Bill Text: IL SB2158 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Provides that the 2 candidates in any primary election who receive the most votes in the primary election, regardless of the party affiliation of the candidates, shall be the only 2 candidates certified to participate in the general election. Makes conforming changes. Repeals an Article concerning the making of nominations in certain other cases.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2026-05-22 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB2158 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB2158-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB2158 Introduced 2/7/2025, by Sen. Rachel Ventura SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/4-22 from Ch. 46, par. 4-22
10 ILCS 5/5-29 from Ch. 46, par. 5-29
10 ILCS 5/5-30 from Ch. 46, par. 5-30
10 ILCS 5/6-66 from Ch. 46, par. 6-66
10 ILCS 5/6-67 from Ch. 46, par. 6-67
10 ILCS 5/7-2 from Ch. 46, par. 7-2
10 ILCS 5/7-3 from Ch. 46, par. 7-3
10 ILCS 5/7-5 from Ch. 46, par. 7-5
10 ILCS 5/7-10 from Ch. 46, par. 7-10
10 ILCS 5/7-43 from Ch. 46, par. 7-43
10 ILCS 5/7-44 from Ch. 46, par. 7-44
10 ILCS 5/7-60 from Ch. 46, par. 7-60
10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
10 ILCS 5/19-4.5 new
10 ILCS 5/19-5 from Ch. 46, par. 19-5
10 ILCS 5/19-8 from Ch. 46, par. 19-8
10 ILCS 5/19-12.1 from Ch. 46, par. 19-12.1
10 ILCS 5/20-3 from Ch. 46, par. 20-3
10 ILCS 5/20-4 from Ch. 46, par. 20-4
10 ILCS 5/20-4.5 new
10 ILCS 5/20-5 from Ch. 46, par. 20-5
10 ILCS 5/20-8 from Ch. 46, par. 20-8
10 ILCS 5/24A-5 from Ch. 46, par. 24A-5
10 ILCS 5/24A-6 from Ch. 46, par. 24A-6
10 ILCS 5/24B-6
10 ILCS 5/24C-6
10 ILCS 5/24C-11
10 ILCS 5/25-10 from Ch. 46, par. 25-10
10 ILCS 5/Art. 10 rep.
Amends the Election Code. Provides that the 2 candidates in any primary election who receive the most votes in the primary election, regardless of the party affiliation of the candidates, shall be the only 2 candidates certified to participate in the general election. Makes conforming changes. Repeals an Article concerning the making of nominations in certain other cases.
LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
A BILL FOR
SB2158 LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 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 4-22, 5-29, 5-30, 6-66, 6-67, 7-2, 7-3, 7-5, 7-10,
7-43, 7-44, 7-60, 19-3, 19-5, 19-8, 19-12.1, 20-3, 20-4, 20-5,
20-8, 24A-5, 24A-6, 24B-6, 24C-6, 24C-11, and 25-10 and by
adding Sections 19-4.5 and 20-4.5 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/4-22) (from Ch. 46, par. 4-22)
Sec. 4-22. Except as otherwise provided in this Section
upon application to vote each registered elector shall sign
his name or make his mark as the case may be, on a certificate
substantially as follows:
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTERED VOTER
City of ....... Ward ....... Precinct .......
Election ....... (Date) ....... (Month) ....... (Year)
Registration Record .......
Checked by .......
Voter's number ....
INSTRUCTION TO VOTERS
Sign this certificate and hand it to the election officer
in charge. After the registration record has been checked, the
officer will hand it back to you. Whereupon you shall present

SB2158 - 2 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
it to the officer in charge of the ballots.
I hereby certify that I am registered from the address
below and am qualified to vote.
Signature of voter .......
residence address .......
An individual shall not be required to provide his social
security number when applying for a ballot. He shall not be
denied a ballot, nor shall his ballot be challenged, solely
because of his refusal to provide his social security number.
Nothing in this Act prevents an individual from being
requested to provide his social security number when the
individual applies for a ballot. If, however, the certificate
contains a space for the individual's social security number,
the following notice shall appear on the certificate,
immediately above such space, in bold-face capital letters, in
type the size of which equals the largest type on the
certificate:
"THE INDIVIDUAL APPLYING FOR A BALLOT WITH THIS DOCUMENT
IS NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE HIS OR HER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.
HE OR SHE MAY NOT BE DENIED A BALLOT, NOR SHALL HIS OR HER
BALLOT BE CHALLENGED, SOLELY BECAUSE OF HIS OR HER REFUSAL TO
PROVIDE HIS OR HER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER."
The certificates of each State-wide political party at a
general primary election shall be separately printed upon
paper of uniform quality, texture and size, but the
certificates of no 2 State-wide political parties shall be of

SB2158 - 3 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
the same color or tint. However, if the election authority
provides computer generated applications with the precinct,
ballot style and voter's name and address preprinted on the
application, a single application may be used for State-wide
political parties if it contains spaces or check-off boxes to
indicate the political party. Such application shall not
entitle the voter to vote in the primary of more than one
political party at the same election.
At the consolidated primary, such certificates may contain
spaces or checkoff boxes permitting the voter to request a
primary ballot of any other political party which is
established only within a political subdivision and for which
a primary is conducted on the same election day. Such
application shall not entitle the voter to vote in both the
primary of the State-wide political party and the primary of
the local political party with respect to the offices of the
same political subdivision. In no event may a voter vote in
more than one State-wide primary on the same day.
The judges in charge of the precinct registration files
shall compare the signature upon such certificate with the
signature on the registration record card as a means of
identifying the voter. Unless satisfied by such comparison
that the applicant to vote is the identical person who is
registered under the same name, the judges shall ask such
applicant the questions for identification which appear on the
registration card, and if the applicant does not prove to the

SB2158 - 4 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
satisfaction of a majority of the judges of the election
precinct that he is the identical person registered under the
name in question then the vote of such applicant shall be
challenged by a judge of election, and the same procedure
followed as provided by law for challenged voters.
In case the elector is unable to sign his name, a judge of
election shall check the data on the registration card and
shall check the address given, with the registered address, in
order to determine whether he is entitled to vote.
One of the judges of election shall check the certificate
of each applicant for a ballot after the registration record
has been examined, and shall sign his initials on the
certificate in the space provided therefor, and shall enter
upon such certificate the number of the voter in the place
provided therefor, and make an entry in the voting record
space on the registration record, to indicate whether or not
the applicant voted. Such judge shall then hand such
certificate back to the applicant in case he is permitted to
vote, and such applicant shall hand it to the judge of election
in charge of the ballots. The certificates of the voters shall
be filed in the order in which they are received and shall
constitute an official poll record. The term "poll lists" and
"poll books", where used in this Article, shall be construed
to apply to such official poll record.
After each general primary election the county clerk shall
indicate by color code or other means next to the name of each

SB2158 - 5 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
registrant on the list of registered voters in each precinct
the primary ballot of a political party that the registrant
requested at that general primary election. The county clerk,
within 60 days after the general primary election, shall
provide a copy of this coded list to the chair of the county
central committee of each established political party or to
the chair's duly authorized representative.
Within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory
Act of 1983, the county clerk shall provide to the chair of the
county central committee of each established political party
or to the chair's duly authorized representative the list of
registered voters in each precinct at the time of the general
primary election of 1982 and shall indicate on such list by
color code or other means next to the name of a registrant the
primary ballot of a political party that the registrant
requested at the general primary election of 1982.
The county clerk may charge a fee to reimburse the actual
cost of duplicating each copy of a list provided under either
of the 2 preceding paragraphs.
Where an elector makes application to vote by signing and
presenting the certificate provided by this Section, and his
registration record card is not found in the precinct registry
of voters, but his name appears as that of a registered voter
in such precinct upon the printed precinct register as
corrected or revised by the supplemental list, or upon the
consolidated list, if any, and whose name has not been erased

SB2158 - 6 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
or withdrawn from such register, the printed precinct register
as corrected or revised by the supplemental list, or
consolidated list, if any, shall be prima facie evidence of
the elector's right to vote upon compliance with the
provisions hereinafter set forth in this Section. In such
event one of the judges of election shall require an affidavit
by such person and one voter residing in the precinct before
the judges of election, substantially in the form prescribed
in Section 17-10 of this Act, and upon the presentation of such
affidavits, a certificate shall be issued to such elector, and
upon the presentation of such certificate and affidavits, he
shall be entitled to vote.
Provided, however, that applications for ballots made by
registered voters under the provisions of Article 19 of this
Act shall be accepted by the Judges of Election in lieu of the
"Certificate of Registered Voter" provided for in this
Section.
When the county clerk delivers to the judges of election
for use at the polls a supplemental or consolidated list of the
printed precinct register, he shall give a copy of the
supplemental or consolidated list to the chair of a county
central committee of an established political party or to the
chair's duly authorized representative.
Whenever 2 or more elections occur simultaneously, the
election authority charged with the duty of providing
application certificates may prescribe the form thereof so

SB2158 - 7 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
that a voter is required to execute only one, indicating in
which of the elections he desires to vote.
After the signature has been verified, the judges shall
determine in which political subdivisions the voter resides by
use of the information contained on the voter registration
cards or the separate registration lists or other means
approved by the State Board of Elections and prepared and
supplied by the election authority. The voter's certificate
shall be so marked by the judges as to show the respective
ballots which the voter is given.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-29) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-29)
Sec. 5-29. Upon application to vote, except as hereinafter
provided for absent electors, each registered elector shall
sign his name or make his mark as the case may be, on a
certificate substantially as follows:
"Certificate of Registered Voter
Town of................District or Precinct Number..........;
City of................Ward...............Precinct..........;
Village of................................Precinct..........;
Election.....................................................
(date) (month) (year)
Registration record
Checked by.....................
Voter's number..................

SB2158 - 8 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
Instruction to voters
Sign this certificate and hand it to the election officer
in charge. After the registration record has been checked, the
officer will hand it back to you. Whereupon you shall present
it to the officer in charge of the ballots.
I hereby certify that I am registered from the address
below and am qualified to vote.
Signature of voter ...............
Residence address ..............."
An individual shall not be required to provide his social
security number when applying for a ballot. He shall not be
denied a ballot, nor shall his ballot be challenged, solely
because of his refusal to provide his social security number.
Nothing in this Act prevents an individual from being
requested to provide his social security number when the
individual applies for a ballot. If, however, the certificate
contains a space for the individual's social security number,
the following notice shall appear on the certificate,
immediately above such space, in bold-face capital letters, in
type the size of which equals the largest type on the
certificate:
"THE INDIVIDUAL APPLYING FOR A BALLOT WITH THIS DOCUMENT
IS NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE HIS OR HER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.
HE OR SHE MAY NOT BE DENIED A BALLOT, NOR SHALL HIS OR HER
BALLOT BE CHALLENGED, SOLELY BECAUSE OF HIS OR HER REFUSAL TO
PROVIDE HIS OR HER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER."

SB2158 - 9 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
Certificates as above prescribed shall be furnished by the
county clerk for all elections.
The Judges in charge of the precinct registration files
shall compare the signature upon such certificate with the
signature on the registration record card as a means of
identifying the voter. Unless satisfied by such comparison
that the applicant to vote is the identical person who is
registered under the same name, the Judges shall ask such
applicant the questions for identification which appear on the
registration card and if the applicant does not prove to the
satisfaction of a majority of the judges of the election
precinct that he is the identical person registered under the
name in question then the vote for such applicant shall be
challenged by a Judge of Election, and the same procedure
followed as provided by law for challenged voters.
In case the elector is unable to sign his name, a Judge of
Election shall check the data on the registration card and
shall check the address given, with the registered address, in
order to determine whether he is entitled to vote.
One of the Judges of election shall check the certificate
of each applicant for a ballot after the registration record
has been examined and shall sign his initials on the
certificate in the space provided therefor, and shall enter
upon such certificate the number of the voter in the place
provided therefor, and make an entry in the voting record
space on the registration record, to indicate whether or not

SB2158 - 10 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
the applicant voted. Such judge shall then hand such
certificate back to the applicant in case he is permitted to
vote, and such applicant shall hand it to the judge of election
in charge of the ballots. The certificates of the voters shall
be filed in the order in which they are received and shall
constitute an official poll record. The term "Poll Lists" and
"Poll Books" where used in this article 5 shall be construed to
apply to such official poll records.
After each general primary election the county clerk shall
indicate by color code or other means next to the name of each
registrant on the list of registered voters in each precinct
the primary ballot of a political party that the registrant
requested at that general primary election. The county clerk,
within 60 days after the general primary election, shall
provide a copy of this coded list to the chair of the county
central committee of each established political party or to
the chair's duly authorized representative.
Within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory
Act of 1983, the county clerk shall provide to the chair of the
county central committee of each established political party
or to the chair's duly authorized representative the list of
registered voters in each precinct at the time of the general
primary election of 1982 and shall indicate on such list by
color code or other means next to the name of a registrant the
primary ballot of a political party that the registrant
requested at the general primary election of 1982.

