Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1464 Compare Versions

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11 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1464 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-210 ILCS 5/19-2.610 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-310 ILCS 5/20-16 new Amends the Election Code. Provides that, if a voter with a print disability's application for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election authority and the voter with a print disability requested an accessible vote by mail ballot, the voter with a print disability shall receive an accessible vote by mail ballot for every election the voter with a print disability remains on the permanent vote by mail list. Provides that, for all elections subsequent to the 2026 general election, the State Board of Elections shall provide a certified remote accessible vote by mail system through which an election authority can deliver a vote by mail ballot through electronic transmission to voters with a print through electronic transmission to voters with a print disability and through which voters with a print disability can mark, verify, and return a vote by mail ballot to the election authority electronically. Provides that all electronic documents and web pages that must be used as part of the certified remote accessible vote by mail system provided by the State Board of Elections or election authorities shall be compliant with specified web content guidelines. Provides that the certified remote accessible vote by mail system shall comply with specified requirements. Changes the definition of "certified remote accessible vote by mail system". Makes other changes. LRB104 08581 SPS 18633 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1464 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-210 ILCS 5/19-2.610 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-310 ILCS 5/20-16 new 10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-2 10 ILCS 5/19-2.6 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3 10 ILCS 5/20-16 new Amends the Election Code. Provides that, if a voter with a print disability's application for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election authority and the voter with a print disability requested an accessible vote by mail ballot, the voter with a print disability shall receive an accessible vote by mail ballot for every election the voter with a print disability remains on the permanent vote by mail list. Provides that, for all elections subsequent to the 2026 general election, the State Board of Elections shall provide a certified remote accessible vote by mail system through which an election authority can deliver a vote by mail ballot through electronic transmission to voters with a print through electronic transmission to voters with a print disability and through which voters with a print disability can mark, verify, and return a vote by mail ballot to the election authority electronically. Provides that all electronic documents and web pages that must be used as part of the certified remote accessible vote by mail system provided by the State Board of Elections or election authorities shall be compliant with specified web content guidelines. Provides that the certified remote accessible vote by mail system shall comply with specified requirements. Changes the definition of "certified remote accessible vote by mail system". Makes other changes. LRB104 08581 SPS 18633 b LRB104 08581 SPS 18633 b A BILL FOR
22 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1464 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
33 10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-210 ILCS 5/19-2.610 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-310 ILCS 5/20-16 new 10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-2 10 ILCS 5/19-2.6 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3 10 ILCS 5/20-16 new
44 10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-2
55 10 ILCS 5/19-2.6
66 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
77 10 ILCS 5/20-16 new
88 Amends the Election Code. Provides that, if a voter with a print disability's application for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election authority and the voter with a print disability requested an accessible vote by mail ballot, the voter with a print disability shall receive an accessible vote by mail ballot for every election the voter with a print disability remains on the permanent vote by mail list. Provides that, for all elections subsequent to the 2026 general election, the State Board of Elections shall provide a certified remote accessible vote by mail system through which an election authority can deliver a vote by mail ballot through electronic transmission to voters with a print through electronic transmission to voters with a print disability and through which voters with a print disability can mark, verify, and return a vote by mail ballot to the election authority electronically. Provides that all electronic documents and web pages that must be used as part of the certified remote accessible vote by mail system provided by the State Board of Elections or election authorities shall be compliant with specified web content guidelines. Provides that the certified remote accessible vote by mail system shall comply with specified requirements. Changes the definition of "certified remote accessible vote by mail system". Makes other changes.
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1414 1 AN ACT concerning elections.
1515 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
1616 3 represented in the General Assembly:
1717 4 Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
1818 5 Sections 19-2, 19-2.6, and 19-3 and by adding Section 20-16 as
1919 6 follows:
2020 7 (10 ILCS 5/19-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2)
2121 8 Sec. 19-2. Except as otherwise provided in this Code, any
2222 9 elector as defined in Section 19-1 may by mail or
2323 10 electronically on the website of the appropriate election
2424 11 authority, not more than 90 nor less than 5 days prior to the
2525 12 date of such election, or by personal delivery not more than 90
2626 13 nor less than one day prior to the date of such election, make
2727 14 application to the county clerk or to the Board of Election
2828 15 Commissioners for an official ballot for the voter's precinct
2929 16 to be voted at such election. Such a ballot shall be delivered
3030 17 to the elector only upon separate application by the elector
3131 18 for each election. Voters who make an application for
3232 19 permanent vote by mail ballot status shall follow the
3333 20 procedures specified in Section 19-3 and may apply year round.
