(10 ILCS 5/Art. 5 heading)
(10 ILCS 5/5-1) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-1)
Sec. 5-1. Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful for any person residing in a county containing a population of 500,000 or more, to vote at any election, unless such person is at the time of such election a registered voter under the requirements of this Article 5 or is exempt under Section 5-29.01 from registration. Provided, that this Article 5 shall not apply to electors residing in cities, villages, and incorporated towns in this State which have adopted or are operating under Article 6, 14 and 18 of this Act, or to electors voting pursuant to Article 20 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-2)
Sec. 5-2. No person shall be entitled to be registered in and from any precinct unless such person shall by the date of the election next following have resided in the State and within the precinct 30 days and be otherwise qualified to vote at such election. Every applicant who shall be 18 years of age or over on the day of the next election shall be permitted to register, if otherwise qualified. To constitute residence under this Article 5 Article 3 is controlling.
(Source: P.A. 81-953.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-3)
Sec. 5-3. The Board of County Commissioners shall appoint the place of registry in each precinct for any precinct registration under Section 5-17 of this Article 5. Such place or places shall be in the most public, orderly and convenient portions thereof; and no building or part of a building shall be designated or used as a place of registry, in which spirituous or intoxicating liquor is sold. The County Clerk may demand of the Chief of Police of each city, village or incorporated town, or the Sheriff to furnish officers of the law to attend during the progress of any registration at any place or places of registration designated by the County Commissioners.
Such officers of the law shall be furnished by the Chief of Police or Sheriff and shall be stationed in the place or places of registration in such manner as the County Clerk shall direct, and during such assignment shall be under the direction and control of the County Clerk.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 1200.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-4)
Sec. 5-4. The County Clerk shall be ex-officio the registration officer of such county and shall have full charge and control of the registration of voters within such county where this Article 5 is in effect. The clerk and a duly appointed deputy clerk of each city, village, incorporated town and township in which all or any part of the territory in which this Article 5 is in effect shall be deputy registration officers.
(Source: P.A. 83-1059.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-5)
Sec. 5-5. For the purpose of registering voters under this Article 5, in addition to the method provided for precinct registration under Sections 5-6 and 5-17 of this Article 5, the office of the county clerk shall be open between 9:00 a. m. and 5:00 p. m. on all days except Saturday, Sunday and holidays, but there shall be no registration at such office during the 35 days immediately preceding any election required to be held under the law but if no precinct registration is being conducted prior to any election then registration may be taken in the office of the county clerk up to and including the 28th day prior to an election. On Saturdays, the hours of registration shall be from 9:00 a. m. to 12:00 p. m. noon. During such 35 or 27 day period, registration of electors of political subdivisions wherein a regular, or special election is required to be held shall cease and shall not be resumed for the registration of electors of such political subdivisions until the second day following the day of such election. In any election called for the submission of the revision or alteration of, or the amendments to the Constitution, submitted by a Constitutional Convention, the final day for registration at the office of the election authority charged with the printing of the ballot of this election shall be the 15th day prior to the date of the election.
Each county clerk shall appoint one deputy for the purpose of accepting the registration of any voter who files an affidavit that he is physically unable to appear at any appointed place of registration. The county clerk shall designate a deputy to visit each person with a disability and shall accept the registration of each such person as if he had applied for registration at the office of the county clerk.
The offices of city, village, incorporated town and town clerks shall also be open for the purpose of registering voters residing in the territory in which this Article is in effect, and also, in the case of city, village and incorporated town clerks, for the purpose of registering voters residing in a portion of the city, village or incorporated town not located within the county, on all days on which the office of the county clerk is open for the registration of voters of such cities, villages, incorporated towns and townships.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-6)
Sec. 5-6. Subject to the provisions of Section 5-19 of this Article 5, in addition to the registration authorized at the offices of the County Clerk, city clerk, town clerk, incorporated town clerk and village clerk under Section 5-5 of this Article 5, and that provided by Section 5-17 of this Article 5, there shall be three days of re-registration in each precinct as established by the Board of County Commissioners for county and township elections. The first of said three days of re-registration shall be Friday, September 15, 1961; the second of said three days of re-registration shall be Friday, October 13, 1961 and the third of said three days of re-registration shall be Tuesday, March 13, 1962. On each of the said three days of re-registration the registration places shall open at eight o'clock a. m. and remain open until nine o'clock p. m. It shall be the duty of the County Board to appoint the place of registry in each precinct and the provisions of Section 5-3 of this Article 5 shall apply thereto.
The re-registration provided by this Article 5 shall constitute a permanent registration subject to revision and alteration in the manner hereinafter provided. All registrations shall be upon registration record cards provided by the County Clerk in accordance with the provisions of this Article 5.
Immediately following the first day of precinct re-registration in 1961, all permanent registration records compiled prior to September 15, 1961, shall be destroyed if no election contest is pending in which such records are material.
(Source: Laws 1959, p. 1919.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-7)
Sec. 5-7. The county clerk shall provide a sufficient number of blank forms for the registration of electors which shall be known as registration record cards and which shall consist of loose leaf sheets or cards, of suitable size to contain in plain writing and figures the data hereinafter required thereon or shall consist of computer cards of suitable nature to contain the data required thereon. The registration record cards, which shall include an affidavit of registration as hereinafter provided, shall be executed in duplicate.
The registration record card shall contain the following and such other information as the county clerk may think it proper to require for the identification of the applicant for registration:
Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial for such middle name, if any.
Sex.
Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue, or other location of the dwelling, including the apartment, unit or room number, if any, and in the case of a mobile home the lot number, and such additional clear and definite description as may be necessary to determine the exact location of the dwelling of the applicant, including post-office mailing address. In the case of a homeless individual, the individual's voting residence that is his or her mailing address shall be included on his or her registration record card.
Term of residence in the State of Illinois and the precinct. Which questions may be answered by the applicant stating, in excess of 30 days in the State and in excess of 30 days in the precinct.
Nativity. The State or country in which the applicant was born.
Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place and date of naturalization.
Date of application for registration, i.e., the day, month and year when applicant presented himself for registration.
Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.
Physical disability of the applicant, if any, at the time of registration, which would require assistance in voting.
The county and state in which the applicant was last registered.
Electronic mail address, if any.
Signature of voter. The applicant, after the registration and in the presence of a deputy registrar or other officer of registration shall be required to sign his or her name in ink or digitized form to the affidavit on the original and duplicate registration record card.
Signature of Deputy Registrar.
In case applicant is unable to sign his name, he may affix his mark to the affidavit. In such case the officer empowered to give the registration oath shall write a detailed description of the applicant in the space provided at the bottom of the card or sheet; and shall ask the following questions and record the answers thereto:
Father's first name .......................
Mother's first name .......................
From what address did you last register?
Reason for inability to sign name.
Each applicant for registration shall make an affidavit in substantially the following form:
I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States; that on the date of the next election I shall have resided in the State of Illinois and in the election precinct in which I reside 30 days; that I am fully qualified to vote. That I intend that this location shall be my residence and that the above statements are true. .............................. (His or her signature or mark)
Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).
.........................................
Signature of Registration Officer.
(To be signed in presence of Registrant.)
Space shall be provided upon the face of each registration record card for the notation of the voting record of the person registered thereon.
Each registration record card shall be numbered according to towns and precincts, wards, cities and villages, as the case may be, and may be serially or otherwise marked for identification in such manner as the county clerk may determine.
The registration cards shall be deemed public records and shall be open to inspection during regular business hours, except during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. On written request of any candidate or objector or any person intending to object to a petition, the election authority shall extend its hours for inspection of registration cards and other records of the election authority during the period beginning with the filing of petitions under Sections 7-10, 8-8, 10-6 or 28-3 and continuing through the termination of electoral board hearings on any objections to petitions containing signatures of registered voters in the jurisdiction of the election authority. The extension shall be for a period of hours sufficient to allow adequate opportunity for examination of the records but the election authority is not required to extend its hours beyond the period beginning at its normal opening for business and ending at midnight. If the business hours are so extended, the election authority shall post a public notice of such extended hours. Registration record cards may also be inspected, upon approval of the officer in charge of the cards, during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. Registration record cards shall also be open to inspection by certified judges and poll watchers and challengers at the polling place on election day, but only to the extent necessary to determine the question of the right of a person to vote or to serve as a judge of election. At no time shall poll watchers or challengers be allowed to physically handle the registration record cards.