SB2158 - 11 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
The county clerk may charge a fee to reimburse the actual
cost of duplicating each copy of a list provided under either
of the 2 preceding paragraphs.
Where an elector makes application to vote by signing and
presenting the certificate provided by this Section, and his
registration record card is not found in the precinct registry
of voters, but his name appears as that of a registered voter
in such precinct upon the printed precinct list of voters and
whose name has not been erased or withdrawn from such
register, it shall be the duty of one of the Judges of Election
to require an affidavit by such person and two voters residing
in the precinct before the judges of election that he is the
same person whose name appears upon the precinct register and
that he resides in the precinct stating the street number of
his residence. Forms for such affidavit shall be supplied by
the county clerk for all elections. Upon the making of such
affidavit and the presentation of his certificate such elector
shall be entitled to vote. All affidavits made under this
paragraph shall be preserved and returned to the county clerk
in an envelope. It shall be the duty of the county clerk within
30 days after such election to take steps provided by Section
5-27 of this article 5 for the execution of new registration
affidavits by electors who have voted under the provisions of
this paragraph.
Provided, however, that the applications for ballots made
by registered voters and under the provisions of article 19 of

SB2158 - 12 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
this act shall be accepted by the Judges of Election in lieu of
the "certificate of registered voter" provided for in this
section.
When the county clerk delivers to the judges of election
for use at the polls a supplemental or consolidated list of the
printed precinct register, he shall give a copy of the
supplemental or consolidated list to the chair of a county
central committee of an established political party or to the
chair's duly authorized representative.
Whenever two or more elections occur simultaneously, the
election authority charged with the duty of providing
application certificates may prescribe the form thereof so
that a voter is required to execute only one, indicating in
which of the elections he desires to vote.
After the signature has been verified, the judges shall
determine in which political subdivisions the voter resides by
use of the information contained on the voter registration
cards or the separate registration lists or other means
approved by the State Board of Elections and prepared and
supplied by the election authority. The voter's certificate
shall be so marked by the judges as to show the respective
ballots which the voter is given.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-30) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-30)
Sec. 5-30. Upon application to vote at a general primary

SB2158 - 13 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
election each registered elector shall sign his name or mark
and write his address on a certificate substantially the same
as that used in the general election. The application shall
contain a space for a voter to indicate the voter's political
party except that it shall have a place for party affiliation
which is to be filled in by the elector, or by the officer in
charge if the elector is unable to write. The certificates of
each State-wide political party at a primary election shall be
separately printed upon paper of uniform quality, texture and
size, but the certificates of no 2 State-wide political
parties shall be of the same color or tint. However, if the
election authority provides computer generated applications
with the precinct, ballot style and voter's name and address
preprinted on the application, a single application may be
used for State-wide political parties if it contains spaces or
check-off boxes to indicate the political party. Such
application shall not entitle the voter to vote in the primary
of more than one political party at the same election. Such
applications may contain spaces or check-off boxes permitting
the voter to request a primary ballot of any other political
party which is established only within a political subdivision
and for which a primary is conducted on the same election day.
Such application shall not entitle the voter to vote in both
the primary of the State-wide political party and the primary
of the local political party with respect to the offices of the
same political subdivision. In no event may a voter vote in

SB2158 - 14 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
more than one State-wide primary on the same day. Such
certificates when checked and initialed by the Judge in charge
shall constitute the primary poll record. Such certificates at
the close of the election shall be placed in an envelope,
sealed and returned with the ballots. Nothing herein shall be
construed to conflict with sections 7-44 and 7-45 of article 7
of this act. Provided, however, that the applications for
ballots made by registered voters under the provisions of
article 19 of this act shall be accepted by the Judges of
election in lieu of the "certificate of registered voter"
provided for in this section.
(Source: P.A. 83-1362.)
(10 ILCS 5/6-66) (from Ch. 46, par. 6-66)
Sec. 6-66. Upon application to vote each registered
elector shall sign his name or make his mark as the case may
be, on a certificate substantially as follows:
"CERTIFICATE OF REGISTERED VOTER
City of ................. Ward .... Precinct .... Election
...............(Date).......(Month)...........(Year)
Registration Record ....... Checked by ............... Voter's
number ....
INSTRUCTION TO VOTERS
Sign this certificate and hand it to the election officers
in charge. After the registration record has been checked, the
officer will hand it back to you. Whereupon you shall present

SB2158 - 15 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
it to the officer in charge of the ballots.
I hereby certify that I am registered from the address
below and am qualified to vote.
Signature of voter ................
Residence address ................"
An individual shall not be required to provide his social
security number when applying for a ballot. He shall not be
denied a ballot, nor shall his ballot be challenged, solely
because of his refusal to provide his social security number.
Nothing in this Act prevents an individual from being
requested to provide his social security number when the
individual applies for a ballot. If, however, the certificate
contains a space for the individual's social security number,
the following notice shall appear on the certificate,
immediately above such space, in bold-face capital letters, in
type the size of which equals the largest type on the
certificate:
"THE INDIVIDUAL APPLYING FOR A BALLOT WITH THIS DOCUMENT
IS NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE HIS OR HER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.
HE OR SHE MAY NOT BE DENIED A BALLOT, NOR SHALL HIS OR HER
BALLOT BE CHALLENGED, SOLELY BECAUSE OF HIS OR HER REFUSAL TO
PROVIDE HIS OR HER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER."
The applications of each State-wide political party at a
primary election shall be separately printed upon paper of
uniform quality, texture and size, but the applications of no
2 State-wide political parties shall be of the same color or

SB2158 - 16 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
tint. If the election authority provides computer generated
applications with the precinct, ballot style, and voter's name
and address preprinted on the application, a single
application may be used for State-wide political parties if it
contains spaces or check-off boxes to indicate the political
party. Such applications may contain spaces or check-off boxes
permitting the voter to also request a primary ballot of any
political party which is established only within a political
subdivision and for which a primary is conducted on the same
election day. Such applications shall not entitle the voter to
vote in both the primary of a State-wide political party and
the primary of a local political party with respect to the
offices of the same political subdivision or to vote in the
primary of more than one State-wide political party on the
same day.
The judges in charge of the precinct registration files
shall compare the signature upon such certificate with the
signature on the registration record card as a means of
identifying the voter. Unless satisfied by such comparison
that the applicant to vote is the identical person who is
registered under the same name, the judges shall ask such
applicant the questions for identification which appear on the
registration card, and if the applicant does not prove to the
satisfaction of a majority of the judges of the election
precinct that he is the identical person registered under the
name in question then the vote of such applicant shall be

SB2158 - 17 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
challenged by a judge of election, and the same procedure
followed as provided in this Article and Act for challenged
voters.
In case the elector is unable to sign his name, a judge of
election shall check the data on the registration card and
shall check the address given, with the registered address, in
order to determine whether he is entitled to vote.
One of the judges of election shall check the certificate
of such applicant for a ballot after the registration record
has been examined, and shall sign his initials on the
certificate in the space provided therefor, and shall enter
upon such certificate the number of the voter in the place
provided therefor, and make an entry in the voting record
space on the registration record, to indicate whether or not
the applicant voted. Such judge shall then hand such
certificate back to the applicant in case he is permitted to
vote, and such applicant shall hand it to the judge of election
in charge of the ballots. The certificates of the voters shall
be filed in the order in which they are received and shall
constitute an official poll record. The terms "poll lists" and
"poll books", where used in this Article and Act, shall be
construed to apply to such official poll record.
After each general primary election the board of election
commissioners shall indicate by color code or other means next
to the name of each registrant on the list of registered voters
in each precinct the primary ballot of a political party that

SB2158 - 18 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
the registrant requested at the general primary election. The
board of election commissioners, within 60 days after that
general primary election, shall provide a copy of this coded
list to the chairman of the county central committee of each
established political party or to the chair's duly authorized
representative.
Within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory
Act of 1983, the board of election commissioners shall provide
to the chairman of the county central committee of each
established political party or to the chair's duly authorized
representative the list of registered voters in each precinct
at the time of the general primary election of 1982 and shall
indicate on such list by color code or other means next to the
name of a registrant the primary ballot of a political party
that the registrant requested at the general primary election
of 1982.
The board of election commissioners may charge a fee to
reimburse the actual cost of duplicating each copy of a list
provided under either of the 2 preceding paragraphs.
Where an elector makes application to vote by signing and
presenting the certificate provided by this Section, and his
registration card is not found in the precinct registry of
voters, but his name appears as that of a registered voter in
such precinct upon the printed precinct register as corrected
or revised by the supplemental list, or upon the consolidated
list, if any provided by this Article and whose name has not

SB2158 - 19 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
been erased or withdrawn from such register, the printed
precinct register as corrected or revised by the supplemental
list, or consolidated list, if any, shall be prima facie
evidence of the elector's right to vote upon compliance with
the provisions hereinafter set forth in this Section. In such
event it shall be the duty of one of the judges of election to
require an affidavit by such person and 2 voters residing in
the precinct before the judges of election that he is the same
person whose name appears upon the printed precinct register
as corrected or revised by the supplemental list, or
consolidated list, if any, and that he resides in the
precinct, stating the street and number of his residence, and
upon the presentation of such affidavits, a certificate shall
be issued to such elector, and upon the presentation of such
certificate and affidavits, he shall be entitled to vote. Any
elector whose name does not appear as a registered voter on the
printed precinct register or supplemental list but who has a
certificate issued by the board of election commissioners as
provided in Section 6-43 of this Article, shall be entitled to
vote upon the presentation of such certificate accompanied by
the affidavits of 2 voters residing in the precinct that the
elector is the same person described in such certificate and
that he resides in the precinct, stating the street and number
of his residence. Forms for all affidavits required hereunder
shall be supplied by the board of election commissioners. All
affidavits made under this paragraph shall be preserved and

SB2158 - 20 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
returned to the board of election commissioners in the manner
provided by this Article and Article 18 of this Act. It shall
be the duty of the board of election commissioners, within 30
days after such election, to take the steps provided by
Section 6-64 of this Article for the execution of new
registration affidavits by electors who have voted under the
provisions of this paragraph.
When the board of election commissioners delivers to the
judges of election for use at the polls a supplemental or
consolidated list of the printed precinct register, it shall
give a copy of the supplemental or consolidated list to the
chair of a county central committee of an established
political party or to the chair's duly authorized
representative.
Whenever 2 or more elections occur simultaneously, the
election official or officials charged with the duty of
providing application certificates may prescribe the form
thereof so that a voter is required to execute only one,
indicating in which of the elections he desires to vote.
After the signature has been verified, the judges shall
determine in which political subdivisions the voter resides by
use of the information contained on the voter registration
cards or the separate registration lists or other means
approved by the State Board of Elections and prepared and
supplied by the election authority. The voter's certificate
shall be so marked by the judges as to show the respective

SB2158 - 21 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
ballots which the voter is given.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/6-67) (from Ch. 46, par. 6-67)
Sec. 6-67. Upon application to vote at a primary election
each registered elector shall sign his name or mark and write
his address on a certificate substantially the same as that
used in the general election except that it shall have a place
for party affiliation which is to be filled in by the elector,
or by the officer in charge if the elector is unable to write.
Such certificates when checked and initialed by the judge in
charge, shall constitute the primary poll record. Such
certificates at the close of the primary election shall be
placed in an envelope, sealed and returned with the ballots.
Nothing herein shall be construed to conflict with sections
7-44 and 7-45 of Article 7 of this Act.
(Source: Laws 1957, p. 1450.)
(10 ILCS 5/7-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-2)
Sec. 7-2. A political party, which at the general election
for State and county officers then next preceding a primary,
polled more than 5 per cent of the entire vote cast in the
State, is hereby declared to be a political party within the
State, and shall nominate all candidates provided for in this
Article 7 under the provisions hereof, and shall elect
precinct, township, ward, and State central committeepersons

SB2158 - 22 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
as herein provided.
A political party, which at the general election for State
and county officers then next preceding a primary, cast more
than 5 per cent of the entire vote cast within any
congressional district, is hereby declared to be a political
party within the meaning of this Article, within such
congressional district, and shall nominate its candidate for
Representative in Congress, under the provisions hereof. A
political party, which at the general election for State and
county officers then next preceding a primary, cast more than
5 per cent of the entire vote cast in any county, is hereby
declared to be a political party within the meaning of this
Article, within said county, and shall nominate all county
officers in said county under the provisions hereof, and shall
elect precinct, township, and ward committeepersons, as herein
provided.
A political party, which at the municipal election for
city, village, or incorporated town officers then next
preceding a primary, cast more than 5 per cent of the entire
vote cast in any city, village, or incorporated town is hereby
declared to be a political party within the meaning of this
Article, within said city, village, or incorporated town, and
shall nominate all city, village, or incorporated town
officers in said city, village, or incorporated town under the
provisions hereof to the extent and in the cases provided in
Section 7-1.