3434 21 Voters whose application for permanent vote by mail status is
3535 22 accepted by the election authority shall remain on the
3636 23 permanent vote by mail list until the voter requests to be
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4141 10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-210 ILCS 5/19-2.610 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-310 ILCS 5/20-16 new 10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-2 10 ILCS 5/19-2.6 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3 10 ILCS 5/20-16 new
4242 10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-2
4343 10 ILCS 5/19-2.6
4444 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
4545 10 ILCS 5/20-16 new
4646 Amends the Election Code. Provides that, if a voter with a print disability's application for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election authority and the voter with a print disability requested an accessible vote by mail ballot, the voter with a print disability shall receive an accessible vote by mail ballot for every election the voter with a print disability remains on the permanent vote by mail list. Provides that, for all elections subsequent to the 2026 general election, the State Board of Elections shall provide a certified remote accessible vote by mail system through which an election authority can deliver a vote by mail ballot through electronic transmission to voters with a print through electronic transmission to voters with a print disability and through which voters with a print disability can mark, verify, and return a vote by mail ballot to the election authority electronically. Provides that all electronic documents and web pages that must be used as part of the certified remote accessible vote by mail system provided by the State Board of Elections or election authorities shall be compliant with specified web content guidelines. Provides that the certified remote accessible vote by mail system shall comply with specified requirements. Changes the definition of "certified remote accessible vote by mail system". Makes other changes.
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5858 10 ILCS 5/20-16 new
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7777 1 removed from permanent vote by mail status, the voter provides
7878 2 notice to the election authority of a change in registration
7979 3 that affects their registration status, or the election
8080 4 authority receives confirmation that the voter has
8181 5 subsequently registered to vote in another election authority
8282 6 jurisdiction. If a voter with a print disability's application
8383 7 for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election
8484 8 authority and the voter with a print disability requested an
8585 9 accessible vote by mail ballot under Section 19-2.6, the voter
8686 10 with a print disability shall receive an accessible vote by
8787 11 mail ballot for every election the voter with a print
8888 12 disability remains on the permanent vote by mail list. The URL
8989 13 address at which voters may electronically request a vote by
9090 14 mail ballot shall be fixed no later than 90 calendar days
9191 15 before an election and shall not be changed until after the
9292 16 election.
9393 17 (Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-668, eff. 11-15-21;
9494 18 102-687, eff. 12-17-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)
9595 19 (10 ILCS 5/19-2.6)
9696 20 Sec. 19-2.6. Vote by mail; voters with a print disability.
9797 21 (a) Definitions. As used in this Section, unless the
9898 22 context otherwise requires:
9999 23 "Assistive technology" means any equipment, software, or
100100 24 product used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional
101101 25 capabilities of individuals with disabilities, including, but
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112112 1 not limited to, screen reading and magnification software,
113113 2 refreshable Braille displays, and speech recognition programs.
114114 3 "Certified remote accessible vote by mail system" means,
115115 4 for elections that occur before the 2026 general election, a
116116 5 process approved by the State Board of Elections through which
117117 6 an election authority provides for the electronic transmission
118118 7 of a vote by mail ballot to a voter with a print disability and
119119 8 through which the voter with a print disability marks and
120120 9 verifies the voter's ballot using assistive technology.
121121 10 "Certified remote accessible vote by mail system" means, for
122122 11 all elections subsequent to the 2026 general election, a
123123 12 process approved by the State Board of Elections through which
124124 13 an election authority provides for the electronic transmission
125125 14 of a vote by mail ballot to a voter with a print disability and
126126 15 through which the voter with a print disability marks,
127127 16 verifies, and returns the voter's ballot to the election
128128 17 authority electronically using assistive technology.
129129 18 "Electronic transmission" means the transfer of data or
130130 19 information through an authorized electronic data interchange
131131 20 system.
132132 21 "Voter with a print disability" means a person having a
133133 22 temporary or permanent physical or mental impairment, such as
134134 23 blindness, low vision, physical dexterity limitations, or
135135 24 learning or cognitive disabilities, that prevents the person
136136 25 from effective reading, writing, or use of printed material.
137137 26 (b) The State Board of Elections shall provide a certified
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148148 1 remote accessible vote by mail system for the General Election
149149 2 of November 8, 2022 and all subsequent elections that occur
150150 3 before the 2026 general election, through which a vote by mail
151151 4 ballot can be delivered by electronic transmission to voters
152152 5 with print disabilities and through which voters with print
153153 6 disabilities are able to mark and verify their ballots using
154154 7 assistive technology.
