Bill Text: IL SB1525 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Provides that the lettering on all ballots shall be in both capital and lowercase letters in conformance with standard English language guidelines. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-10 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB1525 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB1525-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1525 Introduced 2/8/2023, by Sen. Laura Ellman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/16-3 from Ch. 46, par. 16-3
Amends the Election Code. Provides that the lettering on all ballots shall be in both capital and lowercase letters in conformance with standard English language guidelines. Effective immediately.
LRB103 27022 BMS 53389 b
A BILL FOR
SB1525 LRB103 27022 BMS 53389 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 16-3 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/16-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 16-3)
Sec. 16-3. (a) The names of all candidates to be voted for
in each election district or precinct shall be printed on one
ballot, except as is provided in Sections 16-6.1 and 21-1.01
of this Code Act and except as otherwise provided in this Code
Act with respect to the odd year regular elections and the
emergency referenda. The lettering on all ballots shall be in
both capital and lowercase letters in conformance with
standard English language guidelines. All ; all nominations of
any political party shall be being placed under the party
appellation or title of such party as designated in the
certificates of nomination or petitions. The names of all
independent candidates shall be printed upon the ballot in a
column or columns under the heading "independent" arranged
under the names or titles of the respective offices for which
such independent candidates shall have been nominated and so
far as practicable, the name or names of any independent
candidate or candidates for any office shall be printed upon

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the ballot opposite the name or names of any candidate or
candidates for the same office contained in any party column
or columns upon said ballot. The ballot shall contain no other
names, except that in cases of electors for President and
Vice-President of the United States, the names of the
candidates for President and Vice-President may be added to
the party designation and words calculated to aid the voter in
his choice of candidates may be added, such as "Vote for one,"
"Vote for not more than three." If no candidate or candidates
file for an office and if no person or persons file a
declaration as a write-in candidate for that office, then
below the title of that office the election authority instead
shall print "No Candidate". When an electronic voting system
is used which utilizes a ballot label booklet, the candidates
and questions shall appear on the pages of such booklet in the
order provided by this Code; and, in any case where candidates
for an office appear on a page which does not contain the name
of any candidate for another office, and where less than 50% of
the page is utilized, the name of no candidate shall be printed
on the lowest 25% of such page. On the back or outside of the
ballot, so as to appear when folded, shall be printed the words
"Official Ballot", followed by the designation of the polling
place for which the ballot is prepared, the date of the
election and a facsimile of the signature of the election
authority who has caused the ballots to be printed. The
ballots shall be of plain white paper, through which the

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printing or writing cannot be read. However, ballots for use
at the nonpartisan and consolidated elections may be printed
on different color paper, except blue paper, whenever
necessary or desirable to facilitate distinguishing between
ballots for different political subdivisions. In the case of
nonpartisan elections for officers of a political subdivision,
unless the statute or an ordinance adopted pursuant to Article
VII of the Constitution providing the form of government
therefor requires otherwise, the column listing such
nonpartisan candidates shall be printed with no appellation or
circle at its head. The party appellation or title, or the word
"independent" at the head of any column provided for
independent candidates, shall be printed in letters not less
than one-fourth of an inch in height and a circle one-half inch
in diameter shall be printed at the beginning of the line in
which such appellation or title is printed, provided, however,
that no such circle shall be printed at the head of any column
or columns provided for such independent candidates. The names
of candidates shall be printed in letters not less than
one-eighth nor more than one-fourth of an inch in height, and
at the beginning of each line in which a name of a candidate is
printed a square shall be printed, the sides of which shall be
not less than one-fourth of an inch in length. However, the
names of the candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor
on the same ticket shall be printed within a bracket and a
single square shall be printed in front of the bracket. The

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list of candidates of the several parties and any such list of
independent candidates shall be placed in separate columns on
the ballot in such order as the election authorities charged
with the printing of the ballots shall decide; provided, that
the names of the candidates of the several political parties,
certified by the State Board of Elections to the several
county clerks shall be printed by the county clerk of the
proper county on the official ballot in the order certified by
the State Board of Elections. Any county clerk refusing,
neglecting or failing to print on the official ballot the
names of candidates of the several political parties in the
order certified by the State Board of Elections, and any
county clerk who prints or causes to be printed upon the
official ballot the name of a candidate, for an office to be
filled by the Electors of the entire State, whose name has not
been duly certified to him upon a certificate signed by the
State Board of Elections shall be guilty of a Class C
misdemeanor.
(b) When an electronic voting system is used which
utilizes a ballot card, on the inside flap of each ballot card
envelope there shall be printed a form for write-in voting
which shall be substantially as follows:
WRITE-IN VOTES
(See card of instructions for specific information.
Duplicate form below by hand for additional write-in votes.)
.............................

