contract for a residence, credit card, or a civic, union or
professional association membership card. The registration
officer shall require a homeless individual to furnish
evidence of his or her use of the mailing address stated. This
use may be demonstrated by a piece of mail addressed to that
individual and received at that address or by a statement from
a person authorizing use of the mailing address. The
registration officer shall require each applicant for
registration to read or have read to him the affidavit of
registration before permitting him to execute the affidavit.
The registration officer shall satisfy himself that each
applicant for registration is qualified to register before
registering him. Any voter of the ward, village or
incorporated town in which such applicant resides, shall be

SB0059 - 15 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
permitted to be present at the place of registration, and
shall have the right to challenge any applicant who applies to
be registered.
In case the officer is not satisfied that the applicant is
qualified he shall forthwith in writing notify such applicant
to appear before the board of election commissioners to
furnish further proof of his qualification. Upon the card of
such applicant shall be written the word "incomplete" and no
such applicant shall be permitted to vote unless such
registration is satisfactorily completed as hereinafter
provided.
Any person claiming to be an elector in any election
precinct in such city, village or incorporated town and whose
registration is marked "incomplete" may make and sign an
application in writing, under oath, to the board of election
commissioners in substance in the following form:
"I do solemnly swear that I,.... did on .... make
application to the board of registry of the .... precinct of
.... ward of the city of ....(or to the board of election
commissioners of ....) and that said board refused to complete
my registration as a qualified voter in said precinct, that I
reside in said precinct, am a duly qualified voter and
entitled to vote in said precinct at the next election.
....(Signature of Applicant)"
In all cities, villages or incorporated towns having a
population of less than 200,000 all such applications shall be

SB0059 - 16 - LRB104 07475 SPS 17517 b
presented to the board of election commissioners by the
applicant, in person, between the hours of nine o'clock a.m.,
and five o'clock p.m. on Tuesday or Wednesday of the second
week prior to the week in which such election is to be held,
and in all municipalities having a population of more than
200,000 and having a board of election commissioners and in
all cities, villages and incorporated towns within the
jurisdiction of such board, all such applications shall be
presented to the board of election commissioners by the
applicant, in person between the hours of nine o'clock a.m.
and five o'clock p.m., on Monday and Tuesday of the third week
prior to the week in which such election is to be held.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and after
January 1, 2026, before an applicant is registered under this
Section, the registration officer shall verify the applicant's
citizenship status using the secure database maintained by the
Secretary of State under Section 38 of the Secretary of State
Act. If the information in the database indicates that the
applicant is not a United States citizen, then the applicant's
card shall be marked with the word "incomplete", and the
registration officer shall notify the applicant in writing
that (i) the application is incomplete and (ii) the applicant
may not vote unless the applicant appears before the county
clerk to present evidence that the applicant is a United
States citizen.
(Source: P.A. 96-317, eff. 1-1-10.)

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Section 10. The Secretary of State Act is amended by
adding Section 38 as follows:
(15 ILCS 305/38 new)
Sec. 38. Secure voter registration database. By January 1,
2026, the Secretary of State shall establish and maintain a
secure database that is accessible to local election officials
and that indicates whether the particular person to whom a
driver's license or State identification card has been issued
is a United States citizen.