103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1481 Introduced 2/7/2023, by Sen. Mike Simmons SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.510 ILCS 5/3-6 Amends the Election Code. Allows the State Board of Elections to receive voter registration information provided by applicants using electronic voter registration portals (rather than the Board's website). Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who is otherwise qualified to vote may preregister to vote on or after that person's 16th birthday, with the registration held in abeyance by the appropriate election authority until that individual attains the required age to vote. Requires preregistration to be completed using the online voter registration system or an electronic voter registration portal. Provides that, for the purposes of the Code, an individual who is 16 years of age or older (rather than who is 17 years of age and who will be 18 years of age on the date of the general or consolidated election) shall be deemed competent to execute and attest to any voter registration forms. LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1481 Introduced 2/7/2023, by Sen. Mike Simmons SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.510 ILCS 5/3-6 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.5 10 ILCS 5/3-6 Amends the Election Code. Allows the State Board of Elections to receive voter registration information provided by applicants using electronic voter registration portals (rather than the Board's website). Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who is otherwise qualified to vote may preregister to vote on or after that person's 16th birthday, with the registration held in abeyance by the appropriate election authority until that individual attains the required age to vote. Requires preregistration to be completed using the online voter registration system or an electronic voter registration portal. Provides that, for the purposes of the Code, an individual who is 16 years of age or older (rather than who is 17 years of age and who will be 18 years of age on the date of the general or consolidated election) shall be deemed competent to execute and attest to any voter registration forms. LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1481 Introduced 2/7/2023, by Sen. Mike Simmons SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.510 ILCS 5/3-6 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.5 10 ILCS 5/3-6 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.5 10 ILCS 5/3-6 Amends the Election Code. Allows the State Board of Elections to receive voter registration information provided by applicants using electronic voter registration portals (rather than the Board's website). Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who is otherwise qualified to vote may preregister to vote on or after that person's 16th birthday, with the registration held in abeyance by the appropriate election authority until that individual attains the required age to vote. Requires preregistration to be completed using the online voter registration system or an electronic voter registration portal. Provides that, for the purposes of the Code, an individual who is 16 years of age or older (rather than who is 17 years of age and who will be 18 years of age on the date of the general or consolidated election) shall be deemed competent to execute and attest to any voter registration forms. LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b A BILL FOR SB1481LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b 1 AN ACT concerning elections. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing 5 Sections 1A-16.5 and 3-6 as follows: 6 (10 ILCS 5/1A-16.5) 7 Sec. 1A-16.5. Online voter registration. 8 (a) The State Board of Elections shall establish and 9 maintain a system for online voter registration that permits a 10 person to apply to register to vote or to update his or her 11 existing voter registration. In accordance with technical 12 specifications provided by the State Board of Elections, each 13 election authority shall maintain a voter registration system 14 capable of receiving and processing voter registration 15 application information, including electronic signatures, from 16 the online voter registration system established by the State 17 Board of Elections. 18 (b) The online voter registration system shall employ 19 security measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of 20 voter registration applications submitted electronically 21 pursuant to this Section. 22 (c) The Board may receive voter registration information 23 provided by applicants using electronic voter registration 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1481 Introduced 2/7/2023, by Sen. Mike Simmons SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.510 ILCS 5/3-6 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.5 10 ILCS 5/3-6 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.5 10 ILCS 5/3-6 Amends the Election Code. Allows the State Board of Elections to receive voter registration information provided by applicants using electronic voter registration portals (rather than the Board's website). Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who is otherwise qualified to vote may preregister to vote on or after that person's 16th birthday, with the registration held in abeyance by the appropriate election authority until that individual attains the required age to vote. Requires preregistration to be completed using the online voter registration system or an electronic voter registration portal. Provides that, for the purposes of the Code, an individual who is 16 years of age or older (rather than who is 17 years of age and who will be 18 years of age on the date of the general or consolidated election) shall be deemed competent to execute and attest to any voter registration forms. LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b A BILL FOR 10 ILCS 5/1A-16.5 10 ILCS 5/3-6 LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481- 2 -LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 2 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 2 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b 1 portals the State Board of Elections' website, may cross 2 reference that information with data or information contained 3 in the Secretary of State's database in order to match the 4 information submitted by applicants, and may receive from the 5 Secretary of State the applicant's digitized signature upon a 6 successful match of that applicant's information with that 7 contained in the Secretary of State's database. 