SB2158 - 23 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
A political party, which at the municipal election for
town officers then next preceding a primary, cast more than 5
per cent of the entire vote cast in said town, is hereby
declared to be a political party within the meaning of this
Article, within said town, and shall nominate all town
officers in said town under the provisions hereof to the
extent and in the cases provided in Section 7-1.
A political party, which at the municipal election in any
other municipality or political subdivision, (except townships
and school districts), for municipal or other officers therein
then next preceding a primary, cast more than 5 per cent of the
entire vote cast in such municipality or political
subdivision, is hereby declared to be a political party within
the meaning of this Article, within said municipality or
political subdivision, and shall nominate all municipal or
other officers therein under the provisions hereof to the
extent and in the cases provided in Section 7-1.
Provided, that no political organization or group shall be
qualified as a political party hereunder, or given a place on a
ballot, which organization or group is associated, directly or
indirectly, with Communist, Fascist, Nazi, or other
un-American principles and engages in activities or propaganda
designed to teach subservience to the political principles and
ideals of foreign nations or the overthrow by violence of the
established constitutional form of government of the United
States and the State of Illinois.

SB2158 - 24 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/7-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-3)
Sec. 7-3. In determining the total vote of a political
party, whenever required by this Article 7, the test shall be
the total vote cast by electors such political party for a its
candidate that filed a nominating petition as a member of that
political party and is a registered voter of that party who
received the greatest number of votes; provided however, that
in applying this section to the vote cast for any candidate for
an office for which cumulative voting is permitted, the total
vote cast for such candidate shall be divided by that number
which equals the greatest number of votes that could lawfully
be cast for such candidate by one elector.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)
(10 ILCS 5/7-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-5)
Sec. 7-5. (a) Primary elections shall be held on the dates
prescribed in Article 2A.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other statute,
no primary shall be held for an established political party in
any township, municipality, or ward thereof, where the
nomination of such party for every office to be voted upon by
the electors of such township, municipality, or ward thereof,
is uncontested. Whenever a political party's nomination of
candidates is uncontested as to one or more, but not all, of

SB2158 - 25 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
the offices to be voted upon by the electors of a township,
municipality, or ward thereof, then a primary shall be held
for that party in such township, municipality, or ward
thereof; provided that the primary ballot shall not include
those offices within such township, municipality, or ward
thereof, for which the nomination is uncontested. For purposes
of this Article, the nomination of an established political
party of a candidate for election to an office shall be deemed
to be uncontested where not more than the number of persons to
be nominated have timely filed valid nomination papers seeking
the nomination of such party for election to such office.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other statute,
no primary election shall be held for an established political
party for any special primary election called for the purpose
of filling a vacancy in the office of representative in the
United States Congress where the nomination of such political
party for said office is uncontested. For the purposes of this
Article, the nomination of an established political party of a
candidate for election to said office shall be deemed to be
uncontested where not more than the number of persons to be
nominated have timely filed valid nomination papers seeking
the nomination of such established party for election to said
office. This subsection (c) shall not apply if such primary
election is conducted on a regularly scheduled election day.
(d) (Blank). Notwithstanding the provisions in subsection
(b) and (c) of this Section, whenever a person who has not

SB2158 - 26 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
timely filed valid nomination papers and who intends to become
a write-in candidate for a political party's nomination for
any office for which the nomination is uncontested files a
written statement or notice of that intent with the local
election official where the candidate is seeking to appear on
the ballot, a primary ballot shall be prepared and a primary
shall be held for that office. Such statement or notice shall
be filed on or before the date established in this Article for
certifying candidates for the primary ballot. Such statement
or notice shall contain (i) the name and address of the person
intending to become a write-in candidate, (ii) a statement
that the person is a qualified primary elector of the
political party from whom the nomination is sought, (iii) a
statement that the person intends to become a write-in
candidate for the party's nomination, and (iv) the office the
person is seeking as a write-in candidate. An election
authority shall have no duty to conduct a primary and prepare a
primary ballot for any office for which the nomination is
uncontested, unless a statement or notice meeting the
requirements of this Section is filed in a timely manner.
(e) The polls shall be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
(Source: P.A. 103-600, eff. 7-1-24.)
(10 ILCS 5/7-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-10)
Sec. 7-10. Form of petition for nomination. The name of no
candidate for nomination, or State central committeeperson, or

SB2158 - 27 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
township committeeperson, or precinct committeeperson, or ward
committeeperson or candidate for delegate or alternate
delegate to national nominating conventions, shall be printed
upon the primary ballot unless a petition for nomination has
been filed in his behalf as provided in this Article in
substantially the following form:
We, the undersigned, members of and affiliated with the
.... party and qualified primary electors of the .... party,
in the .... of ...., in the county of .... and State of
Illinois, do hereby petition that the following named person
or persons shall be a candidate or candidates of the .... party
for the nomination for (or in case of committeepersons for
election to) the office or offices hereinafter specified, to
be voted for at the primary election to be held on (insert
date).
Name Office Address
John Jones Governor Belvidere, Ill.
Jane James Lieutenant Governor Peoria, Ill.
Thomas Smith Attorney General Oakland, Ill.
Name.................. Address.......................
State of Illinois)
) ss.
County of........)
I, ...., do hereby certify that I reside at No. ....

SB2158 - 28 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
street, in the .... of ...., county of ...., and State of
....., that I am 18 years of age or older, that I am a citizen
of the United States, and that the signatures on this sheet
were signed in my presence, and are genuine, and that to the
best of my knowledge and belief the persons so signing were at
the time of signing the petitions qualified voters of the ....
party, and that their respective residences are correctly
stated, as above set forth.
.........................
Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).
.........................
Each sheet of the petition other than the statement of
candidacy and candidate's statement shall be of uniform size
and shall contain above the space for signatures an
appropriate heading giving the information as to name of
candidate or candidates, in whose behalf such petition is
signed; the office, the political party the candidate prefers
represented and place of residence; and the heading of each
sheet shall be the same.
Such petition shall be signed by qualified primary
electors residing in the political division for which the
nomination is sought in their own proper persons only and
opposite the signature of each signer, his residence address
shall be written or printed. The residence address required to
be written or printed opposite each qualified primary

SB2158 - 29 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
elector's name shall include the street address or rural route
number of the signer, as the case may be, as well as the
signer's county, and city, village or town, and state.
However, the county or city, village or town, and state of
residence of the electors may be printed on the petition forms
where all of the electors signing the petition reside in the
same county or city, village or town, and state. Standard
abbreviations may be used in writing the residence address,
including street number, if any. At the bottom of each sheet of
such petition shall be added a circulator statement signed by
a person 18 years of age or older who is a citizen of the
United States, stating the street address or rural route
number, as the case may be, as well as the county, city,
village or town, and state; and certifying that the signatures
on that sheet of the petition were signed in his or her
presence and certifying that the signatures are genuine; and
either (1) indicating the dates on which that sheet was
circulated, or (2) indicating the first and last dates on
which the sheet was circulated, or (3) for elections where the
petition circulation period is 90 days, certifying that none
of the signatures on the sheet were signed more than 90 days
preceding the last day for the filing of the petition, or (4)
for the 2022 general primary election only, certify that the
signatures on the sheet were signed during the period of
January 13, 2022 through March 14, 2022 or certify that the
signatures on the sheet were signed during the period of

SB2158 - 30 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
January 13, 2022 through the date on which this statement was
sworn or affirmed to and certifying that to the best of his or
her knowledge and belief the persons so signing were at the
time of signing the petitions qualified voters of the
political party for which a nomination is sought. Such
statement shall be sworn to before some officer authorized to
administer oaths in this State.
Except as otherwise provided in this Code, no petition
sheet shall be circulated more than 90 days preceding the last
day provided in Section 7-12 for the filing of such petition.
The person circulating the petition, or the candidate on
whose behalf the petition is circulated, may strike any
signature from the petition, provided that:
(1) the person striking the signature shall initial
the petition at the place where the signature is struck;
and
(2) the person striking the signature shall sign a
certification listing the page number and line number of
each signature struck from the petition. Such
certification shall be filed as a part of the petition.
Such sheets before being filed shall be neatly fastened
together in book form, by placing the sheets in a pile and
fastening them together at one edge in a secure and suitable
manner, and the sheets shall then be numbered consecutively.
The sheets shall not be fastened by pasting them together end
to end, so as to form a continuous strip or roll. All petition

SB2158 - 31 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
sheets which are filed with the proper local election
officials, election authorities or the State Board of
Elections shall be the original sheets which have been signed
by the voters and by the circulator thereof, and not
photocopies or duplicates of such sheets. Each petition must
include as a part thereof, a statement of candidacy for each of
the candidates filing, or in whose behalf the petition is
filed. This statement shall set out the address of such
candidate, the office for which he is a candidate, shall state
that the candidate is a qualified primary voter of the party to
which the petition relates and is qualified for the office
specified (in the case of a candidate for State's Attorney it
shall state that the candidate is at the time of filing such
statement a licensed attorney-at-law of this State), may state
the political party the candidate prefers, shall state that he
has filed (or will file before the close of the petition filing
period) a statement of economic interests as required by the
Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, shall request that the
candidate's name be placed upon the official ballot, and shall
be subscribed and sworn to by such candidate before some
officer authorized to take acknowledgment of deeds in the
State and shall be in substantially the following form:
Statement of Candidacy
Name Address Office District Party
John Jones 102 Main St. Governor Statewide Republican
Belvidere,

SB2158 - 32 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
Illinois
State of Illinois)
) ss.
County of .......)
I, ...., being first duly sworn, say that I reside at ....
Street in the city (or village) of ...., in the county of ....,
State of Illinois; that I am a qualified voter therein and am a
qualified primary voter of the .... party; that I am a
candidate for nomination (for election in the case of
committeeperson and delegates and alternate delegates) to the
office of .... to be voted upon at the primary election to be
held on (insert date); that I am legally qualified (including
being the holder of any license that may be an eligibility
requirement for the office I seek the nomination for) to hold
such office and that I have filed (or I will file before the
close of the petition filing period) a statement of economic
interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act
and I hereby request that my name be printed upon the official
primary ballot for nomination for (or election to in the case
of committeepersons and delegates and alternate delegates)
such office.
Signed ......................
Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ....,
who is to me personally known, on (insert date).
Signed ....................

SB2158 - 33 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
(Official Character)
(Seal, if officer has one.)
The petitions, when filed, shall not be withdrawn or added
to, and no signatures shall be revoked except by revocation
filed in writing with the State Board of Elections, election
authority or local election official with whom the petition is
required to be filed, and before the filing of such petition.
Whoever forges the name of a signer upon any petition required
by this Article is deemed guilty of a forgery and on conviction
thereof shall be punished accordingly.
A candidate for the offices listed in this Section must
obtain the number of signatures specified in this Section on
his or her petition for nomination.
(a) Statewide office or delegate to a national nominating
convention. Except as otherwise provided in this Code, if a
candidate seeks to run for statewide office or as a delegate or
alternate delegate to a national nominating convention elected
from the State at-large, then the candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least 5,000 but not more than
10,000 signatures.
(b) Congressional office or congressional delegate to a
national nominating convention. Except as otherwise provided
in this Code, if a candidate seeks to run for United States
Congress or as a congressional delegate or alternate
congressional delegate to a national nominating convention

SB2158 - 34 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
elected from a congressional district, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain at least the number of
signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of
his or her party in his or her congressional district. In the
first primary election following a redistricting of
congressional districts, a candidate's petition for nomination
must contain at least 600 signatures of qualified primary
electors of the candidate's political party in his or her
congressional district.
(c) County office. Except as otherwise provided in this
Code, if a candidate seeks to run for any countywide office,
including, but not limited to, county board chairperson or
county board member, elected on an at-large basis, in a county
other than Cook County, then the candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least the number of signatures
equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party who
cast votes at the last preceding general election in his or her
county. If a candidate seeks to run for county board member
elected from a county board district, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain at least the number of
signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of
his or her party in the county board district. In the first
primary election following a redistricting of county board
districts or the initial establishment of county board
districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must contain
at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the

SB2158 - 35 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
qualified electors of his or her party in the entire county who
cast votes at the last preceding general election divided by
the total number of county board districts comprising the
county board; provided that in no event shall the number of
signatures be less than 25.
(d) County office; Cook County only.
(1) If a candidate seeks to run for countywide office
in Cook County, then the candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least the number of signatures
equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party
who cast votes at the last preceding general election in
Cook County.
(2) If a candidate seeks to run for Cook County Board
Commissioner, then the candidate's petition for nomination
must contain at least the number of signatures equal to
0.5% of the qualified primary electors of his or her party
in his or her county board district. In the first primary
election following a redistricting of Cook County Board of
Commissioners districts, a candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least the number of signatures
equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party
in the entire county who cast votes at the last preceding
general election divided by the total number of county
board districts comprising the county board; provided that
in no event shall the number of signatures be less than 25.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this Code, if a