Updated copies of computer tapes or computer discs or other electronic data processing information containing voter registration information shall be furnished by the county clerk within 10 days after December 15 and May 15 each year and within 10 days after each registration period is closed to the State Board of Elections in a form prescribed by the Board. For the purposes of this Section, a registration period is closed 27 days before the date of any regular or special election. Registration information shall include, but not be limited to, the following information: name, sex, residence, telephone number, if any, age, party affiliation, if applicable, precinct, ward, township, county, and representative, legislative and congressional districts. In the event of noncompliance, the State Board of Elections is directed to obtain compliance forthwith with this nondiscretionary duty of the election authority by instituting legal proceedings in the circuit court of the county in which the election authority maintains the registration information. The costs of furnishing updated copies of tapes or discs shall be paid at a rate of $.00034 per name of registered voters in the election jurisdiction, but not less than $50 per tape or disc and shall be paid from appropriations made to the State Board of Elections for reimbursement to the election authority for such purpose. The State Board shall furnish copies of such tapes, discs, other electronic data or compilations thereof to state political committees registered pursuant to the Illinois Campaign Finance Act or the Federal Election Campaign Act and to governmental entities, at their request and at a reasonable cost. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of voter registration information, the disclosure of electronic voter registration records to any person or entity other than to a State or local political committee and other than to a governmental entity for a governmental purpose is specifically prohibited except as follows: subject to security measures adopted by the State Board of Elections which, at a minimum, shall include the keeping of a catalog or database, available for public view, including the name, address, and telephone number of the person viewing the list as well as the time of that viewing, any person may view the centralized statewide voter registration list on a computer screen at the Springfield office of the State Board of Elections, during normal business hours other than during the 27 days before an election, but the person viewing the list under this exception may not print, duplicate, transmit, or alter the list. Copies of the tapes, discs or other electronic data shall be furnished by the county clerk to local political committees and governmental entities at their request and at a reasonable cost. Reasonable cost of the tapes, discs, et cetera for this purpose would be the cost of duplication plus 15% for administration. The individual representing a political committee requesting copies of such tapes shall make a sworn affidavit that the information shall be used only for bona fide political purposes, including by or for candidates for office or incumbent office holders. Such tapes, discs or other electronic data shall not be used under any circumstances by any political committee or individuals for purposes of commercial solicitation or other business purposes. If such tapes contain information on county residents related to the operations of county government in addition to registration information, that information shall not be used under any circumstances for commercial solicitation or other business purposes. The prohibition in this Section against using the computer tapes or computer discs or other electronic data processing information containing voter registration information for purposes of commercial solicitation or other business purposes shall be prospective only from the effective date of this amended Act of 1979. Any person who violates this provision shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.
The State Board of Elections shall promulgate, by October 1, 1987, such regulations as may be necessary to ensure uniformity throughout the State in electronic data processing of voter registration information. The regulations shall include, but need not be limited to, specifications for uniform medium, communications protocol and file structure to be employed by the election authorities of this State in the electronic data processing of voter registration information. Each election authority utilizing electronic data processing of voter registration information shall comply with such regulations on and after May 15, 1988.
If the applicant for registration was last registered in another county within this State, he shall also sign a certificate authorizing cancellation of the former registration. The certificate shall be in substantially the following form:
To the County Clerk of .... County, Illinois. To the Election Commission of the City of ...., Illinois.
This is to certify that I am registered in your (county) (city) and that my residence was .....
Having moved out of your (county) (city), I hereby authorize you to cancel said registration in your office.
Dated at .... Illinois, on (insert date). .................... (Signature of Voter) Attest ......, County Clerk, ........ County, Illinois.
The cancellation certificate shall be mailed immediately by the county clerk to the county clerk (or election commission as the case may be) where the applicant was formerly registered. Receipt of such certificate shall be full authority for cancellation of any previous registration.
(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 10-1-13; 99-522, eff. 6-30-16.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-7.01) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-7.01)
Sec. 5-7.01. If an applicant for registration reports a permanent physical disability which would require assistance in voting, the county clerk shall mark all his registration cards in the right margin on the front of the card with a band of ink running the full margin which shall be of contrast to, and easily distinguishable from, the color of the card. If an applicant for registration declares upon properly witnessed oath, with his signature or mark affixed, that he cannot read the English language and that he will require assistance in voting, all his registration cards shall be marked in a manner similar to the marking on the cards of a voter who requires assistance because of physical disability, except that the marking shall be of a different distinguishing color. Following each election the cards of any voter who has requested assistance as a voter with a disability, and has stated that the disability is permanent, or who has received assistance because of inability to read the English language, shall be marked in the same manner.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-7.02) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-7.02)
Sec. 5-7.02. Upon the issuance of a voter's identification card for persons with disabilities as provided in Section 19-12.1, the county clerk shall cause the identification number of such card to be clearly noted on all the registration cards of such voter.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-7.03) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-7.03)
Sec. 5-7.03. The State Board of Elections shall design a registration record card which, except as otherwise provided in this Section, shall be used in triplicate by all election authorities in the State, except those election authorities adopting a computer-based voter registration file authorized under Section 5-43. The Board shall prescribe the form and specifications, including but not limited to the weight of paper, color and print of such cards. Such cards shall contain boxes or spaces for the information required under Sections 5-7 and 5-28.1 of this Code; provided, that such cards shall also contain a box or space for the applicant's social security number, which shall be required to the extent allowed by law but in no case shall the applicant provide fewer than the last 4 digits of the social security number, and a box for the applicant's telephone number, if available.
Except for those election authorities adopting a computer-based voter registration file authorized under Section 5-43, the original and duplicate cards shall respectively constitute the master file and precinct binder registration records of the voter. A copy shall be given to the applicant upon completion of his or her registration or completed transfer of registration.
Whenever a voter moves to another precinct within the same election jurisdiction or to another election jurisdiction in the State, such voter may transfer his or her registration by presenting his or her copy to the election authority or a deputy registrar. If such voter is not in possession of or has lost his or her copy, he or she may effect a transfer of registration by executing an Affidavit of Cancellation of Previous Registration. In the case of a transfer of registration to a new election jurisdiction, the election authority shall transmit the voter's copy or such affidavit to the election authority of the voter's former election jurisdiction, which shall immediately cause the transmission of the voter's previous registration card to the voter's new election authority. No transfer of registration to a new election jurisdiction shall be complete until the voter's old election authority receives notification.
Deputy registrars shall return all copies of registration record cards or Affidavits of Cancellation of Previous Registration to the election authority by first-class mail within 2 business days or personal delivery within 7 days after the receipt thereof, except that such copies or Affidavits of Cancellation of Previous Registration received by the deputy registrars between the 35th and 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars to the election authority within 48 hours after receipt. The deputy registrars shall return the copies or Affidavits of Cancellation of Previous Registration received by them on the 28th day preceding an election to the election authority within 24 hours after receipt thereof.
(Source: P.A. 97-81, eff. 7-5-11.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-8)
Sec. 5-8. The County Clerk shall supply Deputy Registrars, Officers of Registration and Judges of Registration with registration forms and shall fully instruct them in their duties. Each Deputy Registrar, Officer of Registration and Judge of Registration shall receipt to the County Clerk for all blank registration records issued to them, specifying therein the number of blanks received by them, and each Deputy Registrar, Officer of Registration and Judge of Registration shall be charged with such blanks until he returns them to the County Clerk. If for any cause a blank registration record card is mutilated or rendered unfit for use in making it out, or if a mistake therein has been made, such blank shall not be destroyed, but the word "mutilated" shall be written across the face of such blank, and such blank shall be returned to the County Clerk and shall be preserved in the same manner and for the same length of time as mutilated ballots. When each 1961 and 1962 precinct re-registration shall have been completed, a Deputy Registrar or Judge of Registration shall return all registration record cards to the County Clerk whether such cards have been filled out, executed or whether they are unused, or whether they have been mutilated. A Deputy Registrar, or Judge of Registration for precinct registration shall make personal delivery of the registration records to the County Clerk, after the close of each precinct registration. Each Deputy Registrar and Judge of Registration shall certify the registration records in substantially the following form:
"We, the undersigned Deputy Registrars and Judge of Registration in the County of .... in the State of Illinois, do swear (or affirm) that at the registration of electors on the .... day of .... there was registered by us in the said election precinct the names which appear on the registration records, and that the number of voters registered and qualified was and is the number .....
(Source: Laws 1959, p. 1919.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-8.5)
Sec. 5-8.5. Deputy registrar eligibility. Unless otherwise provided by law, an individual who is 17 years old or older who is registered to vote in this State shall be eligible to serve as a deputy registrar.