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Title of Office
( ) .............................
Name of Candidate
Write-in lines equal to the number of candidates for which
a voter may vote shall be printed for an office only if one or
more persons filed declarations of intent to be write-in
candidates or qualify to file declarations to be write-in
candidates under Sections 17-16.1 and 18-9.1 when the
certification of ballot contains the words "OBJECTION
PENDING".
(c) When an electronic voting system is used which uses a
ballot sheet, the instructions to voters on the ballot sheet
shall refer the voter to the card of instructions for specific
information on write-in voting. Below each office appearing on
such ballot sheet there shall be a provision for the casting of
a write-in vote. Write-in lines equal to the number of
candidates for which a voter may vote shall be printed for an
office only if one or more persons filed declarations of
intent to be write-in candidates or qualify to file
declarations to be write-in candidates under Sections 17-16.1
and 18-9.1 when the certification of ballot contains the words
"OBJECTION PENDING".
(d) When such electronic system is used, there shall be
printed on the back of each ballot card, each ballot card
envelope, and the first page of the ballot label when a ballot
label is used, the words "Official Ballot," followed by the

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number of the precinct or other precinct identification, which
may be stamped, in lieu thereof and, as applicable, the number
and name of the township, ward or other election district for
which the ballot card, ballot card envelope, and ballot label
are prepared, the date of the election and a facsimile of the
signature of the election authority who has caused the ballots
to be printed. The back of the ballot card shall also include a
method of identifying the ballot configuration such as a
listing of the political subdivisions and districts for which
votes may be cast on that ballot, or a number code identifying
the ballot configuration or color coded ballots, except that
where there is only one ballot configuration in a precinct,
the precinct identification, and any applicable ward
identification, shall be sufficient. Ballot card envelopes
used in punch card systems shall be of paper through which no
writing or punches may be discerned and shall be of sufficient
length to enclose all voting positions. However, the election
authority may provide ballot card envelopes on which no
precinct number or township, ward or other election district
designation, or election date are preprinted, if space and a
preprinted form are provided below the space provided for the
names of write-in candidates where such information may be
entered by the judges of election. Whenever an election
authority utilizes ballot card envelopes on which the election
date and precinct is not preprinted, a judge of election shall
mark such information for the particular precinct and election

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on the envelope in ink before tallying and counting any
write-in vote written thereon. If some method of insuring
ballot secrecy other than an envelope is used, such
information must be provided on the ballot itself.
(e) In the designation of the name of a candidate on the
ballot, the candidate's given name or names, initial or
initials, a nickname by which the candidate is commonly known,
or a combination thereof, may be used in addition to the
candidate's surname. If a candidate has changed his or her
name, whether by a statutory or common law procedure in
Illinois or any other jurisdiction, within 3 years before the
last day for filing the petition for nomination, nomination
papers, or certificate of nomination for that office,
whichever is applicable, then (i) the candidate's name on the
ballot must be followed by "formerly known as (list all prior
names during the 3-year period) until name changed on (list
date of each such name change)" and (ii) the petition, papers,
or certificate must be accompanied by the candidate's
affidavit stating the candidate's previous names during the
period specified in (i) and the date or dates each of those
names was changed; failure to meet these requirements shall be
grounds for denying certification of the candidate's name for
the ballot or removing the candidate's name from the ballot,
as appropriate, but these requirements do not apply to name
changes resulting from adoption to assume an adoptive parent's
or parents' surname, marriage or civil union to assume a

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spouse's surname, or dissolution of marriage or civil union or
declaration of invalidity of marriage or civil union to assume
a former surname or a name change that conforms the
candidate's name to his or her gender identity. No other
designation such as a political slogan, title, or degree or
nickname suggesting or implying possession of a title, degree
or professional status, or similar information may be used in
connection with the candidate's surname. For purposes of this
Section, a "political slogan" is defined as any word or words
expressing or connoting a position, opinion, or belief that
the candidate may espouse, including, but not limited to, any
word or words conveying any meaning other than that of the
personal identity of the candidate. A candidate may not use a
political slogan as part of his or her name on the ballot,
notwithstanding that the political slogan may be part of the
candidate's name.
(f) The State Board of Elections, a local election
official, or an election authority shall remove any
candidate's name designation from a ballot that is
inconsistent with subsection (e) of this Section. In addition,
the State Board of Elections, a local election official, or an
election authority shall not certify to any election authority
any candidate name designation that is inconsistent with
subsection (e) of this Section.
(g) If the State Board of Elections, a local election
official, or an election authority removes a candidate's name

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designation from a ballot under subsection (f) of this
Section, then the aggrieved candidate may seek appropriate
relief in circuit court.
Where voting machines or electronic voting systems are
used, the provisions of this Section may be modified as
required or authorized by Article 24 or Article 24A, whichever
is applicable.
Nothing in this Section shall prohibit election
authorities from using or reusing ballot card envelopes which
were printed before January 1, 1986 (the effective date of
Public Act 84-820) this amendatory Act of 1985.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; revised 2-28-22.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.