HB4037 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 11758 JAM 22525 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB4037

Introduced 2/27/2009, by Rep. Emily McAsey

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/19A-10
10 ILCS 5/19A-15

Amends the Election Code. Requires an election authority to designate at least one early voting permanent polling place. Specifies that an election authority's primary office is a permanent early voting polling place unless the authority designates another. Requires that an early voting permanent polling place be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the final Saturday and Sunday of the early voting period.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning elections.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Sections 19A-10 and 19A-15 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/19A-10)

Sec. 19A-10. Permanent polling places for early voting.

(a) Each election authority shall designate at least one permanent polling place for early voting. The primary office of an election authority is a permanent polling place for early voting, unless an election authority establishes An election authority may establish permanent polling places for early voting by personal appearance at locations throughout the election authority's jurisdiction, including but not limited to a municipal clerk's office, a township clerk's office, a road district clerk's office, or a county or local public agency office. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), any person entitled to vote early by personal appearance may do so at any polling place established for early voting.

(b) If it is impractical for the election authority to provide at each polling place for early voting a ballot in every form required in the election authority's jurisdiction, the election authority may:

(1) provide appropriate forms of ballots to the office of the municipal clerk in a municipality not having a board of election commissioners; the township clerk; or in counties not under township organization, the road district clerk; and

(2) limit voting at that polling place to registered voters in that municipality, ward or group of wards, township, or road district.

If the early voting polling place does not have the correct ballot form for a person seeking to vote early, the election judge or election official conducting early voting at that polling place shall inform the person of that fact, give the person the appropriate telephone number of the election authority in order to locate an early voting polling place with the correct ballot form for use in that person's assigned precinct, and instruct the person to go to the proper early voting polling place to vote early.

(c) During each general primary and general election, each election authority in a county with a population over 250,000 shall establish at least one polling place for early voting by personal appearance at a location within each of the 3 largest municipalities within its jurisdiction. If any of the 3 largest municipalities is over 80,000, the election authority shall establish at least 2 polling places within the municipality. All population figures shall be determined by the federal census.

During each general primary and general election, each board of election commissioners established under Article 6 of this Code in any city, village, or incorporated town with a population over 100,000 shall establish at least 2 polling places for early voting by personal appearance. All population figures shall be determined by the federal census.

(Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05; 95-699, eff. 11-9-07.)

(10 ILCS 5/19A-15)

Sec. 19A-15. Period for early voting; hours.

(a) The period for early voting by personal appearance begins the 22nd day preceding a general primary, consolidated primary, consolidated, or general election and extends through the 5th day before election day.

(b) A permanent polling place for early voting must remain open during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, except a permanent polling place must remain open during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. to until 5:00 p.m. on the final Saturday and Sunday of the early voting period.

(Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)