(Source: P.A. 99-722, eff. 8-5-16; 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-9)
Sec. 5-9. Except as herein provided, no person shall be registered unless he applies in person to registration officer, answers such relevant questions as may be asked of him by the registration officer, and executes the affidavit of registration. The registration officer shall require the applicant to furnish two forms of identification, and except in the case of a homeless individual, one of which must include his or her residence address. These forms of identification shall include, but not be limited to, any of the following: driver's license, social security card, public aid identification card, utility bill, employee or student identification card, lease or contract for a residence, credit card, or a civic, union or professional association membership card. The registration officer shall require a homeless individual to furnish evidence of his or her use of the mailing address stated. This use may be demonstrated by a piece of mail addressed to that individual and received at that address or by a statement from a person authorizing use of the mailing address. The registration officer shall require each applicant for registration to read or have read to him the affidavit of registration before permitting him to execute the affidavit.
One of the Deputy Registrars, the Judge of Registration, or an Officer of Registration, County Clerk, or clerk in the office of the County Clerk, shall administer to all persons who shall personally apply to register the following oath or affirmation:
"You do solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will fully and truly answer all such questions as shall be put to you touching your place of residence, name, place of birth, your qualifications as an elector and your right as such to register and vote under the laws of the State of Illinois."
The Registration Officer shall satisfy himself that each applicant for registration is qualified to register before registering him. If the registration officer has reason to believe that the applicant is a resident of a Soldiers' and Sailors' Home or any facility which is licensed or certified pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or the MC/DD Act, the following question shall be put, "When you entered the home which is your present address, was it your bona fide intention to become a resident thereof?" Any voter of a township, city, village or incorporated town in which such applicant resides, shall be permitted to be present at the place of precinct registration, and shall have the right to challenge any applicant who applies to be registered.
In case the officer is not satisfied that the applicant is qualified, he shall forthwith in writing notify such applicant to appear before the County Clerk to furnish further proof of his qualifications. Upon the card of such applicant shall be written the word "Incomplete" and no such applicant shall be permitted to vote unless such registration is satisfactorily completed as hereinafter provided. No registration shall be taken and marked as "incomplete" if information to complete it can be furnished on the date of the original application.
Any person claiming to be an elector in any election precinct in such township, city, village or incorporated town and whose registration is marked "Incomplete" may make and sign an application in writing, under oath, to the County Clerk in substance in the following form:
"I do solemnly swear that I, .........., did on (insert date) make application to the Board of Registry of the ........ precinct of ........ ward of the City of .... or of the ......... District ......... Town of .......... (or to the County Clerk of .............) and ............ County; that said Board or Clerk refused to complete my registration as a qualified voter in said precinct, that I reside in said precinct (or that I intend to reside in said precinct), am a duly qualified voter and entitled to vote in said precinct at the next election. ........................... (Signature of Applicant)"
All such applications shall be presented to the County Clerk by the applicant, in person between the hours of nine o'clock a.m. and five o'clock p.m., on Monday and Tuesday of the third week subsequent to the weeks in which the 1961 and 1962 precinct re-registrations are to be held, and thereafter for the registration provided in Section 5-17 of this Article, all such applications shall be presented to the County Clerk by the applicant in person between the hours of nine o'clock a.m. and nine o'clock p.m. on Monday and Tuesday of the third week prior to the date on which such election is to be held.
Any otherwise qualified person who is absent from his county of residence either due to business of the United States or because he is temporarily outside the territorial limits of the United States may become registered by mailing an application to the county clerk within the periods of registration provided for in this Article or by simultaneous application for registration by mail and vote by mail ballot as provided in Article 20 of this Code.
Upon receipt of such application the county clerk shall immediately mail an affidavit of registration in duplicate, which affidavit shall contain the following and such other information as the State Board of Elections may think it proper to require for the identification of the applicant:
Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial for such middle name, if any.
Sex.
Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue or other location of the dwelling, and such additional clear and definite description as may be necessary to determine the exact location of the dwelling of the applicant. Where the location cannot be determined by street and number, then the Section, congressional township and range number may be used, or such other information as may be necessary, including post office mailing address.
Electronic mail address, if the registrant has provided this information.
Term of residence in the State of Illinois and the precinct.
Nativity. The State or country in which the applicant was born.
Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place and date of naturalization.
Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.
Out of State address of ..........................
)ss
County of ........)
I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States; that on the day of the next election I shall have resided in the State of Illinois for 6 months and in the election precinct 30 days; that I am fully qualified to vote, that I am not registered to vote anywhere else in the United States, that I intend to remain a resident of the State of Illinois and of the election precinct, that I intend to return to the State of Illinois, and that the above statements are true. .............................. (His or her signature or mark)
Subscribed and sworn to before me, an officer qualified to administer oaths, on (insert date). ........................................ Signature of officer administering oath.
Upon receipt of the executed duplicate affidavit of Registration, the county clerk shall transfer the information contained thereon to duplicate Registration Cards provided for in Section 5-7 of this Article and shall attach thereto a copy of each of the duplicate affidavit of registration and thereafter such registration card and affidavit shall constitute the registration of such person the same as if he had applied for registration in person.
(Source: P.A. 98-104, eff. 7-22-13; 98-115, eff. 10-1-13; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15; 99-180, eff. 7-29-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-9.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-9.1)
Sec. 5-9.1. Cancelation of deceased voter's registration. Upon establishment of an electronic reporting system for death registrations as provided in the Vital Records Act, the county clerk of the county where a decedent last resided, as indicated on the decedent's death certificate, may issue certifications of death records from that system and may use that system to cancel the registration of any person who has died during the preceding month and cause the name of each such deceased person to be erased from the register of the precinct in which the deceased person was registered. Regardless of whether or not such a system has been established, it is the duty of the county clerk to examine monthly the records deposited in his or her office pursuant to the Vital Records Act that relate to deaths in the county, to cancel the registration of any person who has died during the preceding month and cause the name of each such deceased person to be erased from the register of the precinct in which the deceased person was registered.
(Source: P.A. 96-1484, eff. 1-1-11.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-10)
Sec. 5-10. The two Deputy Registrars provided by this Article 5 for re-registration in each precinct shall be the canvassers of the precinct for which they are appointed.
The County Clerk shall furnish to each Deputy Registrar a blank book which shall be named "Verification List", each page of which shall be ruled into columns, and to be marked thus:
..............................................................
WRITE NAME OF STREET ON THIS LINE.........................
..............................................................
..............................................................
HOUSE
NUMBER LAST NAME FIRST NAME INITIAL
MISS
REMARKS
.................................................
MRS. "OK," MOVED or DIED
Such book shall contain pages sufficient to allow listing of all names on registration record card by street, avenue, alley, drive, lane, road and court in the precinct in question. During the progress of the 3rd re-registration, or immediately thereafter, each Deputy Registrar shall transfer all the names upon the registration record cards to such verification list; arranging them according to streets, avenues, alleys, drives, lanes, roads or courts, beginning with the lowest residence number, and placing them numerically, as near as possible, from the lowest up to the highest number, starting each street, avenue, alley, drive, lane, road and court upon a separate sheet.
They shall first write the name of such street, avenue, alley, lane, road or court at the top of the page, and then proceed to transfer the names of such "Verification Lists" according to the street numbers as above indicated.
If, during either day of the 1961 and 1962 precinct re-registration, any registered voter of the township, city, village or incorporated town shall come before the Deputy Registrars and the Judge of Registration and make an oath that he believes that any particular person whose name has been entered upon the registry is not a qualified voter, such fact shall be noted; and after the completion of such "Verification Lists" one of the Registrars, or Judge of Registration, shall make a cross or check mark in ink opposite such name. If said Deputy Registrars or the Judge of Registration know any person so complained of is a qualified voter and believe that such complaint was made only to vex or harass such qualified voter, then such name shall be placed upon such lists without such cross or check mark, but such cross or check mark shall be placed upon such lists in case either of the Registrars or the Judge of Registration desires.
(Source: Laws 1959, p. 1919.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-11) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-11)
Sec. 5-11. Upon the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday following the last day of precinct registration, if so much time is required, the two Deputy Registrars shall go together and canvass the precinct for which they have been appointed, calling at each dwelling place as indicated upon said "Verification Lists"; and if they shall find that any person whose name appears upon their "Verification Lists" does not reside at the place designated thereupon, they shall make a notation in the column headed "Remarks" as follows: "Not Found", "Died", or "Moved", as the case may be, indicating that such person does not reside at such place.
