104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1649 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Michael W. Halpin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3 Amends the Election Code. Provides that the application for a vote by mail ballot for a single election shall include an option to apply for permanent vote by mail status in a form consistent with an application for permanent vote by mail status. LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1649 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Michael W. Halpin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3 Amends the Election Code. Provides that the application for a vote by mail ballot for a single election shall include an option to apply for permanent vote by mail status in a form consistent with an application for permanent vote by mail status. LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1649 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Michael W. Halpin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
Amends the Election Code. Provides that the application for a vote by mail ballot for a single election shall include an option to apply for permanent vote by mail status in a form consistent with an application for permanent vote by mail status.
LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b
LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b
A BILL FOR
SB1649LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b SB1649 LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b
SB1649 LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 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 Section 19-3 as follows:
6 (10 ILCS 5/19-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-3)
7 Sec. 19-3. Application for a vote by mail ballot.
8 (a) The application for a vote by mail ballot for a single
9 election shall be substantially in the following form:
10 APPLICATION FOR VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT
11 To be voted at the .... election in the County of .... and
12 State of Illinois.
13 I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
14 .... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
15 for at least 30 days; that I am lawfully entitled to vote at
16 the .... election to be held on ....; and that I wish to vote
17 by mail.
18 I hereby make application for an official ballot or
19 ballots to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I
20 shall return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing
21 the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the
22 election or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than
23 election day, for counting no later than during the period for
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB1649 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Michael W. Halpin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3 10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
Amends the Election Code. Provides that the application for a vote by mail ballot for a single election shall include an option to apply for permanent vote by mail status in a form consistent with an application for permanent vote by mail status.
LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b
LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b
A BILL FOR
10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
LRB104 10592 SPS 20668 b
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1 counting provisional ballots, the last day of which is the
2 14th day following election day.
3 I understand that this application is made for an official
4 vote by mail ballot or ballots to be voted by me at the
5 election specified in this application and that I must submit
6 a separate application for an official vote by mail ballot or
7 ballots to be voted by me at any subsequent election.
8 Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section
9 29-10 of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
10 statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
11 ....
12 *fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
13 Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
14 ...............
15 (a-5) The application for a single vote by mail ballot
16 transmitted electronically pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall be
17 substantively similar to the application for a vote by mail
18 ballot for a single election and shall include:
19 I swear or affirm that I am a voter with a print
20 disability, and, as a result of this disability, I am
21 making a request to receive a vote by mail ballot
22 electronically so that I may privately and independently
23 mark, verify, and print my vote by mail ballot.
24 (a-6) The application for a vote by mail ballot for a
25 single election shall include an option to apply for permanent
26 vote by mail status in a form consistent with the requirements
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1 of subsection (b).
2 (b) The application for permanent vote by mail status
3 shall be substantially in the following form:
4 APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT VOTE BY MAIL STATUS
5 I am currently a registered voter and wish to apply for
6 permanent vote by mail status.
7 I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
8 .... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
9 for at least 30 days; that I am lawfully entitled to vote at
10 the .... election to be held on ....; and that I wish to vote
11 by mail in:
12 ..... all subsequent elections that do not require a party
13 designation.
14 ..... all subsequent elections, and I wish to receive a
15 ................... Party vote by mail ballot in
16 elections that require a party designation.
17 I hereby make application for an official ballot or
18 ballots to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I
19 shall return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing
20 the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the
21 election or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than
22 election day, for counting no later than during the period for
23 counting provisional ballots, the last day of which is the
24 14th day following election day.
25 Under penalties as provided by law under Section 29-10 of
26 the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
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1 statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
2 ....
3 Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
4 ...............
5 (b-5) The application for permanent vote by mail ballots
6 transmitted electronically pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall be
7 substantively similar to the application for permanent vote by
8 mail status and shall include:
9 I swear or affirm that I am a voter with a
10 non-temporary print disability, and as a result of this
11 disability, I am making a request to receive vote by mail
12 ballots electronically so that I may privately and
13 independently mark, verify, and print my vote by mail
14 ballots.
15 (c) However, if application is made for a primary election
16 ballot, such application shall require the applicant to
17 designate the name of the political party with which the
18 applicant is affiliated. The election authority shall allow
19 any voter on permanent vote by mail status to change his or her
20 party affiliation for a primary election ballot by a method
21 and deadline published and selected by the election authority.
22 (d) If application is made electronically, the applicant
23 shall mark the box associated with the above described
24 statement included as part of the online application
25 certifying that the statements set forth in the application
26 under subsection (a) or (b) are true and correct, and a
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1 signature is not required.
2 (e) Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or
3 return to an election authority an application under this
4 Section. If applications are sent to a post office box
5 controlled by any individual or organization that is not an
6 election authority, those applications shall (i) include a
7 valid and current phone number for the individual or
8 organization controlling the post office box and (ii) be
9 turned over to the appropriate election authority within 7
10 days of receipt or, if received within 2 weeks of the election
11 in which an applicant intends to vote, within 2 days of
12 receipt. Failure to turn over the applications in compliance
13 with this paragraph shall constitute a violation of this Code
14 and shall be punishable as a petty offense with a fine of $100
15 per application. Removing, tampering with, or otherwise
16 knowingly making the postmark on the application unreadable by
17 the election authority shall establish a rebuttable
18 presumption of a violation of this paragraph. Upon receipt,
19 the appropriate election authority shall accept and promptly
20 process any application under this Section submitted in a form
21 substantially similar to that required by this Section,
22 including any substantially similar production or reproduction
23 generated by the applicant.
24 (f) An election authority may combine the applications in
25 subsections (a) and (b) onto one form, but the distinction
26 between the applications must be clear and the form must
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