155155 8 (c) For the November 8, 2022 general election and all
156156 9 subsequent elections that occur on or before the 2026 general
157157 10 election, election Election authorities shall permit voters
158158 11 with a print disability to receive and mark their vote by mail
159159 12 ballots (i) through the certified remote accessible vote by
160160 13 mail system provided by the State Board of Elections pursuant
161161 14 to subsection (b) of this Section or (ii) through a certified
162162 15 remote accessible vote by mail system provided by the election
163163 16 authority.
164164 17 (d) If a vote by mail ballot application from a voter with
165165 18 a print disability arrives after the jurisdiction begins
166166 19 transmitting vote by mail ballots and instructions to voters,
167167 20 the election authority shall electronically transmit the
168168 21 ballot, instructions, and balloting materials to the voter
169169 22 within two business days after receipt of the application.
170170 23 (e) Ballots received and marked pursuant to subsections
171171 24 (b) and (c) of this Section must be printed by the voter and
172172 25 returned to the election authority as provided in Section
173173 26 19-6.
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184184 1 (f) For all elections subsequent to the 2026 general
185185 2 election, the State Board of Elections shall provide a
186186 3 certified remote accessible vote by mail system through which
187187 4 an election authority can deliver a vote by mail ballot
188188 5 through electronic transmission to voters with a print through
189189 6 electronic transmission to voters with a print disability and
190190 7 through which voters with a print disability can mark, verify,
191191 8 and return a vote by mail ballot to the election authority
192192 9 electronically.
193193 10 (g) To ensure that voters with a print disability are able
194194 11 to complete all aspects of the vote by mail process privately
195195 12 and independently, the State Board of Elections shall
196196 13 establish a method that allows voters with a print disability
197197 14 to electronically authenticate a vote by mail ballot without
198198 15 assistance, and election authorities shall use that method of
199199 16 authentication.
200200 17 (h) All electronic documents and web pages that must be
201201 18 used as part of the certified remote accessible vote by mail
202202 19 system provided by the State Board of Elections or election
203203 20 authorities shall be compliant with the Web Content
204204 21 Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA standards and updated as
205205 22 necessary to comply with any subsequent Web Content
206206 23 Accessibility Guidelines standards.
207207 24 (i) (f) The State Board of Elections shall adopt rules,
208208 25 including emergency rules, necessary for the implementation of
209209 26 this Section. The State Board of Elections' adopted rules
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220220 1 shall include certification standards for a remote accessible
221221 2 vote by mail system and a method subject to the provisions in
222222 3 Sections 19-2 and 19-3 of this Article by which a voter with a
223223 4 print disability may request to use a certified remote
224224 5 accessible vote by mail system and apply for an accessible
225225 6 vote by mail ballot.
226226 7 (Source: P.A. 102-819, eff. 5-13-22.)
227227 8 (10 ILCS 5/19-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-3)
228228 9 Sec. 19-3. Application for a vote by mail ballot.
229229 10 (a) The application for a vote by mail ballot for a single
230230 11 election shall be substantially in the following form:
231231 12 APPLICATION FOR VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT
232232 13 To be voted at the .... election in the County of .... and
233233 14 State of Illinois.
234234 15 I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
235235 16 .... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
236236 17 for at least 30 days; that I am lawfully entitled to vote at
237237 18 the .... election to be held on ....; and that I wish to vote
238238 19 by mail.
239239 20 I hereby make application for an official ballot or
240240 21 ballots to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I
241241 22 shall return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing
242242 23 the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the
243243 24 election or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than
244244 25 election day, for counting no later than during the period for
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255255 1 counting provisional ballots, the last day of which is the
256256 2 14th day following election day.
257257 3 I understand that this application is made for an official
258258 4 vote by mail ballot or ballots to be voted by me at the
259259 5 election specified in this application and that I must submit
260260 6 a separate application for an official vote by mail ballot or
261261 7 ballots to be voted by me at any subsequent election.
262262 8 Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section
263263 9 29-10 of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
264264 10 statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
265265 11 ....
266266 12 *fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
267267 13 Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
268268 14 ...............