Whenever deemed necessary by the canvassers, or either of them, he or they may demand of the person having command of the police in such precinct to furnish a policeman, to accompany them and protect them in the performance of their duties; and it shall be the duty of the person having command of the police in such precinct to furnish a policeman for such purpose.
In making such canvass no person shall refuse to answer questions and give the information asked for and known to him or her, or shall wilfully and knowingly give false information, or make false statements. In making such canvass said canvassers shall make special inquiry at the residence or place designated on the said verification books, as to all persons registered as qualified voters, and shall receive information from judges of election, party canvassers, or other persons.
(Source: Laws 1963, p. 2532.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-12) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-12)
Sec. 5-12. Immediately upon the completion of canvass, said canvassers, or one of them, shall sign a notice and send the same through the United States mail, duly stamped, to the address given on the verification books, or in the case of homeless individuals, to their mailing address, of all persons in connection with whose names they have made a notation indicating that they do not reside at such place, which notice shall require such persons to appear before the Board of Revision, composed of said canvassers and the judge of registration, on the Monday and Tuesday following completion of the canvass, giving the time and place of such session, to show cause why his or her name should not be erased from the registry of the precinct in question. Proper blanks and postage stamps shall be furnished for this purpose to the canvassers by said County Clerk. A personal notice shall also be served by the canvassers at the time such canvass is being made, by leaving the same with the party, if found, or if he or she is not found at the place designated in such verification books, by leaving the same at such address, if there be such place. Such notice, to be sent through the mail, must be mailed not later than 10 o'clock p.m. of Thursday of the week of such canvass. If sufficient postage stamps are not delivered to the canvassers by the County Clerk for the purpose aforesaid, then anyone may furnish such postage stamps to such canvassers for the purpose or such canvassers may procure the same at their own expense and afterwards render an account therefor to the County Clerk, duly sworn to, and the County Clerk shall audit such account and cause the same to be paid by the County Treasurer. Such County Clerk, upon application, shall deliver to such canvassers postage stamps sufficient for the purpose aforesaid.
The registration officers shall make their returns to the County Clerk not later than noon of the day following the last day of the canvass of the registration provided by this Section.
The County Clerk when complaint is made to him shall investigate the action of such canvassers and shall cause them or either of them to be prosecuted criminally for such wilful neglect of duty.
(Source: P.A. 87-1241.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-13) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-13)
Sec. 5-13. The canvassers, or one of them, shall prepare a list of the names of the parties designated as aforesaid, and to whom such notice has been sent, given, or left at the address, and make and attach his, or their affidavit or affidavits thereto stating that notice, duly stamped, was mailed to each of the said parties at the places designated on said list, on or before 10 o'clock p. m. of the Thursday following the canvass, and that notice was also personally left at the said address of each of said parties named in said lists so attached, if there be such address. Blank affidavit forms shall be furnished by the County Clerk for the purpose aforesaid; but if none are furnished, such canvassers shall cause the same to be drawn, and they shall swear to such affidavit before the Judge of Registration of such precinct or County Clerk, or one of his Deputies.
Either of the canvassers shall have the power and right of both in the matter pertaining to such canvass; but in case either refuses or neglects to make such canvass as aforesaid, then the other may make such canvass alone.
In case of the temporary disability upon the part of either canvasser, the remaining canvasser shall appoint a temporary canvasser who shall represent and be affiliated with the same political party as the canvasser whose place is being filled, and shall administer to him the usual oath of office for canvassers. Such temporary canvasser shall perform all the duties of the office until the disability of the regular canvasser is removed.
(Source: Laws 1963, p. 2532.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-14) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-14)
Sec. 5-14. Either of the canvassers shall, at the end of the canvass, return the "Verification Lists" to the County Clerk and a certificate of the correctness of such return. Immediately after receipt of such Verification Lists, the County Clerk shall cause copies to be printed in plain large type in sufficient numbers to meet all demands, and upon application, a copy of the same shall be given to any person applying therefor. Thereafter a list of registered voters in each precinct shall be compiled by the County clerk, prior to the General Election to be held in November of each even numbered year. On the list, the County Clerk shall indicate, by italics, asterisk, or other means, the names of all persons who have registered since the last regularly scheduled election in the consolidated schedule of elections established in Section 2A-1.1 of this Act.
When the list of registered voters in each precinct is compiled, the County Clerk shall give a copy of it to the chair of a county central committee of an established political party, as such party is defined in Section 10-2 of this Act, or to the chair's duly authorized representative. Within 30 days of the effective date of this Amendatory Act of 1983, the County Clerk shall give the list of registered voters in each precinct that was compiled prior to the general November election of 1982 to the chair of a county central committee of an established political party or to the chair's duly authorized representative.
Within 60 days after each general election the county clerk shall indicate by italics, asterisk, or other means, on the list of registered voters in each precinct, each registrant who voted at that general election, and shall provide a copy of such 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 indicate by italics, asterisk, or other means, on the list of registered voters in each precinct, each registrant who voted at the general election of 1982, and shall provide a copy of such coded list to the chair of the county central committee of each established political party or to the chair's duly authorized representative.
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.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-15) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-15)
Sec. 5-15. Any voter or voters in the township, city, village, or incorporated town containing such precinct, and any precinct committeeperson in the county, may, between the hours of nine o'clock a.m. and six o'clock p.m. of the Monday and Tuesday of the third week immediately preceding the week in which such April 10, 1962 Primary Election is to be held, make application in writing, before such County Clerk, to have any name upon such register of any precinct erased. Thereafter such application shall be made between the hours of nine o'clock a.m. and six o'clock p.m. of Monday and Tuesday of the second week prior to the week in which any county, city, village, township, or incorporated town election is to be held. Such application shall be in substance, in the words and figures following:
"I, being a qualified voter, registered from No. .... Street in the .... precinct of the .... Ward of the city (village or town of .... ) of the .... District .... town of .... do hereby solemnly swear (or affirm) that .... registered from No. .... Street is not a qualified voter in the .... precinct of the .... ward of the city (village or town) of .... or of the .... district town of .... hence I ask that his name be erased from the register of such precinct for the following reason ..... Affiant further says that he has personal knowledge of the facts set forth in the above affidavit.
Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).
Such application shall be signed and sworn to by the applicant before the County Clerk or any Deputy authorized by the County Clerk for that purpose, and filed with the Clerk. Thereupon notice of such application, with a demand to appear before the County Clerk and show cause why his name shall not be erased from the register, shall be mailed by special delivery, duly stamped and directed, to such person, to the address upon said register at least 4 days before the day fixed in said notice to show cause. If such person has provided the election authority with an e-mail address, then the election authority shall also send the same notice by electronic mail at least 4 days before the day fixed in said notice to show cause.
A like notice shall be mailed to the person or persons making the application to have the name upon such register erased to appear and show cause why the name should be erased, the notice to set out the day and hour of such hearing. If the voter making such application fails to appear before the Clerk at the time set for the hearing as fixed in the said notice or fails to show cause why the name upon such register shall be erased, the application may be dismissed by the County Clerk.
Any voter making such application or applications shall be privileged from arrest while presenting the same to the County Clerk and while going to and returning from the office of the County Clerk.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-16) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-16)
Sec. 5-16. A docket of all applications to the County Clerk, whether such application shall be made for the purpose of being registered, or restored, or for the purpose of erasing a name on the register or for completing registration shall be made out in the order of the towns, wards, districts, precincts as the case may be. The County Clerk shall sit to hear such applications between the hours of ten o'clock a. m. and nine o'clock p. m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the third week preceding the week in which such April 10, 1962 Primary Election is to be held, and thereafter the County Clerk shall sit to hear such applications between the hours of ten o'clock a. m. and nine o'clock p. m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the second week prior to the week in which any county, city, town, village or incorporated town election is to be held. At the request of either party to such applications, the Clerk shall issue subpoenas to witnesses to appear at such hearings, and witnesses may be sworn and examined upon the hearing of said applications. Each person appearing in response to an application to have a name erased shall deliver to the County Clerk a written affidavit, which shall be, in substance, in the words and figures following:
"I do solemnly swear that I am a citizen of the United States; that I do reside and have resided in the State of Illinois since the .... day of .... and in the county of .... in said State, since the .... day of .... and in the .... precinct of the .... ward, in the city, village or incorporated town of .... or in the .... district town of .... in said county and State, since the .... day of .... and that I am .... years of age; that I am the identical person registered in said precinct under the name I subscribe hereto."
