Bill Text: IL SB3207 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Allows an elector to be added to a list of permanent vote by mail status voters who receive an official vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections. Provides that voters whose application for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election authority shall remain on the permanent vote by mail list until the voter requests to be removed from permanent vote by mail status, the voter provides notice to the election authority of a change in registration, or the election authority receives confirmation that the voter has subsequently registered to vote in another county. Provides the notice to be sent by election authorities to all qualified voters before a general election for the option to be placed on the list of permanent vote by mail status voters. Provides the application form for permanent vote by mail status. Allows an election authority to combine the applications for single election vote by mail and permanent vote by mail status on one form. Makes conforming changes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2021-01-13 - Session Sine Die [SB3207 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SB3207-Introduced.html

---

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2019 and 2020 SB3207 Introduced 2/10/2020, by Sen. Bill Cunningham SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-2
10 ILCS 5/19-2.5 new
10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
Amends the Election Code. Allows an elector to be added to a list of permanent vote by mail status voters who receive an official vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections. Provides that voters whose application for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election authority shall remain on the permanent vote by mail list until the voter requests to be removed from permanent vote by mail status, the voter provides notice to the election authority of a change in registration, or the election authority receives confirmation that the voter has subsequently registered to vote in another county. Provides the notice to be sent by election authorities to all qualified voters before a general election for the option to be placed on the list of permanent vote by mail status voters. Provides the application form for permanent vote by mail status. Allows an election authority to combine the applications for single election vote by mail and permanent vote by mail status on one form. Makes conforming changes.
LRB101 18003 SMS 67441 b
A BILL FOR
SB3207 LRB101 18003 SMS 67441 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 19-2 and 19-3 and by adding Section 19-2.5 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/19-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2)
Sec. 19-2. Any elector as defined in Section 19-1 may by
mail or electronically on the website of the appropriate
election authority, not more than 90 nor less than 5 days prior
to the date of such election, or by personal delivery not more
than 90 nor less than one day prior to the date of such
election, make application to the county clerk or to the Board
of Election Commissioners for an official ballot for the
voter's precinct to be voted at such election, or be added to a
list of permanent vote by mail status voters who receive an
official vote by mail ballot for subsequent elections. Voters
who make an application for permanent vote by mail ballot
status shall follow the procedures specified in Section 19-3.
Voters whose application for permanent vote by mail status is
accepted by the election authority shall remain on the
permanent vote by mail list until the voter requests to be
removed from permanent vote by mail status, the voter provides
notice to the election authority of a change in registration,

SB3207 - 2 - LRB101 18003 SMS 67441 b
or the election authority receives confirmation that the voter
has subsequently registered to vote in another county. The URL
address at which voters may electronically request a vote by
mail ballot shall be fixed no later than 90 calendar days
before an election and shall not be changed until after the
election. Such a ballot shall be delivered to the elector only
upon separate application by the elector for each election.
(Source: P.A. 97-81, eff. 7-5-11; 98-115, eff. 7-29-13; 98-691,
eff. 7-1-14; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-2.5 new)
Sec. 19-2.5. Notice for vote by mail ballot. An election
authority shall notify all qualified voters, not more than 90
days nor less than 45 days before a general election, of the
option for permanent vote by mail status using the following
notice and including the application for permanent vote by mail
status in subsection (b) of Section 19-3:
"You may apply to permanently be placed on vote by mail
status using the attached application.".
(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

SB3207 - 3 - LRB101 18003 SMS 67441 b
State of Illinois, in the .... precinct of the (1) *township of
.... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in the City of ....
I state that I am a resident of the .... precinct of the
(1) *township of .... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in
the city of .... residing at .... in such city or town in the
county of .... and State of Illinois; that I have lived at such
address for .... month(s) last past; that I am lawfully
entitled to vote in such precinct at the .... election to be
held therein on ....; and that I wish to vote by vote by mail
ballot.
I hereby make application for an official ballot or ballots
to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I shall
return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing the same
prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the election
or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than election day,
for counting no later than during the period for counting
provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th day
following election day.
I understand that this application is made for an official
vote by mail ballot or ballots to be voted by me at the
election specified in this application and that I must submit a
separate application for an official vote by mail ballot or
ballots to be voted by me at any subsequent election.
Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section
29-10 of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
statements set forth in this application are true and correct.

SB3207 - 4 - LRB101 18003 SMS 67441 b
....
*fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
...............
(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
permanent vote by mail status.
I state that I am a resident of the City of .... residing
at .... in such city in the county of .... and State of
Illinois; that I have lived at such address for .... month(s)
last past; that I am lawfully entitled to vote in such precinct
at the .... election to be held therein on ....; and that I
wish to vote by vote by mail ballot 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

SB3207 - 5 - LRB101 18003 SMS 67441 b
provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th day
following election day.
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.
....
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
.............................................................
(c) 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 this 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 the application under this
Section for vote by mail ballot. If applications are sent to a
post office box controlled by any individual or organization
that is not an election authority, those applications shall (i)

SB3207 - 6 - LRB101 18003 SMS 67441 b
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 for vote by mail ballot
submitted in a form substantially similar to that required by
this Section, including any substantially similar production
or reproduction generated by the applicant.
(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. 99-522, eff. 6-30-16; 100-623, eff. 7-20-18.)