SB2158 - 36 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
candidate seeks to run for Cook County Board of Review
Commissioner, which is elected from a district pursuant to
subsection (c) of Section 5-5 of the Property Tax Code,
then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain
at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the
total number of registered voters in his or her board of
review district in the last general election at which a
commissioner was regularly scheduled to be elected from
that board of review district. In no event shall the
number of signatures required be greater than the
requisite number for a candidate who seeks countywide
office in Cook County under subsection (d)(1) of this
Section. In the first primary election following a
redistricting of Cook County Board of Review districts, a
candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least
4,000 signatures or at least the number of signatures
required for a countywide candidate in Cook County,
whichever is less, of the qualified electors of his or her
party in the district.
(e) Municipal or township office. If a candidate seeks to
run for municipal or township office, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain at least the number of
signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of
his or her party in the municipality or township. If a
candidate seeks to run for alderperson of a municipality, then
the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least

SB2158 - 37 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified
primary electors of his or her party of the ward. In the first
primary election following redistricting of wards or trustee
districts of a municipality or the initial establishment of
wards or districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must
contain the number of signatures equal to at least 0.5% of the
total number of votes cast for the candidate of that political
party who received the highest number of votes in the entire
municipality at the last regular election at which an officer
was regularly scheduled to be elected from the entire
municipality, divided by the number of wards or districts. In
no event shall the number of signatures be less than 25.
(f) State central committeeperson. If a candidate seeks to
run for State central committeeperson, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain at least 100 signatures
of the primary electors of his or her party of his or her
congressional district.
(g) Sanitary district trustee. Except as otherwise
provided in this Code, if a candidate seeks to run for trustee
of a sanitary district in which trustees are not elected from
wards, then the candidate's petition for nomination must
contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the
primary electors of his or her party from the sanitary
district. If a candidate seeks to run for trustee of a sanitary
district in which trustees are elected from wards, then the
candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the

SB2158 - 38 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the primary electors of
his or her party in the ward of that sanitary district. In the
first primary election following redistricting of sanitary
districts elected from wards, a candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least the signatures of 150
qualified primary electors of his or her ward of that sanitary
district.
(h) Judicial office. Except as otherwise provided in this
Code, if a candidate seeks to run for judicial office in a
district, then the candidate's petition for nomination must
contain the number of signatures equal to 0.4% of the number of
votes cast in that district for the candidate for his or her
political party for the office of Governor at the last general
election at which a Governor was elected, but in no event less
than 500 signatures. If a candidate seeks to run for judicial
office in a circuit or subcircuit, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain the number of signatures
equal to 0.25% of the number of votes cast for the judicial
candidate of his or her political party who received the
highest number of votes at the last general election at which a
judicial officer from the same circuit or subcircuit was
regularly scheduled to be elected, but in no event less than
1,000 signatures in circuits and subcircuits located in the
First Judicial District or 500 signatures in every other
Judicial District.
(i) Precinct, ward, and township committeeperson. Except

SB2158 - 39 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
as otherwise provided in this Code, if a candidate seeks to run
for precinct committeeperson, then the candidate's petition
for nomination must contain at least 10 signatures of the
primary electors of his or her party for the precinct. If a
candidate seeks to run for ward committeeperson, then the
candidate's petition for nomination must contain no less than
the number of signatures equal to 10% of the primary electors
of his or her party of the ward, but no more than 16% of those
same electors; provided that the maximum number of signatures
may be 50 more than the minimum number, whichever is greater.
If a candidate seeks to run for township committeeperson, then
the candidate's petition for nomination must contain no less
than the number of signatures equal to 5% of the primary
electors of his or her party of the township, but no more than
8% of those same electors; provided that the maximum number of
signatures may be 50 more than the minimum number, whichever
is greater.
(j) State's attorney or regional superintendent of schools
for multiple counties. If a candidate seeks to run for State's
attorney or regional Superintendent of Schools who serves more
than one county, then the candidate's petition for nomination
must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of
the primary electors of his or her party in the territory
comprising the counties.
(k) Any other office. If a candidate seeks any other
office, then the candidate's petition for nomination must

SB2158 - 40 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the
registered voters of the political subdivision, district, or
division for which the nomination is made or 25 signatures,
whichever is greater.
For purposes of this Section the number of primary
electors shall be determined by taking the total vote cast, in
the applicable district, for the candidate for that political
party who received the highest number of votes, statewide, at
the last general election in the State at which electors for
President of the United States were elected. For political
subdivisions, the number of primary electors shall be
determined by taking the total vote cast for the candidate for
that political party who received the highest number of votes
in the political subdivision at the last regular election at
which an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from
that subdivision. For wards or districts of political
subdivisions, the number of primary electors shall be
determined by taking the total vote cast for the candidate for
that political party who received the highest number of votes
in the ward or district at the last regular election at which
an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from that
ward or district.
A "qualified primary elector" of a party may not sign
petitions for or be a candidate in the primary of more than one
party.
The changes made to this Section by Public Act 93-574 are

SB2158 - 41 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
declarative of existing law, except for item (3) of subsection
(d).
Petitions of candidates for nomination for offices herein
specified, to be filed with the same officer, may contain the
names of 2 or more candidates of the same political party for
the same or different offices. In the case of the offices of
Governor and Lieutenant Governor, a joint petition including
one candidate for each of those offices must be filed.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-687, eff. 12-17-21;
102-692, eff. 1-7-22.)
(10 ILCS 5/7-43) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-43)
Sec. 7-43. (a) Every person having resided in this State 6
months and in the precinct 30 days next preceding any primary
therein who shall be a citizen of the United States of the age
of 18 or more years shall be entitled to vote at such primary.
The following regulations shall be applicable to
primaries:
No person shall be entitled to vote at a primary:
(a) Unless he declares his party affiliations as
required by this Article.
(b) (Blank).
(c) (Blank).
(c.5) If that person has participated in the town
political party caucus, under Section 45-50 of the
Township Code, of another political party by signing

SB2158 - 42 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
an affidavit of voters attending the caucus within 45
days before the first day of the calendar month in
which the primary is held.
(d) (Blank).
(b) In cities, villages, and incorporated towns having a
board of election commissioners, only voters registered as
provided by Article 6 of this Code shall be entitled to vote at
such primary.
(c) No person shall be entitled to vote at a primary unless
he is registered under the provisions of Article 4, 5, or 6 of
this Code, when his registration is required by any of said
Articles to entitle him to vote at the election with reference
to which the primary is held.
A person (i) who filed a statement of candidacy for a
partisan office as a qualified primary voter of an established
political party or (ii) who voted the ballot of an established
political party at a general primary election may not file a
statement of candidacy as a candidate of a different
established political party, a new political party, or as an
independent candidate for a partisan office to be filled at
the general election immediately following the general primary
for which the person filed the statement or voted the ballot. A
person may file a statement of candidacy for a partisan office
as a qualified primary voter of an established political party
regardless of any prior filing of candidacy for a partisan
office or voting the ballot of an established political party

SB2158 - 43 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
at any prior election.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/7-44) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-44)
Sec. 7-44. Voters; primary ballot. Any person desiring to
vote at a primary shall state the person's his name and ,
residence and party affiliation to the primary judges, one of
whom shall thereupon announce the same in a distinct tone of
voice, sufficiently loud to be heard by all persons in the
polling place. When article 4, 5 or 6 is applicable the
Certificate of Registered Voter therein prescribed shall be
made and signed and the official poll record shall be made. If
the person desiring to vote is not challenged, one of the
primary judges shall give to the person him one, and only one,
primary ballot that lists each candidate for office
participating in the primary election, regardless of party
affiliation of the political party with which he declares
himself affiliated, on the back of which such primary judge
shall endorse the person's his initials in such manner that
they may be seen when the primary ballot is properly folded. If
the person desiring to vote is challenged the person he shall
not receive a primary ballot from the primary judges until the
person he shall have established the person's his right to
vote as hereinafter provided. No person who refuses to state
his party affiliation shall be allowed to vote at a primary.
A person who declares his party affiliation with a

SB2158 - 44 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
statewide established political party and requests a primary
ballot of such party may nonetheless also declare his
affiliation with a political party established only within a
political subdivision, and may also vote in the primary of
such local party on the same election day, provided that such
voter may not vote in both such party primaries with respect to
offices of the same political subdivision. However, no person
declaring his affiliation with a statewide established
political party may vote in the primary of any other statewide
political party on the same election day.
(Source: P.A. 81-1535.)
(10 ILCS 5/7-60) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-60)
Sec. 7-60. Not less than 74 days before the date of the
general election, the State Board of Elections shall certify
to the county clerks the names of each of the candidates who
have been nominated as shown by the proclamation of the State
Board of Elections as a canvassing board or who have been
nominated to fill a vacancy in nomination and direct the
election authority to place upon the official ballot for the
general election the names of such candidates in the same
manner and in the same order as shown upon the certification,
except as otherwise provided in this Code.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 2
candidates in any primary election who receive the most votes
in the primary election, regardless of the party affiliation

SB2158 - 45 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
of the candidates, shall be the only 2 candidates certified to
participate in the general election.
Except as otherwise provided in this Code, not less than
68 days before the date of the general election, each county
clerk shall certify the names of each of the candidates for
county offices who have been nominated as shown by the
proclamation of the county election authority or who have been
nominated to fill a vacancy in nomination and declare that the
names of such candidates for the respective offices shall be
placed upon the official ballot for the general election in
the same manner and in the same order as shown upon the
certification, except as otherwise provided by this Section.
Each county clerk shall place a copy of the certification on
file in his or her office and at the same time issue to the
State Board of Elections a copy of such certification. In
addition, each county clerk in whose county there is a board of
election commissioners shall, not less than 68 days before the
date of the general election, issue to such board a copy of the
certification that has been filed in the county clerk's
office, together with a copy of the certification that has
been issued to the clerk by the State Board of Elections, with
directions to the board of election commissioners to place
upon the official ballot for the general election in that
election jurisdiction the names of all candidates that are
listed on such certifications, in the same manner and in the
same order as shown upon such certifications, except as

SB2158 - 46 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
otherwise provided in this Section.
Whenever there are two or more persons nominated by the
same political party for multiple offices for any board, the
name of the candidate of such party receiving the highest
number of votes in the primary election as a candidate for such
office, as shown by the official election returns of the
primary, shall be certified first under the name of such
offices, and the names of the remaining candidates of such
party for such offices shall follow in the order of the number
of votes received by them respectively at the primary election
as shown by the official election results.
No person who is shown by the final proclamation to have
been nominated or elected at the primary as a write-in
candidate shall have his or her name certified unless such
person shall have filed with the certifying office or board
within 10 days after the election authority's proclamation a
statement of candidacy pursuant to Section 7-10, a statement
pursuant to Section 7-10.1, and a receipt for the filing of a
statement of economic interests in relation to the unit of
government to which he or she has been elected or nominated.
Each county clerk and board of election commissioners
shall determine by a fair and impartial method of random
selection the order of placement of established political
party candidates for the general election ballot. Such
determination shall be made within 30 days following the
canvass and proclamation of the results of the general primary

SB2158 - 47 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
in the office of the county clerk or board of election
commissioners and shall be open to the public. Seven days
written notice of the time and place of conducting such random
selection shall be given, by each such election authority, to
the County Chair of each established political party, and to
each organization of citizens within the election jurisdiction
which was entitled, under this Article, at the next preceding
election, to have pollwatchers present on the day of election.
Each election authority shall post in a conspicuous, open and
public place, at the entrance of the election authority
office, notice of the time and place of such lottery. However,
a board of election commissioners may elect to place
established political party candidates on the general election
ballot in the same order determined by the county clerk of the
county in which the city under the jurisdiction of such board
is located.
Each certification shall indicate, where applicable, the
following:
(1) The political party affiliation of the candidates
for the respective offices;
(2) If there is to be more than one candidate elected
to an office from the State, political subdivision or
district;
(3) If the voter has the right to vote for more than
one candidate for an office;
(4) The term of office, if a vacancy is to be filled

SB2158 - 48 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
for less than a full term or if the offices to be filled in
a political subdivision are for different terms.
The State Board of Elections or the county clerk, as the
case may be, shall issue an amended certification whenever it
is discovered that the original certification is in error.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-3)
Sec. 19-3. Application for a vote by mail ballot.
(a) The application for a vote by mail ballot for a single
election 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.
I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
.... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
for at least 30 days; that I am lawfully entitled to vote at
the .... election to be held on ....; and that I wish to vote
by mail.
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 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

SB2158 - 49 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
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:
...............
(a-5) The application for a single vote by mail ballot
transmitted electronically pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall be
substantively similar to the application for a vote by mail
ballot for a single election and shall include:
I swear or affirm that I am a voter with a print
disability, and, as a result of this disability, I am
making a request to receive a vote by mail ballot
electronically so that I may privately and independently
mark, verify, and print my vote by mail ballot.
(b) The application for permanent vote by mail status
shall be substantially in the following form:
APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT VOTE BY MAIL STATUS
I am currently a registered voter and wish to apply for