This answer shall be signed and sworn to or affirmed before any person authorized to administer oaths or affirmations. The decision on each application shall be announced at once after hearing, and a minute made thereof, and when an application to be registered or to be restored to such register or to complete registration shall be allowed, the said County Clerk shall cause a minute to be made upon the original and duplicate registration records withdrawn.
All applications under this Section and hearings as hereinafter provided may be heard by deputy county clerks specially designated by the County Clerk for this purpose, and a decision by such deputies so designated, shall become the decision of the County Clerk, upon approval by the County Clerk.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-16.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-16.1)
Sec. 5-16.1. In addition to registration at the office of the county clerk and at the offices of municipal and township clerks, each county subject to this Article shall provide for the following methods of registration:
Each county subject to this Article may provide for precinct registration pursuant to Section 5-17.
(Source: P.A. 83-1059.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-16.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-16.2)
Sec. 5-16.2. (a) The county clerk shall appoint all municipal and township clerks or their duly authorized deputies as deputy registrars who may accept the registration of all qualified residents of the State.
The county clerk shall appoint all precinct committeepersons in the county as deputy registrars who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the State, except during the 27 days preceding an election.
The county clerk shall appoint each of the following named persons as deputy registrars upon the written request of such persons:
If the request to be appointed as deputy registrar is denied, the county clerk shall, within 10 days after the date the request is submitted, provide the affected individual or organization with written notice setting forth the specific reasons or criteria relied upon to deny the request to be appointed as deputy registrar.
The county clerk may appoint as many additional deputy registrars as he considers necessary. The county clerk shall appoint such additional deputy registrars in such manner that the convenience of the public is served, giving due consideration to both population concentration and area. Some of the additional deputy registrars shall be selected so that there are an equal number from each of the 2 major political parties in the election jurisdiction. The county clerk, in appointing an additional deputy registrar, shall make the appointment from a list of applicants submitted by the Chair of the County Central Committee of the applicant's political party. A Chair of a County Central Committee shall submit a list of applicants to the county clerk by November 30 of each year. The county clerk may require a Chair of a County Central Committee to furnish a supplemental list of applicants.
Deputy registrars may accept registrations at any time other than the 27 day period preceding an election. All persons appointed as deputy registrars shall be registered voters within the county and shall take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of deputy registrar to the best of my ability and that I will register no person nor cause the registration of any person except upon his personal application before me. ............................... (Signature of Deputy Registrar)"
This oath shall be administered by the county clerk, or by one of his deputies, or by any person qualified to take acknowledgement of deeds and shall immediately thereafter be filed with the county clerk.
Appointments of deputy registrars under this Section, except precinct committeepersons, shall be for 2-year terms, commencing on December 1 following the general election of each even-numbered year, except that the terms of the initial appointments shall be until December 1st following the next general election. Appointments of precinct committeepersons shall be for 2-year terms commencing on the date of the county convention following the general primary at which they were elected. The county clerk shall issue a certificate of appointment to each deputy registrar, and shall maintain in his office for public inspection a list of the names of all appointees.
(b) The county clerk shall be responsible for training all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a), at times and locations reasonably convenient for both the county clerk and such appointees. The county clerk shall be responsible for certifying and supervising all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a). Deputy registrars appointed under subsection (a) shall be subject to removal for cause.
(c) Completed registration materials under the control of deputy registrars, appointed pursuant to subsection (a), shall be returned to the appointing election authority by first-class mail within 2 business days or personal delivery within 7 days, except that completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars during the period between the 35th and 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars to the appointing election authority within 48 hours after receipt thereof. The completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars on the 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars within 24 hours after receipt thereof. Unused materials shall be returned by deputy registrars appointed pursuant to paragraph 4 of subsection (a), not later than the next working day following the close of registration.
(d) The county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, must provide any additional forms requested by any deputy registrar regardless of the number of unaccounted registration forms the deputy registrar may have in his or her possession.
(e) No deputy registrar shall engage in any electioneering or the promotion of any cause during the performance of his or her duties.
(f) The county clerk shall not be criminally or civilly liable for the acts or omissions of any deputy registrar. Such deputy registers shall not be deemed to be employees of the county clerk.
(g) Completed registration materials returned by deputy registrars for persons residing outside the county shall be transmitted by the county clerk within 2 days after receipt to the election authority of the person's election jurisdiction of residence.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-16.3) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-16.3)
Sec. 5-16.3. The county clerk may establish temporary places of registration for such times and at such locations within the county as the county clerk may select. Notice of time and place of registration at any such temporary place of registration under this Section shall be published by the county clerk in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county not less than 3 nor more than 15 days before the holding of such registration.
Temporary places of registration shall be established so that the areas of concentration of population or use by the public are served, whether by facilities provided in places of private business or in public buildings or in mobile units. Areas which may be designated as temporary places of registration include, but are not limited to, facilities 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, Soldiers' and Sailors' Homes, shopping centers, business districts, public buildings and county fairs.
Temporary places of registration shall be available to the public not less than 2 hours per year for each 1,000 population or fraction thereof in the county.
All temporary places of registration shall be manned by deputy county clerks or deputy registrars appointed pursuant to Section 5-16.2.
(Source: P.A. 98-104, eff. 7-22-13; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15; 99-180, eff. 7-29-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-17) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-17)
Sec. 5-17. If the county clerk determines, as provided in Section 5-16.1, to have precinct registration in the county, the board of county commissioners shall, prior to any general state election held in the month of November of any even numbered year designate a day or days and shall designate convenient places in the townships or cities or villages or incorporated towns for registration of voters. Such day or days shall not be more than 36 nor less than 28 days before such election.
The provisions of Section 5-3 of this Article shall apply to the selection of places of registration under this Section and the provisions of Section 5-3 relative to the attendance of police officers during the conduct of such registration shall also apply.
The officers of registration chosen to conduct registrations under the provisions of this Section shall be chosen by the county clerk.
In choosing officers of registration, the county clerk shall choose only persons residing in the township in which the place of registration is located. He shall choose, in each precinct, 3 officers of registration, at least one from each of the 2 major political parties. The county clerk may appoint additional officers of registration in precincts which have had sudden increases in population.
The officers so chosen shall be voters registered under the provisions of this Article 5, and shall have the same qualifications and take the same oath as required of registration officers under Section 5-4 of this Article 5, and shall be subject to the same penalties.
The places of registration designated by the board of county commissioners under the provisions of this Section shall be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on such day or days as may be specified by the board of county commissioners.
Registration under this Section shall be made in the same manner as provided for precinct registration under the provisions of this Article 5, but the canvass of registration shall be made by 2 registration officers of different political affiliations, said registration officers to be designated by the county clerk and the hearing and final revision of the registry heretofore conducted by the board of revision shall be performed by the county clerk or his deputy on the Monday and Tuesday following precinct registration. Said revision under this Section shall take place at the office of the county clerk between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
The registration officers shall make their returns to the county clerk not later than noon of the day following the last day of the canvass of registration provided by this Section.
The election authorities shall issue credentials to registration day pollwatchers in the manner and on the terms prescribed in Section 17-23 with respect to pollwatchers at elections. Registration day pollwatchers shall be allowed to see the names and addresses of the people who have registered during the course of the day.
No person shall, at any precinct registration or reregistration, do any electioneering or soliciting of votes or engage in any political discussion within any precinct registration place or within 30 feet thereof. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit any candidate from being present in or near any precinct registration place. All persons who register to vote at any precinct registration place must be residents of the precinct in which they register.
(Source: P.A. 81-1535.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-18) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-18)
Sec. 5-18. At least 20 days prior to the precinct registration under Section 5-6 of this Article 5, and at least 20 days prior to any registration that may be provided under Section 5-17 of this Article 5, the County Clerk shall publish a notice of registration, giving the dates, hours and places of registration, in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county.
(Source: P.A. 79-75.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-19) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-19)
Sec. 5-19. Only persons residing within the corporate limits of a city, village or incorporated town wherein this Article 5 is in effect, shall be permitted to register in the office of the clerk of the respective city, village or incorporated town in which they reside and then only during the periods provided by Section 5-5 of this Article 5.
Within 24 hours after a person has registered in the office of the clerk of a city, village or incorporated town, the said clerk shall transmit by mail or cause to be delivered to the County Clerk the original and duplicate registration cards of the person who has registered in his office.
Only persons who reside within the limits of a town in a county wherein this Article 5 is in effect shall be permitted to register in the office of the town clerk of the respective towns in which they reside and then only during the periods provided by Section 5-5 of this Article 5.