8 (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person 9 who is qualified to register to vote and who has an authentic 10 Illinois driver's license or State identification card issued 11 by the Secretary of State may submit an application to 12 register to vote electronically on a website maintained by the 13 State Board of Elections. 14 (e) An online voter registration application shall contain 15 all of the information that is required for a paper 16 application as provided in Section 1A-16 of this Code, except 17 that the applicant shall be required to provide: 18 (1) the applicant's full Illinois driver's license or 19 State identification card number; 20 (2) the last 4 digits of the applicant's social 21 security number; and 22 (3) the date the Illinois driver's license or State 23 identification card was issued. 24 (f) For an applicant's registration or change in 25 registration to be accepted, the applicant shall mark the box 26 associated with the following statement included as part of SB1481 - 2 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481- 3 -LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 3 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 3 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b 1 the online voter registration application: 2 "By clicking on the box below, I swear or affirm all of the 3 following: 4 (1) I am the person whose name and identifying information 5 is provided on this form, and I desire to register to vote in 6 the State of Illinois. 7 (2) All the information I have provided on this form is 8 true and correct as of the date I am submitting this form. 9 (3) I authorize the Secretary of State to transmit to the 10 State Board of Elections my signature that is on file with the 11 Secretary of State and understand that such signature will be 12 used by my local election authority on this online voter 13 registration application for admission as an elector as if I 14 had signed this form personally.". 15 (g) Immediately upon receiving a completed online voter 16 registration application, the online voter registration system 17 shall send, by electronic mail, a confirmation notice that the 18 application has been received. Within 48 hours of receiving 19 such an application, the online voter registration system 20 shall send by electronic mail, a notice informing the 21 applicant of whether the following information has been 22 matched with the Secretary of State database: 23 (1) that the applicant has an authentic Illinois 24 driver's license or State identification card issued by 25 the Secretary of State and that the driver's license or 26 State identification number provided by the applicant SB1481 - 3 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481- 4 -LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 4 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 4 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b 1 matches the driver's license or State identification card 2 number for that person on file with the Secretary of 3 State; 4 (2) that the date of issuance of the Illinois driver's 5 license or State identification card listed on the 6 application matches the date of issuance of that card for 7 that person on file with the Secretary of State; 8 (3) that the date of birth provided by the applicant 9 matches the date of birth for that person on file with the 10 Secretary of State; and 11 (4) that the last 4 digits of the applicant's social 12 security number matches the last 4 digits for that person 13 on file with the Secretary of State. 14 (h) If the information provided by the applicant matches 15 the information on the Secretary of State's databases for any 16 driver's license and State identification card holder and is 17 matched as provided in subsection (g) above, the online voter 18 registration system shall: 19 (1) retrieve from the Secretary of State's database 20 files an electronic copy of the applicant's signature from 21 his or her Illinois driver's license or State 22 identification card and such signature shall be deemed to 23 be the applicant's signature on his or her online voter 24 registration application; 25 (2) within 2 days of receiving the application, 26 forward to the county clerk or board of election SB1481 - 4 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481- 5 -LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 5 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 5 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b 1 commissioners having jurisdiction over the applicant's 2 voter registration: (i) the application, along with the 3 applicant's relevant data that can be directly loaded into 4 the jurisdiction's voter registration system and (ii) a 5 copy of the applicant's electronic signature and a 6 certification from the State Board of Elections that the 7 applicant's driver's license or State identification card 8 number, driver's license or State identification card date 9 of issuance, and date of birth and social security 10 information have been successfully matched. 11 (i) Upon receipt of the online voter registration 12 application, the county clerk or board of election 13 commissioners having jurisdiction over the applicant's voter 14 registration shall promptly search its voter registration 15 database to determine whether the applicant is already 16 registered to vote at the address on the application and 17 whether the new registration would create a duplicate 18 registration. If the applicant is already registered to vote 19 at the address on the application, the clerk or board, as the 20 case may be, shall send the applicant by first class mail, and 21 electronic mail if the applicant has provided an electronic 22 mail address on the original voter registration form for that 23 address, a disposition notice as otherwise required by law 24 informing the applicant that he or she is already registered 25 to vote at such address. If the applicant is not already 26 registered to vote at the address on the application and the SB1481 - 5 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481- 6 -LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 6 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 6 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b 1 applicant is otherwise eligible to register to vote, the clerk 2 or board, as the case may be, shall: 3 (1) enter the name and address of the applicant on the 4 list of registered voters in the jurisdiction; and 5 (2) send by mail, and electronic mail if the applicant 6 has provided an electronic mail address on the voter 7 registration form, a disposition notice to the applicant 8 as otherwise provided by law setting forth the applicant's 9 name and address as it appears on the application and 10 stating that the person is registered to vote. 11 (j) An electronic signature of the person submitting a 12 duplicate registration application or a change of address form 13 that is retrieved and imported from the Secretary of State's 14 driver's license or State identification card database as 15 provided herein may, in the discretion of the clerk or board, 16 be substituted for and replace any existing signature for that 17 individual in the voter registration database of the county 18 clerk or board of election commissioners. 