SB2158 - 50 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
permanent vote by mail status.
I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
.... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
for at least 30 days; that I am lawfully entitled to vote at
the .... election to be held on ....; and that I wish to vote
by mail in:
..... all subsequent elections that do not require a party
designation.
..... all subsequent elections, and I wish to receive a
................... Party vote by mail ballot in
elections that require a party designation.
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 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.
Under penalties as provided by law under Section 29-10 of
the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
....
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
...............
(b-5) The application for permanent vote by mail ballots

SB2158 - 51 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
transmitted electronically pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall be
substantively similar to the application for permanent vote by
mail status and shall include:
I swear or affirm that I am a voter with a
non-temporary print disability, and as a result of this
disability, I am making a request to receive vote by mail
ballots electronically so that I may privately and
independently mark, verify, and print my vote by mail
ballots.
(c) (Blank). 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. The election authority shall allow
any voter on permanent vote by mail status to change his or her
party affiliation for a primary election ballot by a method
and deadline published and selected by the election authority.
(d) 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 the application
under subsection (a) or (b) are true and correct, and a
signature is not required.
(e) Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or
return to an election authority an application under this
Section. If applications are sent to a post office box
controlled by any individual or organization that is not an

SB2158 - 52 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
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 under this Section submitted in a form
substantially similar to that required by this Section,
including any substantially similar production or reproduction
generated by the applicant.
(f) An election authority may combine the applications in
subsections (a) and (b) onto one form, but the distinction
between the applications must be clear and the form must
provide check boxes for an applicant to indicate whether he or
she is applying for a single election vote by mail ballot or
for permanent vote by mail status.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-819, eff. 5-13-22;
103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)

SB2158 - 53 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
(10 ILCS 5/19-4.5 new)
Sec. 19-4.5. Absentee primary ballots.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person
entitled to vote by absentee ballot in a primary election
shall not be required to declare his or her political party
affiliation and shall be provided with the ballot listing all
candidates for offices for which the absentee voter is
entitled to vote in that primary election. The ballots
provided to absentee voters shall be the same open-primary
ballots as provided under Section 7-44.
(b) With respect to the marking, casting, and counting of
primary election ballots, absentee voting shall be conducted
in accordance with Sections 7-44 and other provisions of this
Article.
(10 ILCS 5/19-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-5)
Sec. 19-5. Folding and enclosure of ballots in unsealed
envelope; address on envelope; certification; instructions for
marking and returning ballots. It shall be the duty of the
election authority to fold the ballot or ballots in the manner
specified by the statute for folding ballots prior to their
deposit in the ballot box, and to enclose such ballot or
ballots in an envelope unsealed to be furnished by the
election authority, which envelope shall bear upon the face
thereof the name, official title and post office address of

SB2158 - 54 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
the election authority, and upon the other side a printed
certification in substantially the following form:
I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
.... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
for at least 30 days; and that I am lawfully entitled to cast a
ballot.
I further state that I personally marked the enclosed
ballot in secret.
Under penalties of perjury as provided by law pursuant to
Section 29-10 of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies
that the statements set forth in this certification are true
and correct.
.......................
If the ballot is to go to an elector who is physically
incapacitated and needs assistance marking the ballot, the
envelope shall bear upon the back thereof a certification in
substantially the following form:
I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
.... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
for at least 30 days; that I am lawfully entitled to cast a
ballot; and that I am physically incapable of personally
marking the ballot for this election.
I further state that I marked the enclosed ballot in
secret with the assistance of
.................................
(Individual rendering assistance)

SB2158 - 55 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
.................................
(Residence Address)
Under penalties of perjury as provided by law pursuant to
Section 29-10 of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies
that the statements set forth in this certification are true
and correct.
.......................
In the case of a voter with a physical incapacity, marking
a ballot in secret includes marking a ballot with the
assistance of another individual, other than a candidate whose
name appears on the ballot (unless the voter is the spouse or a
parent, child, brother, or sister of the candidate), the
voter's employer, an agent of that employer, or an officer or
agent of the voter's union, when the voter's physical
incapacity necessitates such assistance.
In the case of a physically incapacitated voter, marking a
ballot in secret includes marking a ballot with the assistance
of another individual, other than a candidate whose name
appears on the ballot (unless the voter is the spouse or a
parent, child, brother, or sister of the candidate), the
voter's employer, an agent of that employer, or an officer or
agent of the voter's union, when the voter's physical
incapacity necessitates such assistance.
Provided, that if the ballot enclosed is to be voted at a
primary election, the certification shall designate the name
of the political party with which the voter is affiliated.

SB2158 - 56 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
In addition to the above, the election authority shall
provide printed slips, or an electronic version thereof for
voters voting by mail pursuant to Section 19-2.6, giving full
instructions regarding the manner of marking and returning the
ballot in order that the same may be counted, and shall furnish
one of such printed slips or the electronic version thereof
for voters voting by mail pursuant to Section 19-2.6 to each of
such applicants at the same time the ballot is delivered to
him. Such instructions shall include the following statement:
"In signing the certification on the vote by mail ballot
envelope, you are attesting that you personally marked this
vote by mail ballot in secret. If you are physically unable to
mark the ballot, a friend or relative may assist you after
completing the enclosed affidavit. Federal and State laws
prohibit a candidate whose name appears on the ballot (unless
you are the spouse or a parent, child, brother, or sister of
the candidate), your employer, your employer's agent or an
officer or agent of your union from assisting voters with
physical disabilities."
In addition to the above, if a ballot to be provided to an
elector pursuant to this Section contains a public question
described in subsection (b) of Section 28-6 and the territory
concerning which the question is to be submitted is not
described on the ballot due to the space limitations of such
ballot, the election authority shall provide a printed copy of
a notice of the public question, which shall include a

SB2158 - 57 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
description of the territory in the manner required by Section
16-7. The notice shall be furnished to the elector at the same
time the ballot is delivered to the elector.
Election authorities transmitting ballots by electronic
transmission pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall, to the greatest
extent possible, provide those applicants with the same
instructions, certifications, and other balloting materials
required when sending ballots by mail.
(Source: P.A. 102-819, eff. 5-13-22; 103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-8)
Sec. 19-8. Time and place of counting ballots.
(a) (Blank.)
(b) Each vote by mail voter's ballot returned to an
election authority, by any means authorized by this Article,
and received by that election authority before the closing of
the polls on election day shall be endorsed by the receiving
election authority with the day and hour of receipt and may be
processed by the election authority beginning on the day it is
received by the election authority in the central ballot
counting location of the election authority, but the results
of the processing may not be counted until the day of the
election after 7:00 p.m., except as provided in subsections
(g) and (g-5).
(c) Each vote by mail voter's ballot that is mailed to an
election authority and postmarked no later than election day,

SB2158 - 58 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
but that is received by the election authority after the polls
close on election day and before the close of the period for
counting provisional ballots cast at that election, shall be
endorsed by the receiving authority with the day and hour of
receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot counting
location of the election authority during the period for
counting provisional ballots.
Each vote by mail voter's ballot that is mailed to an
election authority absent a postmark or a barcode usable with
an intelligent mail barcode tracking system, but that is
received by the election authority after the polls close on
election day and before the close of the period for counting
provisional ballots cast at that election, shall be endorsed
by the receiving authority with the day and hour of receipt,
opened to inspect the date inserted on the certification, and,
if the certification date is election day or earlier and the
ballot is otherwise found to be valid under the requirements
of this Section, counted at the central ballot counting
location of the election authority during the period for
counting provisional ballots. Absent a date on the
certification, the ballot shall not be counted.
If an election authority is using an intelligent mail
barcode tracking system, a ballot that is mailed to an
election authority absent a postmark may be counted if the
intelligent mail barcode tracking system verifies the envelope
was mailed no later than election day.

SB2158 - 59 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
(d) Special write-in vote by mail voter's blank ballots
returned to an election authority, by any means authorized by
this Article, and received by the election authority at any
time before the closing of the polls on election day shall be
endorsed by the receiving election authority with the day and
hour of receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot
counting location of the election authority during the same
period provided for counting vote by mail voters' ballots
under subsections (b), (g), and (g-5). Special write-in vote
by mail voter's blank ballots that are mailed to an election
authority and postmarked no later than election day, but that
are received by the election authority after the polls close
on election day and before the closing of the period for
counting provisional ballots cast at that election, shall be
endorsed by the receiving authority with the day and hour of
receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot counting
location of the election authority during the same periods
provided for counting vote by mail voters' ballots under
subsection (c).
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, vote by
mail voters' ballots and special write-in vote by mail voter's
blank ballots received by the election authority after the
closing of the polls on an election day shall be endorsed by
the election authority receiving them with the day and hour of
receipt and shall be safely kept unopened by the election
authority for the period of time required for the preservation

SB2158 - 60 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
of ballots used at the election, and shall then, without being
opened, be destroyed in like manner as the used ballots of that
election.
(f) Counting required under this Section to begin on
election day after the closing of the polls shall commence no
later than 8:00 p.m. and shall be conducted by a panel or
panels of election judges appointed in the manner provided by
law. The counting shall continue until all vote by mail
voters' ballots and special write-in vote by mail voter's
blank ballots required to be counted on election day have been
counted.
(g) The procedures set forth in Articles 17 and 18 and,
with respect to primary elections, the procedures set forth in
Section 19-4.5, of this Code shall apply to all ballots
counted under this Section. In addition, within 2 days after a
vote by mail ballot is received, but in all cases before the
close of the period for counting provisional ballots, the
election judge or official shall compare the voter's signature
on the certification envelope of that vote by mail ballot with
the voter's signature on the application verified in
accordance with Section 19-4 or the signature of the voter on
file in the office of the election authority. If the election
judge or official determines that the 2 signatures match, and
that the vote by mail voter is otherwise qualified to cast a
vote by mail ballot, the election authority shall cast and
count the ballot on election day or the day the ballot is

SB2158 - 61 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
determined to be valid, whichever is later, adding the results
to the precinct in which the voter is registered. If the
election judge or official determines that the signatures do
not match, or that the vote by mail voter is not qualified to
cast a vote by mail ballot, then without opening the
certification envelope, the judge or official shall mark
across the face of the certification envelope the word
"Rejected" and shall not cast or count the ballot.
In addition to the voter's signatures not matching, a vote
by mail ballot may be rejected by the election judge or
official:
(1) if the ballot envelope is open or has been opened
and resealed;
(2) if the voter has already cast an early or grace
period ballot;
(3) if the voter voted in person on election day or the
voter is not a duly registered voter in the precinct; or
(4) on any other basis set forth in this Code.
If the election judge or official determines that any of
these reasons apply, the judge or official shall mark across
the face of the certification envelope the word "Rejected" and
shall not cast or count the ballot.
(g-5) If a vote by mail ballot is rejected by the election
judge or official for any reason, the election authority
shall, within 2 days after the rejection but in all cases
before the close of the period for counting provisional

SB2158 - 62 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
ballots, notify the vote by mail voter that his or her ballot
was rejected. The notice shall inform the voter of the reason
or reasons the ballot was rejected and shall state that the
voter may appear before the election authority, on or before
the 14th day after the election, to show cause as to why the
ballot should not be rejected. The voter may present evidence
to the election authority supporting his or her contention
that the ballot should be counted. The election authority
shall appoint a panel of 3 election judges to review the
contested ballot, application, and certification envelope, as
well as any evidence submitted by the vote by mail voter. No
more than 2 election judges on the reviewing panel shall be of
the same political party. The reviewing panel of election
judges shall make a final determination as to the validity of
the contested vote by mail ballot. The judges' determination
shall not be reviewable either administratively or judicially.
A vote by mail ballot subject to this subsection that is
determined to be valid shall be counted before the close of the
period for counting provisional ballots.
If a vote by mail ballot is rejected for any reason, the
election authority shall, within one day after the rejection,
transmit to the State Board of Elections by electronic means
the voter's name, street address, email address and precinct,
ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be. If a
rejected vote by mail ballot is determined to be valid, the
election authority shall, within one day after the

SB2158 - 63 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
determination, remove the name of the voter from the list
transmitted to the State Board of Elections. The State Board
of Elections shall maintain the names and information in an
electronic format on its website accessible to State and local
political committees.
Upon request by the State or local political committee,
each election authority shall, within one day after the
request, provide the following information about all rejected
vote by mail ballots: voter's name, street address, email
address and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as
the case may be.
(g-10) All vote by mail ballots determined to be valid
shall be added to the vote totals for the precincts for which
they were cast in the order in which the ballots were opened.
(h) Each political party, candidate, and qualified civic
organization shall be entitled to have present one pollwatcher
for each panel of election judges therein assigned.
(Source: P.A. 102-1126, eff. 2-10-23; 103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-12.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-12.1)
Sec. 19-12.1. Any qualified elector who has secured an
Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card in
accordance with the Illinois Identification Card Act,
indicating that the person named thereon has a Class 1A or
Class 2 disability or any qualified voter who has a permanent
physical incapacity of such a nature as to make it improbable