Within 24 hours after a person not residing within the corporate limits of a city, village or incorporated town has registered in the office of a town clerk, the town clerk shall transmit by mail or cause to be delivered to the county clerk the original and duplicate cards of the person who has registered in his office. Within 24 hours after a person who resides within the limits of a city, village or incorporated town has registered in the office of a town clerk, the town clerk shall transmit by mail or cause to be delivered the original and duplicate cards of the person so registered to the county clerk.
Any person residing in the territory wherein this Article 5 is in effect, may register in the office of the county clerk during the hours, and within the periods provided by Section 5-5 of this Article 5.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-20) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-20)
Sec. 5-20. Registrations under the above section shall be made in the manner provided by sections 5-7 and 5-9, but electors whose registrations are marked "Incomplete" may make the applications provided by section 5-9 only on Monday and Tuesday of the third week prior to the week in which the election for officers, for which they are permitted to vote, is to be held. The subsequent procedure with reference to said cards shall be the same as that provided for voters registering under section 5-19 except that the election referred to shall be the election at which the applicant would be permitted to vote if otherwise qualified.
(Source: Laws 1949, p. 855.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-21) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-21)
Sec. 5-21. To each person who registers at the office of the county, city, village, incorporated town or town clerk, or any place designated by the Board of County Commissioners under Section 5-17 of Article 5 and within five days thereafter, the election authority shall send by mail, and electronic mail if the registrant has provided the election authority with an e-mail address, a notice setting forth the elector's name and address as it appears on the registration record card, and shall request him in case of any error to present the notice on or before the seventh day next ensuing at the office of the election authority in order to secure the correction of the error. Such notice shall contain on the outside a request for the postmaster to return it within five days if it cannot be delivered to the addressee at the address given thereon. Upon the return by the post office of such notice which it has been unable to deliver at the given address because the addressee cannot be found there, a notice shall be at once sent through the United States mail to such person at the address appearing upon his registration record card requiring him to appear before the election authority, within five days, to answer questions touching his right to register. If the person notified fails to appear at the election authority's office within five days as directed or if he appears and fails to prove his right to register, the election authority shall cancel his registration.
(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 10-1-13.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-22) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-22)
Sec. 5-22. As soon as possible after the precinct registration held under section 5-6 and again after the registrations provided by section 5-17 of this article 5, the County Clerk shall require all city, village and incorporated town clerks to call at his office and shall give written and verbal instructions relative to duties under this article 5 to all city, village and incorporated town clerks, and shall also supply them with, and get their receipts for blank registration cards to enable them to perform their duties with respect to the registration of voters in their offices under section 5-19 of this article 5.
As soon as possible after the precinct registration held under section 5-6 of this article, the County Clerk shall require all town clerks to appear at his office at which time he shall give them verbal and written instructions relative to their duties under this article 5, and at the same time he shall also supply them with and get their receipts for blank registration cards to enable them to perform their duties with respect to the registration of voters in their offices under section 5-19 of this article 5.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-23) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-23)
Sec. 5-23. Any registered voter who changes his residence from one address, number or place to another within the same county wherein this Article 5 is in effect, may have his registration transferred to his new address by making and signing an application for such change of residence upon a form to be provided by the county clerk. Such application must be made to the office of the county clerk. In case the person is unable to sign his name the county clerk shall require such person to execute the request in the presence of the county clerk or of his properly authorized representative, by his mark, and if satisfied of the identity of the person, the county clerk shall make the transfer.
Upon receipt of such application, the county clerk, or one of his employees deputized to take registrations shall cause the signature of the voter and the data appearing upon the application to be compared with the signature and data on the registration record, and if it appears that the applicant is the same person as the party previously registered under that name the transfer shall be made.
Transfer of registration under the provisions of this section may not be made within the period when the county clerk's office is closed to registration prior to an election at which such voter would be entitled to vote.
Any registered voter who changes his or her name by marriage or otherwise, shall be required to register anew and authorize the cancellation of the previous registration; provided, however, that if the change of name takes place within a period during which such new registration cannot be made, next preceding any election or primary, the elector may, if otherwise qualified, vote upon making the following affidavit before the judges of election:
I do solemnly swear that I am the same person now registered in the .... precinct of the .... ward of the city of .... or .... District Town of .... under the name of .... and that I still reside in said precinct or district.
If the voter whose name has changed still resides in the same precinct, the voter may vote after making the affidavit at the polling place regardless of when the change of name occurred. In that event, the affidavit shall not state that the voter is required to register; the affidavit shall be treated by the election authority as authorization to cancel the registration under the former name, and the election authority shall register the voter under his or her current name.
Suitable forms for this purpose shall be provided by the county clerk. The form in all cases shall be similar to the form furnished by the county clerk for county and state elections.
The precinct election officials shall report to the county clerk the names and addresses of all such persons who have changed their addresses and voted. The city, village, town and incorporated town clerks shall within five days after every election report to the county clerk the names and addresses of the persons reported to them as having voted by affidavit as in this Section provided.
The county clerk may obtain information from utility companies, city, village, town and incorporated town records, the post office or from other sources regarding the removal of registered voters and notify such voters that a transfer of registration may be made in the manner provided by this Section.
If any person be registered by error in a precinct other than that in which he resides the county clerk shall be empowered to transfer his registration to the proper precinct.
Where a revision or rearrangement of precincts is made by the board of county commissioners, the county clerk shall immediately transfer to the proper precinct the registration of any voter affected by such revision or rearrangement of the precincts; make the proper notations on the registration cards of a voter affected by the revision of registration and shall notify the registrant of such change.
(Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-24) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-24)
Sec. 5-24. Following the general election occurring in November of 1944 and following the November election every four years thereafter, the county clerk shall examine the registration record and shall send to every voter who has not voted during the preceding four years a notice through the mails, substantially as follows:
Notice of Suspension of Registration:
"You are hereby notified that your registration will be cancelled according to law for failure to vote during the last four years, unless you apply for reinstatement within thirty days. You may reinstate your registration by signing the statement below and returning it to this office or by making application to do so."
Application for Reinstatement of Registration:
"I do hereby certify that I still reside at the address from which I am registered and apply for reinstatement of my registration.
In case the elector is unable to sign his name, the application for reinstatement shall be made at the office of the county clerk, or in the case of an elector, absent from the county of his residence, it shall be made before the clerk of a court of record in the county in which the elector is temporarily detained.
After the expiration of thirty days the county clerk shall cancel the registration of all electors thus notified who have not applied for reinstatement.
A proper entry shall be made on the registration record for all electors whose registrations are reinstated. Any elector whose registration has been cancelled for failure to vote may register again by making the application therefor in the manner provided by this article 5.
When a registration is cancelled under this or other sections of this article 5, a proper entry shall be made on the registration cards by the county clerk.
The county clerk shall, however, keep the cancelled cards in a suspense file for 2 years and reinstate them at any time within such 2 year suspense period, when a person's registration is cancelled under this or other Sections of this Article for failure to apply for reinstatement or to appear in proper time, and there is sufficient subsequent showing that he is a duly qualified elector.
(Source: P.A. 81-155.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-25) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-25)
Sec. 5-25. The county clerk on his own initiative or upon order of the board of county commissioners shall at all times have authority to conduct investigation and to make canvasses of the registered voters in any precinct canvass or at other times and by other methods than those so prescribed. However, the county clerk shall conduct a verification of voter registrations at least once in every 2 years, and shall cause the cancellation of registration of persons who have ceased to be qualified voters. Such verification shall be accomplished by one of the following methods: (1) precinct canvass conducted by 2 qualified persons of opposite party affiliation appointed by the county clerk or (2) written request for verification sent to each registered voter by first class mail, not forwardable or (3) an alternative method of verification submitted in writing to and approved by the State Board of Elections at a public meeting not less than 60 days prior to the date which the county clerk has fixed for implementation of that method of verification; provided, that the county clerk shall submit to the State Board of Elections a written statement of the results obtained by use of such alternative method within 30 days of completion of the verification. In each precinct one canvasser may be appointed from outside such precinct if not enough other qualified persons who reside within the precinct can be found to serve as canvasser in such precinct. The one canvasser so appointed to serve in any precinct in which he is not entitled to vote prior to the election must be entitled to vote elsewhere within the ward or township which includes within its boundaries the precinct in which such canvasser is appointed and such canvasser must be otherwise qualified. If upon the basis of investigation or canvasses, the county clerk shall be of the opinion that any person registered under this Article 5 is not a qualified voter or has ceased to be a qualified voter, he shall send a notice through the United States mail to such person, requiring him to appear before the county clerk for a hearing within ten days after the date of mailing such notice and show cause why his registration shall not be cancelled. If such person fails to appear within such time as provided, his registration shall be cancelled. If such a person does appear, he shall make an affidavit similar in every respect to the affidavit required of applicants under Section 5-16 of this Article 5.