19 (k) Any new registration or change of address submitted 20 electronically as provided in this Section shall become 21 effective as of the date it is received by the county clerk or 22 board of election commissioners having jurisdiction over said 23 registration. Disposition notices prescribed in this Section 24 shall be sent within 5 business days of receipt of the online 25 application or change of address by the county clerk or board 26 of election commissioners. SB1481 - 6 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481- 7 -LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 7 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 7 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b 1 (l) All provisions of this Code governing voter 2 registration and applicable thereto and not inconsistent with 3 this Section shall apply to online voter registration under 4 this Section. All applications submitted on a website 5 maintained by the State Board of Elections shall be deemed 6 timely filed if they are submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on 7 the 16th day prior to an election. After the registration 8 period for an upcoming election has ended and until the 2nd day 9 following such election, the web page containing the online 10 voter registration form on the State Board of Elections 11 website shall inform users of the procedure for grace period 12 voting. 13 (m) The State Board of Elections shall maintain a list of 14 the name, street address, e-mail address, and likely precinct, 15 ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, of 16 people who apply to vote online through the voter registration 17 system and those names and that information shall be stored in 18 an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and 19 accessible to State and local political committees. 20 (n) The Illinois State Board of Elections shall develop or 21 cause to be developed an online voter registration system able 22 to be accessed by at least the top two most used mobile 23 electronic operating systems by January 1, 2016. 24 (o) (Blank). 25 (p) Each State department that maintains an Internet 26 website must include a hypertext link to the homepage website SB1481 - 7 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481- 8 -LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 8 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 8 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b 1 maintained and operated pursuant to this Section 1A-16.5. For 2 the purposes of this Section, "State department" means the 3 departments of State Government listed in Section 5-15 of the 4 Civil Administrative Code of Illinois (General Provisions and 5 Departments of State Government). 6 (Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 7-29-13; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14; 7 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15; 99-522, eff. 6-30-16.) 8 (10 ILCS 5/3-6) 9 Sec. 3-6. Voting and registration age. 10 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person 11 who is otherwise qualified to vote may preregister to vote on 12 or after that person's 16th birthday, with the registration 13 held in abeyance by the appropriate election authority until 14 that individual attains the required age to vote. 15 Preregistration under this subsection (a) shall be completed 16 using the online voter registration system, as provided in 17 Section 1A-16.5, or an electronic voter registration portal, 18 as provided in Section 1A-16.7. 19 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person 20 who is 17 years old on the date of a caucus, general primary 21 election, or consolidated primary election and who is 22 otherwise qualified to vote is qualified to vote at that 23 caucus, general primary, or consolidated primary, including 24 voting a vote by mail, grace period, or early voting ballot 25 with respect to that general primary or consolidated primary, SB1481 - 8 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481- 9 -LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 9 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b SB1481 - 9 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b 1 if that person will be 18 years old on the date of the 2 immediately following general election or consolidated 3 election for which candidates are nominated at that primary. 4 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an 5 individual who is 17 years of age, will be 18 years of age on 6 the date of the immediately following general or consolidated 7 election, and is otherwise qualified to vote shall be deemed 8 eligible to circulate a nominating petition or a petition 9 proposing a public question. 10 (d) For the purposes of this Code, a person who is 16 years 11 of age or older shall be deemed competent to execute and attest 12 to any voter registration forms. 13 (e) References in this Code and elsewhere to the 14 requirement that a person must be 18 years old to vote shall be 15 interpreted in accordance with this Section. 16 For the purposes of this Code, an individual who is 17 17 years of age and who will be 18 years of age on the date of the 18 general or consolidated election shall be deemed competent to 19 execute and attest to any voter registration forms. An 20 individual who is 17 years of age, will be 18 years of age on 21 the date of the immediately following general or consolidated 22 election, and is otherwise qualified to vote shall be deemed 23 eligible to circulate a nominating petition or a petition 24 proposing a public question. 25 (Source: P.A. 99-722, eff. 8-5-16; 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.) SB1481 - 9 - LRB103 27028 BMS 53395 b