SB2158 - 64 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
that he will be able to be present at the polls at any future
election, or any voter who is a resident of (i) a federally
operated veterans' home, hospital, or facility located in
Illinois or (ii) a facility 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 and has a condition or disability of such a
nature as to make it improbable that he will be able to be
present at the polls at any future election, may secure a
voter's identification card for persons with disabilities or a
nursing home resident's identification card, which will enable
him to vote under this Article as a physically incapacitated
or nursing home voter. For the purposes of this Section,
"federally operated veterans' home, hospital, or facility"
means the long-term care facilities at the Jesse Brown VA
Medical Center, Illiana Health Care System, Edward Hines, Jr.
VA Hospital, Marion VA Medical Center, and Captain James A.
Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
Application for a voter's identification card for persons
with disabilities or a nursing home resident's identification
card shall be made either: (a) in writing, with voter's sworn
affidavit, to the county clerk or board of election
commissioners, as the case may be, and shall be accompanied by
the affidavit of the attending physician, advanced practice
registered nurse, or a physician assistant specifically
describing the nature of the physical incapacity or the fact

SB2158 - 65 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
that the voter is a nursing home resident and is physically
unable to be present at the polls on election days; or (b) by
presenting, in writing or otherwise, to the county clerk or
board of election commissioners, as the case may be, proof
that the applicant has secured an Illinois Person with a
Disability Identification Card indicating that the person
named thereon has a Class 1A or Class 2 disability. Upon the
receipt of either the sworn-to application and the
physician's, advanced practice registered nurse's, or a
physician assistant's affidavit or proof that the applicant
has secured an Illinois Person with a Disability
Identification Card indicating that the person named thereon
has a Class 1A or Class 2 disability, the county clerk or board
of election commissioners shall issue a voter's identification
card for persons with disabilities or a nursing home
resident's identification card. Such identification cards
shall be issued for a period of 5 years, upon the expiration of
which time the voter may secure a new card by making
application in the same manner as is prescribed for the
issuance of an original card, accompanied by a new affidavit
of the attending physician, advanced practice registered
nurse, or a physician assistant. The date of expiration of
such five-year period shall be made known to any interested
person by the election authority upon the request of such
person. Applications for the renewal of the identification
cards shall be mailed to the voters holding such cards not less

SB2158 - 66 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
than 3 months prior to the date of expiration of the cards.
Each voter's identification card for persons with
disabilities or nursing home resident's identification card
shall bear an identification number, which shall be clearly
noted on the voter's original and duplicate registration
record cards. In the event the holder becomes physically
capable of resuming normal voting, he must surrender his
voter's identification card for persons with disabilities or
nursing home resident's identification card to the county
clerk or board of election commissioners before the next
election.
The holder of a voter's identification card for persons
with disabilities or a nursing home resident's identification
card may make application by mail for an official ballot
within the time prescribed by Section 19-2. Such application
shall contain the same information as is included in the form
of application for ballot by a physically incapacitated
elector prescribed in Section 19-3 except that it shall also
include the applicant's voter's identification card for
persons with disabilities card number and except that it need
not be sworn to. If an examination of the records discloses
that the applicant is lawfully entitled to vote, he shall be
mailed a ballot as provided in Section 19-4 and, if
applicable, as provided in Section 19-4.5. The ballot envelope
shall be the same as that prescribed in Section 19-5 for voters
with physical disabilities, and the manner of voting and

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returning the ballot shall be the same as that provided in this
Article for other vote by mail ballots, except that a
statement to be subscribed to by the voter but which need not
be sworn to shall be placed on the ballot envelope in lieu of
the affidavit prescribed by Section 19-5.
Any person who knowingly subscribes to a false statement
in connection with voting under this Section shall be guilty
of a Class A misdemeanor.
For the purposes of this Section, "nursing home resident"
includes a resident of (i) a federally operated veterans'
home, hospital, or facility located in Illinois or (ii) a
facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act, the
MC/DD Act, or the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act
of 2013. For the purposes of this Section, "federally operated
veterans' home, hospital, or facility" means the long-term
care facilities at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Illiana
Health Care System, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Marion VA
Medical Center, and Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health
Care Center.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-180, eff. 7-29-15;
99-581, eff. 1-1-17; 99-642, eff. 6-28-16; 100-513, eff.
1-1-18.)
(10 ILCS 5/20-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 20-3)
Sec. 20-3. The election authority shall furnish the
following applications for registration by mail or vote by

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mail ballot which shall be considered a method of application
in lieu of the official postcard.
1. Members of the United States Service and citizens of
the United States temporarily residing outside the territorial
limits of the United States may make application within the
periods prescribed in Sections 20-2 or 20-2.1, as the case may
be. Such application shall be substantially in the following
form:
"APPLICATION FOR BALLOT
To be voted at the ............ election in the precinct
in which is located my residence at ..............., in the
city/village/township of ............(insert home address)
County of ........... and State of Illinois.
I state that I am a citizen of the United States; that on
(insert date of election) I shall have resided in the State of
Illinois and in the election precinct for 30 days; that on the
above date I shall be the age of 18 years or above; that I am
lawfully entitled to vote in such precinct at that election;
that I am (check category 1, 2, or 3 below):
1. ( ) a member of the United States Service,
2. ( ) a citizen of the United States temporarily
residing outside the territorial limits of the United States
and that I expect to be absent from the said county of my
residence on the date of holding such election, and that I will
have no opportunity to vote in person on that day.
I hereby make application for an official ballot or

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ballots to be voted by me at such election if I am absent from
the said county of my residence, and I agree that I shall
return said ballot or ballots to the election authority
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 or
shall destroy said ballot or ballots.
(Check below only if category 2 and not previously
registered)
( ) I hereby make application to become registered as a
voter and agree to return the forms and affidavits for
registration to the election authority not later than 30 days
before the election.
Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Article 29
of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
.........................
Post office address or service address to which
registration materials or ballot should be mailed
.........................
.........................
.........................
........................"
If application is made for a primary election ballot, such
application shall designate the name of the political party
with which the applicant is affiliated.

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Such applications may be obtained from the election
authority having jurisdiction over the person's precinct of
residence.
2. A spouse or dependent of a member of the United States
Service, said spouse or dependent being a registered voter in
the county, may make application on behalf of said person in
the office of the election authority within the periods
prescribed in Section 20-2 which shall be substantially in the
following form:
"APPLICATION FOR BALLOT to be voted at the........... election
in the precinct in which is located the residence of the person
for whom this application is made at.............(insert
residence address) in the city/village/township of.........
County of.......... and State of Illinois.
I certify that the following named person................
(insert name of person) is a member of the United States
Service.
I state that said person is a citizen of the United States;
that on (insert date of election) said person shall have
resided in the State of Illinois and in the election precinct
for which this application is made for 30 days; that on the
above date said person shall be the age of 18 years or above;
that said person is lawfully entitled to vote in such precinct
at that election; that said person is a member of the United
States Service, and that in the course of his duties said
person expects to be absent from his county of residence on the

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date of holding such election, and that said person will have
no opportunity to vote in person on that day.
I hereby make application for an official ballot or
ballots to be voted by said person at such election and said
person agrees that he shall return said ballot or ballots to
the election authority 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, or shall destroy said ballot or
ballots.
I hereby certify that I am the (mother, father, sister,
brother, husband or wife) of the said elector, and that I am a
registered voter in the election precinct for which this
application is made. (Strike all but one that is applicable.)
Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Article 29
of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
Name of applicant ......................
Residence address ........................
City/village/township........................
Service address to which ballot should be mailed:
.........................
.........................
.........................
........................"
If application is made for a primary election ballot, such

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application shall designate the name of the political party
with which the person for whom application is made is
affiliated.
Such applications may be obtained from the election
authority having jurisdiction over the voting precinct in
which the person for whom application is made is entitled to
vote.
(Source: P.A. 101-270, eff. 1-1-21; 102-292, eff. 1-1-22.)
(10 ILCS 5/20-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 20-4)
Sec. 20-4. Immediately upon the receipt of the official
postcard or an application as provided in Section 20-3 within
the times heretofore prescribed, the election authority shall
ascertain whether or not such applicant is legally entitled to
vote as requested, including verification of the applicant's
signature by comparison with the signature on the official
registration record card, if any. If the election authority
ascertains that the applicant is lawfully entitled to vote, it
shall enter the name, street address, ward and precinct number
of such applicant on a list to be posted in his or its office
in a place accessible to the public. Within one day after
posting the name and other information of an applicant for a
ballot, the election authority shall transmit that name and
posted information to the State Board of Elections, which
shall maintain the names and other information in an
electronic format on its website, arranged by county and

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accessible to State and local political committees. As soon as
the official ballot is prepared the election authority shall
immediately deliver the same to the applicant in person, by
mail, by facsimile transmission, or by electronic transmission
as provided in Section 20-4.5, when applicable, and this
Article.
If any such election authority receives a second or
additional application which it believes is from the same
person, he or it shall submit it to the chief judge of the
circuit court or any judge of that court designated by the
chief judge. If the chief judge or his designate determines
that the application submitted to him is a second or
additional one, he shall so notify the election authority who
shall disregard the second or additional application.
The election authority shall maintain a list for each
election of the voters to whom it has issued vote by mail
ballots. The list shall be maintained for each precinct within
the jurisdiction of the election authority. Prior to the
opening of the polls on election day, the election authority
shall deliver to the judges of election in each precinct the
list of registered voters in that precinct to whom vote by mail
ballots have been issued.
Election authorities may transmit by facsimile or other
electronic means a ballot simultaneously with transmitting an
application for vote by mail ballot; however, no such ballot
shall be counted unless an application has been completed by

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the voter and the election authority ascertains that the
applicant is lawfully entitled to vote as provided in this
Section.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/20-4.5 new)
Sec. 20-4.5. Primary ballots.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person
entitled to vote by absentee ballot in a primary election
shall not be required to declare his or her political party
affiliation and shall be provided with a ballot including all
candidates for offices, regardless of the party affiliation of
the candidates, for which the absentee voter is entitled to
vote in that primary election.
(b) With respect to the marking, casting, and counting of
primary ballots, absentee voting shall be conducted in
accordance with Sections 7-43 and 7-44 and any other
provisions of this Article.
(c) When voting absentee at a primary, the voter shall be
instructed to discard or otherwise destroy any ballot that the
voter does not intend to cast. A discarded or destroyed ballot
is not the ballot the voter agreed in the absentee ballot
application to return to the election authority.
(10 ILCS 5/20-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 20-5)
Sec. 20-5. The election authority shall fold the ballot or

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ballots in the manner specified by the statute for folding
ballots prior to their deposit in the ballot box and shall
enclose such ballot in an envelope unsealed to be furnished by
it, which envelope shall bear upon the face thereof the name,
official title and post office address of the election
authority, and upon the other side of such envelope there
shall be printed a certification in substantially the
following form:
"CERTIFICATION
I state that I am a resident/former resident of the
....... precinct of the city/village/township of ............,
(Designation to be made by Election Authority) or of the ....
ward in the city of ........... (Designation to be made by
Election Authority) residing at ................ in said
city/village/township in the county of ........... and State
of Illinois; that I am a
1. ( ) member of the United States Service
2. ( ) citizen of the United States temporarily residing
outside the territorial limits of the United States
3. ( ) nonresident civilian citizen
and desire to cast the enclosed ballot pursuant to Article 20
of the Election Code; that I am lawfully entitled to vote in
such precinct at the ........... election to be held on
............
I further state that I marked the enclosed ballot in
secret.