(Source: P.A. 81-1535.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-25.01) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-25.01)
Sec. 5-25.01. Each registered voter lacking a permanent abode shall be canvassed by the county clerk before each election. The canvass shall be by mail sent not later than 49 days preceding the election to the mailing address listed on the voter's registration record card. The clerk shall include in the mailing a postage prepaid return postcard. The voter must certify on the postcard his or her continued residence at the registration address and mail the postcard back to the clerk so that it is postmarked no later than the 26th day preceding the election.
If an application for registration is presented within the 49 day period preceding an election, then this Section shall not apply and the provisions of this Article with respect to the mailing of a verification of a registration notice shall be a canvass, except that such notice shall be mailed to the registrant's mailing address.
(Source: P.A. 87-1241.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-25.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-25.1)
Sec. 5-25.1. In any county in which there is a municipality under the jurisdiction of a board of election commissioners, the county clerk and his appointed deputy registrars shall accept the registration of qualified persons residing within such municipality and shall transmit the completed registration to the board of election commissioners prior to the close of registration before an election.
(Source: P.A. 83-1059.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-26) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-26)
Sec. 5-26. If either of the original or duplicate registration cards, or all of any elector shall be lost, destroyed or mutilated in whole or in part, the county clerk shall prepare 2 new registration cards, an original and a duplicate and shall require the execution of a new registration affidavit by such elector, and if any such elector shall refuse to execute such affidavit within thirty days after the mailing of a notice to such elector at the last address from which he has registered, then the registration of such elector shall be cancelled. If either the original or duplicate registration cards, of all registered voters of a city, village or incorporated town, township or any ward, or precinct thereof, shall be lost or destroyed, the county clerk shall require a re-registration of electors of such city, village or incorporated town, township, ward or precinct and the same provisions as required for any registration under section 5-17 of this article 5 shall apply to such re-registration.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-28) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-28)
Sec. 5-28. The original registration record cards shall remain permanently in the office of the county clerk or election authority except as destroyed as provided in Section 5-6; shall be filed alphabetically without regard to precincts; and shall be known as the master file. The master file may be kept in a computer-based voter registration file or paper format, provided a secondary digital back-up is kept off site. The digital file shall be searchable and remain current with all registration activity conducted by the county clerk or election authority. The duplicate registration record cards shall constitute the official registry of voters for all elections and shall be filed by precincts and townships. The duplicate cards for use in conducting elections shall be delivered to the judges of election by the county clerk in a suitable binder or other device, which shall be locked and sealed in accordance with the directions to be given by the county clerk and shall also be suitably indexed for convenient use by the precinct officers. The precinct files shall be delivered to the judges of election for use at the polls for elections at the same time as the official ballots are delivered to them, and shall be returned to the county clerk by the judges of election within the time provided for the return of the official ballots. The county clerk shall determine the manner of return and delivery of such file.
(Source: P.A. 99-522, eff. 6-30-16.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-28.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-28.1)
Sec. 5-28.1. For use in connection with referenda and the nonpartisan and consolidated elections, each election authority shall maintain permanent records of the boundaries of all political subdivisions partially or wholly within its jurisdiction and any districts thereof, and shall maintain permanent records indicating by tax extension number code for each registered voter the political subdivisions and any districts thereof in which that voter resides. Such records may be kept on the registration record cards or on separate registration lists, or if a method other than record coding by tax extension number is adopted by an election authority, such method shall be, approved by the State Board of Elections. Each political subdivision must, no later than 5 days after any redistricting, annexation, disconnection or other boundary change is adopted, give notice of any such adoption and the effective date of such act to each election authority having election jurisdiction over any of its former or new territory.
Each election authority must make available to election judges for use on election day, records indicating by tax extension number code or other method approval by the State Board of Elections for each registered voter, the political subdivisions in which that voter resides. For the purposes of election day use by election judges, such records must be kept on the registration record cards or on separate registration lists.
(Source: P.A. 84-861.)
(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:
City of................Ward...............Precinct..........;
Village of................................Precinct..........;
Election.....................................................
(date) (month) (year)
Registration record
Checked by.....................
Voter's number..................
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.
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."
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 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.
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 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 5/5-29.01) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-29.01)
Sec. 5-29.01. The provisions of this Article 5, so far as they require the registration of voters as a condition to their being allowed to vote shall not apply to persons otherwise entitled to vote, who are, at the time of the election, or at any time within 60 days prior to such election, have been engaged in the military or naval service of the United States, and who appear personally at the polling place on election day and produce to the judges of election satisfactory evidence thereof, but such persons, if otherwise qualified to vote, shall be permitted to vote at such election without previous registration.
All such persons shall also make an affidavit which shall be in substantially the following form:
"State of Illinois)
)ss.
County of ........) .............. Precinct .............. Ward
I, ...., do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I am a citizen of the United States, of the age of 18 years or over, and that within the past 60 days prior to the date of this election at which I am applying to vote, I have been engaged in the .... (military or naval) service of the United States; and I am qualified to vote under and by virtue of the Constitution and laws of the State of Illinois, and that I am a legally qualified voter of this precinct and ward except that I have, because of such service, been unable to register as a voter; that I now reside at .... (insert street and number, if any) in this precinct and ward, that I have maintained a legal residence in this precinct and ward for 30 days and in the State 30 days next preceding this election. ...........................
Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date). ........................... Judge of Election."
The affidavit of any such person shall be supported by the affidavit of a resident and qualified voter of any such precinct and ward, which affidavit shall be in substantially the following form:
"State of Illinois)
)ss.
County of ........) ............. Precinct ........... Ward
I, ...., do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I am a resident of this precinct and ward and entitled to vote at this election; that I am acquainted with .... (name of the applicant); that I verily believe him to be an actual bona fide resident of this precinct and ward and that I verily believe that he has maintained a legal residence therein 30 days and in this State 30 days next preceding this election. ...................
Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date). ................... Judge of Election."
The provisions of this Article 5, so far as they require the registration of voters as a condition to their being allowed to vote shall not apply to persons otherwise entitled to vote who have made and subscribed to the affidavit provided in paragraph (b) of Section 17-10 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-30) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-30)
Sec. 5-30. Upon application to vote at a general 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. 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 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 5/5-31) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-31)
Sec. 5-31. All challenged voters affidavits made before the judges of election under provisions of sections 5-29 and 5-30 of this article 5 shall be immediately returned to the office of the county clerk. Such affidavits, before being so returned, shall be enclosed in an envelope provided for that purpose, which shall then be securely sealed with the sealing wax or other adhesive material, and each of the judges shall write his name across the seal. No judge of election shall break the seal of, or open any envelope containing affidavits, or shall permit any person to open any such envelope or break the seal thereof while the same is in his custody. It shall be the duty of the county clerk to furnish affidavits and envelopes provided by Sections 5-29 and 5-30 of this article 5 to the judges of election for all elections.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-34) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-34)
Sec. 5-34. The official poll record provided by sections 5-29 and 5-30 of this article 5 shall constitute the poll list, and poll books shall not be kept by clerks of election. Where in this article 5, reference is made to poll lists or poll books, such reference shall hereafter apply to the official poll record.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-35) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-35)
Sec. 5-35. The officers of registration selected to conduct registrations under Section 5-17 shall be paid at the rate set out below:
Registration officers selected to conduct registration and canvass under Section 5-17 shall be paid at a rate of not less than $20 per day nor more than $30 per day, for each day designated by the County Board for any registration and canvass provided by Section 5-17, but in no case shall any such officer selected to conduct canvass be credited for less than two days' service for each canvass.
Officers of registration selected to conduct any registration under Section 5-17 shall be compensated at the rate of 5 cents per mile for each mile actually traveled in calling at the county clerk's office for registration cards and returning them to said officer.
The State Board of Elections shall reimburse each county for the amount of the increase in compensation under this Section provided by this amendatory Act from funds appropriated for that purpose.
(Source: P.A. 84-1308.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-36) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-36)
Sec. 5-36. In the event that the voters of any city, village or incorporated town (in any county having a population of 500,000 or more) which has adopted Articles 6, 14 and 18 of this Act (or the Act of which they are a continuation) shall reject the city election law as provided by said Article 6, it shall not be necessary for the registered voters of said city, so rejecting the city election law to register again under the provisions of this Article 5 unless they are not registered under the 1961 and 1962 re-registration provisions.