269269 15 (a-5) The application for a single vote by mail ballot
270270 16 transmitted electronically pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall be
271271 17 substantively similar to the application for a vote by mail
272272 18 ballot for a single election and shall include:
273273 19 I swear or affirm that I am a voter with a print
274274 20 disability, and, as a result of this disability, I am
275275 21 making a request to receive a vote by mail ballot
276276 22 electronically so that I may privately and independently
277277 23 mark, verify, and print my vote by mail ballot.
278278 24 (b) The application for permanent vote by mail status
279279 25 shall be substantially in the following form:
280280 26 APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT VOTE BY MAIL STATUS
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291291 1 I am currently a registered voter and wish to apply for
292292 2 permanent vote by mail status.
293293 3 I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
294294 4 .... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
295295 5 for at least 30 days; that I am lawfully entitled to vote at
296296 6 the .... election to be held on ....; and that I wish to vote
297297 7 by mail in:
298298 8 ..... all subsequent elections that do not require a party
299299 9 designation.
300300 10 ..... all subsequent elections, and I wish to receive a
301301 11 ................... Party vote by mail ballot in
302302 12 elections that require a party designation.
303303 13 I hereby make application for an official ballot or
304304 14 ballots to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I
305305 15 shall return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing
306306 16 the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the
307307 17 election or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than
308308 18 election day, for counting no later than during the period for
309309 19 counting provisional ballots, the last day of which is the
310310 20 14th day following election day.
311311 21 Under penalties as provided by law under Section 29-10 of
312312 22 the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
313313 23 statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
314314 24 ....
315315 25 Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
316316 26 ...............
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327327 1 (b-5) The application for permanent vote by mail ballots
328328 2 transmitted electronically pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall be
329329 3 substantively similar to the application for permanent vote by
330330 4 mail status and shall include:
331331 5 I swear or affirm that I am a voter with a
332332 6 non-temporary print disability, and as a result of this
333333 7 disability, I am making a request to receive vote by mail
334334 8 ballots electronically so that I may privately and
335335 9 independently mark, verify, and print my vote by mail
336336 10 ballots.
337337 11 (c) However, if application is made for a primary election
338338 12 ballot, such application shall require the applicant to
339339 13 designate the name of the political party with which the
340340 14 applicant is affiliated. The election authority shall allow
341341 15 any voter on permanent vote by mail status to change his or her
342342 16 party affiliation for a primary election ballot by a method
343343 17 and deadline published and selected by the election authority.
344344 18 (d) If application is made electronically, the applicant
345345 19 shall mark the box associated with the above described
346346 20 statement included as part of the online application
347347 21 certifying that the statements set forth in the application
348348 22 under subsection (a) or (b) are true and correct, and a
349349 23 signature is not required.
350350 24 (e) Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or
351351 25 return to an election authority an application under this
352352 26 Section. If applications are sent to a post office box
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363363 1 controlled by any individual or organization that is not an
364364 2 election authority, those applications shall (i) include a
365365 3 valid and current phone number for the individual or
366366 4 organization controlling the post office box and (ii) be
367367 5 turned over to the appropriate election authority within 7
368368 6 days of receipt or, if received within 2 weeks of the election
369369 7 in which an applicant intends to vote, within 2 days of
370370 8 receipt. Failure to turn over the applications in compliance
371371 9 with this paragraph shall constitute a violation of this Code
372372 10 and shall be punishable as a petty offense with a fine of $100
373373 11 per application. Removing, tampering with, or otherwise
374374 12 knowingly making the postmark on the application unreadable by
375375 13 the election authority shall establish a rebuttable
376376 14 presumption of a violation of this paragraph. Upon receipt,
377377 15 the appropriate election authority shall accept and promptly
378378 16 process any application under this Section submitted in a form
379379 17 substantially similar to that required by this Section,
380380 18 including any substantially similar production or reproduction
381381 19 generated by the applicant.
382382 20 (f) An election authority may combine the applications in
383383 21 subsections (a) and (b) onto one form, but the distinction
384384 22 between the applications must be clear and the form must
385385 23 provide check boxes for an applicant to indicate whether he or
386386 24 she is applying for a single election vote by mail ballot or
387387 25 for permanent vote by mail status.
388388 26 (g) For all elections subsequent to the effective date of
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399399 1 this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, the
400400 2 application shall provide an applicant with a print disability
401401 3 the ability to designate on the application that the voter has
402402 4 a print disability and is requesting an accessible vote by
403403 5 mail ballot under Section 19-2.6.
404404 6 (Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-819, eff. 5-13-22;
405405 7 103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)
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