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Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Article 29
of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
statements set forth in this certification are true and
correct.
...............(Name)
.....................
(Service Address)
.....................
.....................
....................."
If the ballot enclosed is to be voted at a primary
election, the certification shall designate the name of the
political party with which the voter is affiliated.
In addition to the above, the election authority shall
provide printed slips giving full instructions regarding the
manner of completing the forms and affidavits for registration
by mail or the manner of marking and returning the ballot in
order that the same may be counted, and shall furnish one of
the printed slips to each of the applicants at the same time
the registration materials or ballot is delivered to him.
In addition to the above, if a ballot to be provided to an
elector pursuant to this Section contains a public question
described in subsection (b) of Section 28-6 and the territory
concerning which the question is to be submitted is not
described on the ballot due to the space limitations of such
ballot, the election authority shall provide a printed copy of

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a notice of the public question, which shall include a
description of the territory in the manner required by Section
16-7. The notice shall be furnished to the elector at the same
time the ballot is delivered to the elector.
The envelope in which such registration or such ballot is
mailed to the voter as well as the envelope in which the
registration materials or the ballot is returned by the voter
shall have printed across the face thereof two parallel
horizontal red bars, each one-quarter inch wide, extending
from one side of the envelope to the other side, with an
intervening space of one-quarter inch, the top bar to be one
and one-quarter inches from the top of the envelope, and with
the words "Official Election Balloting Material-VIA AIR MAIL"
between the bars. In the upper right corner of such envelope in
a box, there shall be printed the words: "U.S. Postage Paid 42
USC 1973". All printing on the face of such envelopes shall be
in red, including an appropriate inscription or blank in the
upper left corner of return address of sender.
The envelope in which the ballot is returned to the
election authority may be delivered (i) by mail, postage paid,
(ii) in person, by the spouse, parent, child, brother, or
sister of the voter, or (iii) by a company engaged in the
business of making deliveries of property and licensed as a
motor carrier of property by the Illinois Commerce Commission
under the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law.
Election authorities transmitting ballots by facsimile or

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electronic transmission shall, to the extent possible, provide
those applicants with the same instructions, certification,
and other materials required when sending by mail.
(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)
(10 ILCS 5/20-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 20-8)
Sec. 20-8. Time and place of counting ballots.
(a) (Blank.)
(b) Each vote by mail voter's ballot returned to an
election authority, by any means authorized by this Article,
and received by that election authority may be processed by
the election authority beginning on the day it is received by
the election authority in the central ballot counting location
of the election authority, but the results of the processing
may not be counted until the day of the election after 7:00
p.m., except as provided in subsections (g) and (g-5).
(c) Each vote by mail voter's ballot that is mailed to an
election authority and postmarked no later than election day,
but that is received by the election authority after the polls
close on election day and before the close of the period for
counting provisional ballots cast at that election, shall be
endorsed by the receiving authority with the day and hour of
receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot counting
location of the election authority during the period for
counting provisional ballots.
Each vote by mail voter's ballot that is mailed to an

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election authority absent a postmark or a barcode usable with
an intelligent mail barcode tracking system, but that is
received by the election authority after the polls close on
election day and before the close of the period for counting
provisional ballots cast at that election, shall be endorsed
by the receiving authority with the day and hour of receipt,
opened to inspect the date inserted on the certification, and,
if the certification date is election day or earlier and the
ballot is otherwise found to be valid under the requirements
of this Section, counted at the central ballot counting
location of the election authority during the period for
counting provisional ballots. Absent a date on the
certification, the ballot shall not be counted.
If an election authority is using an intelligent mail
barcode tracking system, a ballot that is mailed to an
election authority absent a postmark may be counted if the
intelligent mail barcode tracking system verifies the envelope
was mailed no later than election day.
(d) Special write-in vote by mail voter's blank ballots
returned to an election authority, by any means authorized by
this Article, and received by the election authority at any
time before the closing of the polls on election day shall be
endorsed by the receiving election authority with the day and
hour of receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot
counting location of the election authority during the same
period provided for counting vote by mail voters' ballots

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under subsections (b), (g), and (g-5). Special write-in vote
by mail voter's blank ballot that are mailed to an election
authority and postmarked no later than election day, but that
are received by the election authority after the polls close
on election day and before the closing of the period for
counting provisional ballots cast at that election, shall be
endorsed by the receiving authority with the day and hour of
receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot counting
location of the election authority during the same periods
provided for counting vote by mail voters' ballots under
subsection (c).
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, vote by
mail voters' ballots and special write-in vote by mail voter's
blank ballots received by the election authority after the
closing of the polls on the day of election shall be endorsed
by the person receiving the ballots with the day and hour of
receipt and shall be safely kept unopened by the election
authority for the period of time required for the preservation
of ballots used at the election, and shall then, without being
opened, be destroyed in like manner as the used ballots of that
election.
(f) Counting required under this Section to begin on
election day after the closing of the polls shall commence no
later than 8:00 p.m. and shall be conducted by a panel or
panels of election judges appointed in the manner provided by
law. The counting shall continue until all vote by mail

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voters' ballots and special write-in vote by mail voter's
blank ballots required to be counted on election day have been
counted.
(g) The procedures set forth in Articles 17 and 18 and,
with respect to primary elections, the procedures set forth in
Section 20-4.5, of this Code shall apply to all ballots
counted under this Section. In addition, within 2 days after a
ballot subject to this Article is received, but in all cases
before the close of the period for counting provisional
ballots, the election judge or official shall compare the
voter's signature on the certification envelope of that ballot
with the signature of the voter on file in the office of the
election authority. If the election judge or official
determines that the 2 signatures match, and that the voter is
otherwise qualified to cast a ballot under this Article, the
election authority shall cast and count the ballot on election
day or the day the ballot is determined to be valid, whichever
is later, adding the results to the precinct in which the voter
is registered. If the election judge or official determines
that the signatures do not match, or that the voter is not
qualified to cast a ballot under this Article, then without
opening the certification envelope, the judge or official
shall mark across the face of the certification envelope the
word "Rejected" and shall not cast or count the ballot.
In addition to the voter's signatures not matching, a
ballot subject to this Article may be rejected by the election

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judge or official:
(1) if the ballot envelope is open or has been opened
and resealed;
(2) if the voter has already cast an early or grace
period ballot;
(3) if the voter voted in person on election day or the
voter is not a duly registered voter in the precinct; or
(4) on any other basis set forth in this Code.
If the election judge or official determines that any of
these reasons apply, the judge or official shall mark across
the face of the certification envelope the word "Rejected" and
shall not cast or count the ballot.
(g-5) If a ballot subject to this Article is rejected by
the election judge or official for any reason, the election
authority shall, within 2 days after the rejection but in all
cases before the close of the period for counting provisional
ballots, notify the voter that his or her ballot was rejected.
The notice shall inform the voter of the reason or reasons the
ballot was rejected and shall state that the voter may appear
before the election authority, on or before the 14th day after
the election, to show cause as to why the ballot should not be
rejected. The voter may present evidence to the election
authority supporting his or her contention that the ballot
should be counted. The election authority shall appoint a
panel of 3 election judges to review the contested ballot,
application, and certification envelope, as well as any

SB2158 - 83 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
evidence submitted by the vote by mail voter. No more than 2
election judges on the reviewing panel shall be of the same
political party. The reviewing panel of election judges shall
make a final determination as to the validity of the contested
ballot. The judges' determination shall not be reviewable
either administratively or judicially.
A ballot subject to this subsection that is determined to
be valid shall be counted before the close of the period for
counting provisional ballots.
(g-10) All ballots determined to be valid shall be added
to the vote totals for the precincts for which they were cast
in the order in which the ballots were opened.
(h) Each political party, candidate, and qualified civic
organization shall be entitled to have present one pollwatcher
for each panel of election judges therein assigned.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15; 99-522, eff. 6-30-16.)
(10 ILCS 5/24A-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-5)
Sec. 24A-5. In precincts where an electronic voting system
is used, a sufficient number of voting booths shall be
provided for the use of such systems according to the
requirements determined by the State Board of Elections, and
the booths shall be arranged in the same manner as provided for
use with paper ballots. Each such booth shall be placed so that
the entrance to each booth faces a wall in such a manner that
no judge of election or pollwatcher is able to observe a voter

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casting a ballot.
Whenever at a primary election at which an electronic
voting system is used there is also an election for officers or
on propositions in which qualified voters have the right to
vote without participating in the primary of any party, a
separate voting booth may be provided for those voters who do
not wish to participate in the primary of any party. Such
determination shall be made by resolution of the county board,
municipal board of election commissioners or county board of
election commissioners, whichever is applicable. Unless paper
ballots are used for such other election, such separate voting
booth shall contain a ballot label booklet containing only
those officers and propositions on which such voters are
entitled to vote.
(Source: P.A. 84-659.)
(10 ILCS 5/24A-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-6)
Sec. 24A-6. The ballot information, whether placed on the
ballot or on the marking device, shall, as far as practicable,
be in the order of arrangement provided for paper ballots,
except that such information may be in vertical or horizontal
rows, or in a number of separate pages. Ballots for all
questions or propositions to be voted on must be provided in
the same manner and must be arranged on or in the marking
device or on the ballot sheet in the places provided for such
purposes.

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When an electronic voting system utilizes a ballot label
booklet and ballot card, ballots for candidates, ballots
calling for a constitutional convention, constitutional
amendment ballots, judicial retention ballots, public
measures, and all propositions to be voted upon may be placed
on the electronic voting device by providing in the ballot
booklet separate ballot label pages or series of pages
distinguished by differing colors as provided below. When an
electronic voting system utilizes a ballot sheet, ballots
calling for a constitutional convention, constitutional
amendment ballots and judicial retention ballots shall be
placed on the ballot sheet by providing a separate portion of
the ballot sheet for each such kind of ballot which shall be
printed in ink of a color distinct from the color of ink used
in printing any other portion of the ballot sheet. Ballots for
candidates, public measures and all other propositions to be
voted upon shall be placed on the ballot sheet by providing a
separate portion of the ballot sheet for each such kind of
ballot. Whenever a person has submitted a declaration of
intent to be a write-in candidate as required in Sections
17-16.1 and 18-9.1, a line on which the name of a candidate may
be written by the voter shall be printed below the name of the
last candidate nominated for such office, and immediately to
the left of such line an area shall be provided for marking a
vote for such write-in candidate. The number of write-in lines
for an office shall equal the number of persons who have filed

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declarations of intent to be write-in candidates plus an
additional line or lines for write-in candidates who 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" next to the name of the
candidate, up to the number of candidates for which a voter may
vote. More than one amendment to the constitution may be
placed on the same ballot page or series of pages or on the
same portion of the ballot sheet, as the case may be. Ballot
label pages for constitutional conventions or constitutional
amendments shall be on paper of blue color and shall precede
all other ballot label pages in the ballot label booklet. More
than one public measure or proposition may be placed on the
same ballot label page or series of pages or on the same
portion of the ballot sheet, as the case may be. More than one
proposition for retention of judges in office may be placed on
the same ballot label page or series of pages or on the same
portion of the ballot sheet, as the case may be. Ballot label
pages for candidates shall be on paper of white color, except
that in primary elections the ballot label page or pages for
the candidates of each respective political party shall be of
the color designated by the election official in charge of the
election for that political party's candidates; provided that
the ballot label pages or pages for candidates for use at the
nonpartisan and consolidated elections may be on paper of
different colors, except blue, whenever necessary or desirable

SB2158 - 87 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
to facilitate distinguishing between the pages for different
political subdivisions. On each page of the candidate booklet,
where the election is made to list ballot information
vertically, the party affiliation of each candidate or the
word "independent" shall appear immediately to the left of the
candidate's name, and the name of candidates for the same
office shall be listed vertically under the title of that
office. 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". In
the case of nonpartisan elections for officers of political
subdivisions, unless the statute or an ordinance adopted
pursuant to Article VII of the Constitution requires
otherwise, the listing of such nonpartisan candidates shall
not include any party or "independent" designation. Ballot
label pages for judicial retention ballots shall be on paper
of green color, and ballot label pages for all public measures
and other propositions shall be on paper of some other
distinct and different color. In primary elections, a separate
ballot label booklet, marking device and voting booth shall be
used for each political party holding a primary, with the
ballot label booklet arranged to include ballot label pages of
the candidates of the party and public measures and other
propositions to be voted upon on the day of the primary
election. One ballot card may be used for recording the

SB2158 - 88 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
voter's vote or choice on all such ballots, proposals, public
measures or propositions, and such ballot card shall be
arranged so as to record the voter's vote or choice in a
separate column or columns for each such kind of ballot,
proposal, public measure or proposition.
If the ballot label booklet includes both candidates for
office and public measures or propositions to be voted on, the
election official in charge of the election shall divide the
pages by protruding tabs identifying the division of the
pages, and printing on such tabs "Candidates" and
"Propositions".
The ballot card and all of its columns and the ballot card
envelope shall be of the color prescribed for candidate's
ballots at the general or primary election, whichever is being
held. At an election where no candidates are being nominated
or elected, the ballot card, its columns, and the ballot card
envelope shall be of a color designated by the election
official in charge of the election.
The ballot cards, ballot card envelopes and ballot sheets
may, at the discretion of the election authority, be printed
on white paper and then striped with the appropriate colors.
When ballot sheets are used, the various portions thereof
shall be arranged to conform to the foregoing format.
Vote by mail ballots may consist of ballot cards,
envelopes, paper ballots, or ballot sheets. Where a ballot
card is used for voting by mail it must be accompanied by a

SB2158 - 89 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
punching tool or other appropriate marking device, voter
instructions and a specimen ballot showing the proper
positions to vote on the ballot card or ballot sheet for each
party, candidate, proposal, public measure or proposition, and
in the case of a ballot card must be mounted on a suitable
material to receive the punched out chip.
Any voter who spoils his ballot or makes an error may
return the ballot to the judges of election and secure
another. However, the protruding identifying tab for proposals
for a constitutional convention or constitutional amendments
shall have printed thereon "Constitutional Ballot", and the
ballot label page or pages for such proposals shall precede
the ballot label pages for candidates in the ballot label
booklet.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/24B-6)
Sec. 24B-6. Ballot Information; Arrangement; Electronic
Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology Voting System;
Vote by Mail Ballots; Spoiled Ballots. The ballot
information, shall, as far as practicable, be in the order of
arrangement provided for paper ballots, except that the
information may be in vertical or horizontal rows, or on a
number of separate pages or displays on the marking device.
Ballots for all questions or propositions to be voted on
should be provided in a similar manner and must be arranged on