Within twenty-four hours after the Circuit Judge has entered his order declaring Articles 6, 14 and 18 of this Act rejected by the voters of any city, village, or incorporated town, it shall be the duty of the Board of Election Commissioners formerly having jurisdiction over elections held in such city, village or incorporated town to turn over to the County Clerk the original and duplicate registration cards of all persons affected by the rejection of the city election law in said city, village or incorporated town; the said Board of Election Commissioners shall also turn over to the County Clerk all forms, papers and other instruments pertaining to the registration and election of voters within the said city, village or incorporated town that rejected the city election law, and they shall also cause to be delivered to the clerk of any such city, village or incorporated town that rejected the city election law, all booths and ballot boxes formerly used in conducting elections in said city, village or incorporated town.
The original registration cards of the voters turned over to the County Clerk by the Board of Election Commissioners shall be placed in a master file together with the registration cards of all voters who previously registered under the provisions of this Article 5 and said cards shall then become part of the official registration record for the county in which this Article 5 is in effect.
The duplicate cards shall be arranged in precinct order and shall be retained in the office of the county clerk for use in conducting State, county and township elections. The said duplicate cards shall become part of the official registration record for the county in which this Article 5 is in effect.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-37) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-37)
Sec. 5-37. It shall be the duty of the Board of Election Commissioners to do, and cause to be done all things required of them by Section 5-36 of this Article 5.
(Source: Laws 1963, p. 2532.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-37.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-37.1)
Sec. 5-37.1. If any area becomes subject to a board of election commissioners by reason of annexation to a city, village or incorporated town subject to such a board or ceases to be subject to a board of election commissioners by reason of disconnection from such a city, village or incorporated town, it shall not be necessary for the registered voters in such area to register again, either under this Article or Article 6.
As soon as practicable after such annexation or disconnection, the county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, shall turn over to officer or officers thereafter to be charged with the registration of voters within the area affected (the board of election commissioners or county clerk, as the case may be) the original and duplicate registration cards of all registered voters in the annexed or disconnected area.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 405.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-38) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-38)
Sec. 5-38. All laws in conflict with this Article 5 shall no longer be applicable to the electors residing in the territorial limits where this Article 5 is in effect, but all laws and parts of laws not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article 5 shall continue in force and effect.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 253.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-39) (from Ch. 46, par. 5-39)
Sec. 5-39. During the hours of registration or revision of registration no person shall bring, take, order or send into, or shall attempt to bring, take or send into any place of registration or revision of registration, any distilled or spirituous liquors whatever; or shall, at any such time and place drink or partake of such liquor.
(Source: Laws 1963, p. 2532.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-43)
Sec. 5-43. Computerization of voter records.
(a) The State Board of Elections shall design a registration record card that, except as otherwise provided in this Section, shall be used in duplicate by all election authorities in the State adopting a computer-based voter registration file as provided in this Section. The Board shall prescribe the form and specifications, including but not limited to the weight of paper, color, and print of the cards. The cards shall contain boxes or spaces for the information required under Sections 5-7 and 5-28.1; provided that the cards shall also contain: (i) A space for the person to fill in his or her Illinois driver's license number if the person has a driver's license; (ii) A space for a person without a driver's license to fill in the last four digits of his or her social security number if the person has a social security number.
(b) The election authority may develop and implement a system to prepare, use, and maintain a computer-based voter registration file that includes a computer-stored image of the signature of each voter. The computer-based voter registration file may be used for all purposes for which the original registration cards are to be used. In the case of voter registration forms received via an online voter registration system, the original registration cards will include the signature received from the Secretary of State database. The electronic file shall be the master file.
(b-2) The election authority may develop and implement a system to maintain registration cards in digital form using digitized signatures, which may be stored in a computer-based voter registration file under subsection (b) of this Section. The making and signing of any form, including an application to register and a certificate authorizing cancellation of a registration or authorizing a transfer of registration may be by a signature written in ink or by a digitized signature.
(c) Any system created, used, and maintained under subsection (b) of this Section shall meet the following standards:
(d) Before the first election in which the election authority elects to use a voter list produced from the computer-stored images of the signatures of registered voters in a computer-based voter registration file for signature comparison in a polling place, the State Board of Elections shall certify that the system used by the election authority complies with the standards set forth in this Section. The State Board of Elections may request a sample poll list intended to be used in a polling place to test the accuracy of the list and the adequacy of the computer-stored images of the signatures of the registered voters.
(e) With respect to a jurisdiction that has copied all of its voter signatures into a computer-based registration file, all references in this Act or any other Act to the use, other than storage, of paper-based voter registration records shall be deemed to refer to their computer-based equivalents.
(f) Nothing in this Section prevents an election authority from submitting to the State Board of Elections a duplicate copy of some, as the State Board of Elections shall determine, or all of the data contained in each voter registration record that is part of the electronic master file. The duplicate copy of the registration record shall be maintained by the State Board of Elections under the same terms and limitations applicable to the election authority and shall be of equal legal dignity with the original registration record maintained by the election authority as proof of any fact contained in the voter registration record.
(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 7-29-13; 99-522, eff. 6-30-16.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-50)
Sec. 5-50. Grace period. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, each election authority shall establish procedures for the registration of voters and for change of address during the period from the close of registration for an election until and including the day of the election. During this grace period, an unregistered qualified elector may register to vote, and a registered voter may submit a change of address form, in person in the office of the election authority, at a permanent polling place established under Section 19A-10, at any other early voting site beginning 15 days prior to the election, at a polling place on election day, or at a voter registration location specifically designated for this purpose by the election authority. Grace period registration and changes of address shall also be conducted for eligible residents in connection with voting at facilities under Section 19-12.2 of this Code. The election authority shall register that individual, or change a registered voter's address, in the same manner as otherwise provided by this Article for registration and change of address.
If a voter who registers or changes address during this grace period wishes to vote at the election or primary occurring during the grace period, he or she must do so by grace period voting. The election authority shall offer in-person grace period voting at his or her office, any permanent polling place established under Section 19A-10, and at any other early voting site beginning 15 days prior to the election, at a polling place on election day, where grace period registration is required by this Section; and may offer in-person grace period voting at additional hours and locations specifically designated for the purpose of grace period voting by the election authority. The election authority may allow grace period voting by mail only if the election authority has no ballots prepared at the authority's office. Grace period voting shall be in a manner substantially similar to voting under Article 19A.
Within one day after a voter casts a grace period ballot, or within one day after the ballot is received by the election authority if the election authority allows grace period voting by mail, the election authority shall transmit by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections the voter's name, street address, e-mail address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees. The name of each person issued a grace period ballot shall also be placed on the appropriate precinct list of persons to whom vote by mail and early ballots have been issued, for use as provided in Sections 17-9 and 18-5.
A person who casts a grace period ballot shall not be permitted to revoke that ballot and vote another ballot with respect to that primary or election. Ballots cast by persons who register or change address during the grace period at a location other than their designated polling place on election day must be transmitted to and counted at the election authority's central ballot counting location and shall not be transmitted to and counted at precinct polling places. The grace period 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.
In counties with a population of less than 100,000 that do not have electronic poll books, the election authority may opt out of registration in the polling place if the election authority establishes grace period registration and voting at other sites on election day at the following sites: (i) the election authority's main office and (ii) a polling place in each municipality where 20% or more of the county's residents reside if the election authority's main office is not located in that municipality. The election authority may establish other grace period registration and voting sites on election day provided that the election authority has met the notice requirements of Section 19A-25 for permanent and temporary early voting sites.
(Source: P.A. 100-442, eff. 8-25-17.)
(10 ILCS 5/5-105)
Sec. 5-105. First time voting. A person must vote for the first time in person and not a vote by mail ballot if the person registered to vote by mail, unless the person first provides the appropriate election authority with sufficient proof of identity and the election authority verifies the person's proof of identity. Sufficient proof of identity shall be demonstrated by submission of the person's driver's license number or State identification card number or, if the person does not have either of those, verification by the last 4 digits of the person's social security number, a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other federal, State, or local government document that shows the person's name and address. A person may also demonstrate sufficient proof of identity by submission of a photo identification issued by a college or university accompanied by either a copy of the applicant's contract or lease for a residence or any postmarked mail delivered to the applicant at his or her current residence address. Persons who apply to register to vote by mail but provide inadequate proof of identity to the election authority shall be notified by the election authority that the registration has not been fully completed and that the person remains ineligible to vote by mail or in person until such proof is presented.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)