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the ballot sheet or marking device in the places provided for
such purposes. Ballots shall be of white paper unless provided
otherwise by administrative rule of the State Board of
Elections or otherwise specified.
All propositions, including but not limited to
propositions calling for a constitutional convention,
constitutional amendment, judicial retention, and public
measures to be voted upon shall be placed on separate portions
of the ballot sheet or marking device by utilizing borders or
grey screens. Candidates shall be listed on a separate portion
of the ballot sheet or marking device by utilizing borders or
grey screens. Whenever a person has submitted a declaration of
intent to be a write-in candidate as required in Sections
17-16.1 and 18-9.1, a line or lines on which the voter may
select a write-in candidate shall be printed below the name of
the last candidate nominated for such office. Such line or
lines shall be proximate to an area provided for marking votes
for the write-in candidate or candidates. The number of
write-in lines for an office shall equal the number of persons
who have filed declarations of intent to be write-in
candidates plus an additional line or lines for write-in
candidates who 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"
next to the name of that candidate, up to the number of
candidates for which a voter may vote. In the case of write-in

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lines for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, 2
lines shall be printed within a bracket and a single square
shall be printed in front of the bracket. More than one
amendment to the constitution may be placed on the same
portion of the ballot sheet or marking device. Constitutional
convention or constitutional amendment propositions shall be
printed or displayed on a separate portion of the ballot sheet
or marking device and designated by borders or grey screens,
unless otherwise provided by administrative rule of the State
Board of Elections. More than one public measure or
proposition may be placed on the same portion of the ballot
sheet or marking device. More than one proposition for
retention of judges in office may be placed on the same portion
of the ballot sheet or marking device. Names of candidates
shall be printed in black. The party affiliation of each
candidate or the word "independent" shall appear near or under
the candidate's name, and the names of candidates for the same
office shall be listed vertically under the title of that
office, on separate pages of the marking device, or as
otherwise approved by the State Board of Elections. 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". In the case of
nonpartisan elections for officers of political subdivisions,
unless the statute or an ordinance adopted pursuant to Article

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VII of the Constitution requires otherwise, the listing of
nonpartisan candidates shall not include any party or
"independent" designation. Judicial retention questions and
ballot questions for all public measures and other
propositions shall be designated by borders or grey screens on
the ballot or marking device. In primary elections, a separate
ballot, or displays on the marking device, shall be used for
each political party holding a primary, with the ballot or
marking device arranged to include names of the candidates of
the party and public measures and other propositions to be
voted upon on the day of the primary election.
If the ballot includes both candidates for office and
public measures or propositions to be voted on, the election
official in charge of the election shall divide the ballot or
displays on the marking device in sections for "Candidates"
and "Propositions", or separate ballots may be used.
Vote by Mail ballots may consist of envelopes, paper
ballots, or ballot sheets. Where a Precinct Tabulation Optical
Scan Technology ballot is used for voting by mail it must be
accompanied by voter instructions.
Any voter who spoils his or her ballot, makes an error, or
has a ballot returned by the automatic tabulating equipment
may return the ballot to the judges of election and get another
ballot.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)

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(10 ILCS 5/24C-6)
Sec. 24C-6. Ballot Information; Arrangement; Direct
Recording Electronic Voting System; Vote by Mail Ballots;
Spoiled Ballots. The ballot information, shall, as far as
practicable, be in the order of arrangement provided for paper
ballots, except that the information may be in vertical or
horizontal rows, or on a number of separate pages or display
screens.
Ballots for all public questions to be voted on should be
provided in a similar manner and must be arranged on the ballot
in the places provided for such purposes. All public
questions, including but not limited to public questions
calling for a constitutional convention, constitutional
amendment, or judicial retention, shall be placed on the
ballot separate and apart from candidates. Ballots for all
public questions shall be clearly designated by borders or
different color screens. More than one amendment to the
constitution may be placed on the same portion of the ballot
sheet. Constitutional convention or constitutional amendment
propositions shall be placed on a separate portion of the
ballot and designated by borders or unique color screens,
unless otherwise provided by administrative rule of the State
Board of Elections. More than one public question may be
placed on the same portion of the ballot. More than one
proposition for retention of judges in office may be placed on
the same portion of the ballot.

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The party affiliation, if any, of each candidate or the
word "independent", where applicable, shall appear near or
under the candidate's name, and the names of candidates for
the same office shall be listed vertically under the title of
that office. In the case of nonpartisan elections for officers
of political subdivisions, unless the statute or an ordinance
adopted pursuant to Article VII of the Constitution requires
otherwise, the listing of nonpartisan candidates shall not
include any party or "independent" designation. 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 shall print "No Candidate". In primary elections, a
separate ballot shall be used for each political party holding
a primary, with the ballot arranged to include names of the
candidates of the party and public questions and other
propositions to be voted upon on the day of the primary
election.
If the ballot includes both candidates for office and
public questions or propositions to be voted on, the election
official in charge of the election shall divide the ballot in
sections for "Candidates" and "Public Questions", or separate
ballots may be used.
Any voter who spoils his or her ballot, makes an error, or
has a ballot rejected by the automatic tabulating equipment
shall be provided a means of correcting the ballot or

SB2158 - 95 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
obtaining a new ballot prior to casting his or her ballot.
Any election authority using a Direct Recording Electronic
Voting System may use voting systems approved for use under
Articles 24A or 24B of this Code in conducting vote by mail or
early voting.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/24C-11)
Sec. 24C-11. Functional requirements. A Direct Recording
Electronic Voting System shall, in addition to satisfying the
other requirements of this Article, fulfill the following
functional requirements:
(a) Provide a voter in a primary election with the means of
casting a ballot containing votes for any and all candidates
of the party or parties of his or her choice, and for any and
all non-partisan candidates and public questions and preclude
the voter from voting for any candidate of any other political
party except when legally permitted. In a general election,
the system shall provide the voter with means of selecting the
appropriate number of candidates for any office, and of voting
on any public question on the ballot to which he or she is
entitled to vote.
(b) If a voter is not entitled to vote for particular
candidates or public questions appearing on the ballot, the
system shall prevent the selection of the prohibited votes.
(c) Once the proper ballot has been selected, the system

SB2158 - 96 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
devices shall provide a means of enabling the recording of
votes and the casting of said ballot.
(d) System voting devices shall provide voting choices
that are clear to the voter and labels indicating the names of
every candidate and the text of every public question on the
voter's ballot. Each label shall identify the selection button
or switch, or the active area of the ballot associated with it.
The system shall be able to incorporate minimal,
easy-to-follow on-screen instruction for the voter on how to
cast a ballot.
(e) Voting devices shall (i) enable the voter to vote for
any and all candidates and public questions appearing on the
ballot for which the voter is lawfully entitled to vote, in any
legal number and combination; (ii) detect and reject all votes
for an office or upon a public question when the voter has cast
more votes for the office or upon the public question than the
voter is entitled to cast; (iii) notify the voter if the
voter's choices as recorded on the ballot for an office or
public question are fewer than or exceed the number that the
voter is entitled to vote for on that office or public question
and the effect of casting more or fewer votes than legally
permitted; (iv) notify the voter if the voter has failed to
completely cast a vote for an office or public question
appearing on the ballot; and (v) permit the voter, in a private
and independent manner, to verify the votes selected by the
voter, to change the ballot or to correct any error on the

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ballot before the ballot is completely cast and counted. A
means shall be provided to indicate each selection after it
has been made or canceled.
(f) System voting devices shall provide a means for the
voter to signify that the selection of candidates and public
questions has been completed. Upon activation, the system
shall record an image of the completed ballot, increment the
proper ballot position registers, and shall signify to the
voter that the ballot has been cast. The system shall then
prevent any further attempt to vote until it has been reset or
re-enabled by a judge of election.
(g) Each system voting device shall be equipped with a
public counter that can be set to zero prior to the opening of
the polling place, and that records the number of ballots cast
at a particular election. The counter shall be incremented
only by the casting of a ballot. The counter shall be designed
to prevent disabling or resetting by other than authorized
persons after the polls close. The counter shall be visible to
all judges of election so long as the device is installed at
the polling place.
(h) Each system voting device shall be equipped with a
protective counter that records all of the testing and
election ballots cast since the unit was built. This counter
shall be designed so that its reading cannot be changed by any
cause other than the casting of a ballot. The protective
counter shall be incapable of ever being reset and it shall be

SB2158 - 98 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
visible at all times when the device is configured for
testing, maintenance, or election use.
(i) All system devices shall provide a means of preventing
further voting once the polling place has closed and after all
eligible voters have voted. Such means of control shall
incorporate a visible indication of system status. Each device
shall prevent any unauthorized use, prevent tampering with
ballot labels and preclude its re-opening once the poll
closing has been completed for that election.
(j) The system shall produce a printed summary report of
the votes cast upon each voting device. Until the proper
sequence of events associated with closing the polling place
has been completed, the system shall not allow the printing of
a report or the extraction of data. The printed report shall
also contain all system audit information to be required by
the election authority. Data shall not be altered or otherwise
destroyed by report generation and the system shall ensure the
integrity and security of data for a period of at least 6
months after the polls close.
(k) If more than one voting device is used in a polling
place, the system shall provide a means to manually or
electronically consolidate the data from all such units into a
single report even if different voting systems are used to
record ballots. The system shall also be capable of merging
the vote tabulation results produced by other vote tabulation
systems, if necessary.

SB2158 - 99 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
(l) System functions shall be implemented such that
unauthorized access to them is prevented and the execution of
authorized functions in an improper sequence is precluded.
System functions shall be executable only in the intended
manner and order, and only under the intended conditions. If
the preconditions to a system function have not been met, the
function shall be precluded from executing by the system's
control logic.
(m) All system voting devices shall incorporate at least 3
memories in the machine itself and in its programmable memory
devices.
(n) The system shall include capabilities of recording and
reporting the date and time of normal and abnormal events and
of maintaining a permanent record of audit information that
cannot be turned off. Provisions shall be made to detect and
record significant events (e.g., casting a ballot, error
conditions that cannot be disposed of by the system itself,
time-dependent or programmed events that occur without the
intervention of the voter or a judge of election).
(o) The system and each system voting device must be
capable of creating, printing and maintaining a permanent
paper record and an electronic image of each ballot that is
cast such that records of individual ballots are maintained by
a subsystem independent and distinct from the main vote
detection, interpretation, processing and reporting path. The
electronic images of each ballot must protect the integrity of

SB2158 - 100 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
the data and the anonymity of each voter, for example, by means
of storage location scrambling. The ballot image records may
be either machine-readable or manually transcribed, or both,
at the discretion of the election authority.
(p) The system shall include built-in test, measurement
and diagnostic software and hardware for detecting and
reporting the system's status and degree of operability.
(q) The system shall contain provisions for maintaining
the integrity of memory voting and audit data during an
election and for a period of at least 6 months thereafter and
shall provide the means for creating an audit trail.
(r) The system shall be fully accessible so as to permit
blind or visually impaired voters as well as voters with
physical disabilities to exercise their right to vote in
private and without assistance.
(s) The system shall provide alternative language
accessibility if required pursuant to Section 203 of the
Voting Rights Act of 1965.
(t) Each voting device shall enable a voter to vote for a
person whose name does not appear on the ballot.
(u) The system shall record and count accurately each vote
properly cast for or against any candidate and for or against
any public question, including the names of all candidates
whose names are written in by the voters.
(v) The system shall allow for accepting provisional
ballots and for separating such provisional ballots from

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precinct totals until authorized by the election authority.
(w) The system shall provide an effective audit trail as
defined in Section 24C-2 in this Code.
(x) The system shall be suitably designed for the purpose
used, be durably constructed, and be designed for safety,
accuracy and efficiency.
(y) The system shall comply with all provisions of
federal, State and local election laws and regulations and any
future modifications to those laws and regulations.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/25-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 25-10)
Sec. 25-10. This Section applies only to counties of
3,000,000 or more population. When a vacancy occurs in the
office of Clerk of the Circuit Court of any of the counties in
this State, it shall be the duty of the Circuit Judges of the
respective judicial circuit in which such vacancy may occur,
to make an appointment to fill the vacancy for the remainder of
the unexpired term. However, if more than 28 months remain in
the term, the appointment shall be until the next general
election, at which time a clerk of the circuit court shall be
elected for the balance of the unexpired term. The appointee
shall be a member of the same political party as the person he
succeeds was at the time of his election and shall be otherwise
eligible to serve as Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Circuit
Judges may appoint a Clerk Pro Tempore for whatever period is

SB2158 - 102 - LRB104 10882 SPS 20964 b
necessary while reviewing the qualifications of candidates for
appointment to the office.
(Source: P.A. 90-672, eff. 7-31-98.)
(10 ILCS 5/Art. 10 rep.)
Section 10. The Election Code is amended by repealing
Article 10.