IL
Illinois Senate Bill SB1717

Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1717 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
OldNewDifferences
11 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1717 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12 Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections and the various election authorities and local election officials with whom petitions for nomination are filed shall: (i) create a form for a prospective candidate to request a petition for nomination; (ii) provide a prospective candidate with a petition for nomination within 24 hours after receiving a completed request form; (iii) timestamp when a completed petition for nomination is filed; and (iv) make publicly available a list of filed petitions for nomination that shall be preserved for a period of not less than 6 months. LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1717 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12 Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections and the various election authorities and local election officials with whom petitions for nomination are filed shall: (i) create a form for a prospective candidate to request a petition for nomination; (ii) provide a prospective candidate with a petition for nomination within 24 hours after receiving a completed request form; (iii) timestamp when a completed petition for nomination is filed; and (iv) make publicly available a list of filed petitions for nomination that shall be preserved for a period of not less than 6 months. LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b A BILL FOR
22 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1717 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
33 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12
44 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12
55 Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections and the various election authorities and local election officials with whom petitions for nomination are filed shall: (i) create a form for a prospective candidate to request a petition for nomination; (ii) provide a prospective candidate with a petition for nomination within 24 hours after receiving a completed request form; (iii) timestamp when a completed petition for nomination is filed; and (iv) make publicly available a list of filed petitions for nomination that shall be preserved for a period of not less than 6 months.
66 LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
77 LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
88 A BILL FOR
99 SB1717LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
1010 SB1717 LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
1111 1 AN ACT concerning elections.
1212 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
1313 3 represented in the General Assembly:
1414 4 Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
1515 5 Section 7-12 as follows:
1616 6 (10 ILCS 5/7-12) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-12)
1717 7 Sec. 7-12. All petitions for nomination shall be filed by
1818 8 mail or in person as follows:
1919 9 (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Code, where
2020 10 the nomination is to be made for a State, congressional,
2121 11 or judicial office, or for any office a nomination for
2222 12 which is made for a territorial division or district which
2323 13 comprises more than one county or is partly in one county
2424 14 and partly in another county or counties (including the
2525 15 Fox Metro Water Reclamation District), then, except as
2626 16 otherwise provided in this Section, such petition for
2727 17 nomination shall be filed in the principal office of the
2828 18 State Board of Elections not more than 141 and not less
2929 19 than 134 days prior to the date of the primary, but, in the
3030 20 case of petitions for nomination to fill a vacancy by
3131 21 special election in the office of representative in
3232 22 Congress from this State, such petition for nomination
3333 23 shall be filed in the principal office of the State Board
3434
3535
3636
3737 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1717 Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3838 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12
3939 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12
4040 Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections and the various election authorities and local election officials with whom petitions for nomination are filed shall: (i) create a form for a prospective candidate to request a petition for nomination; (ii) provide a prospective candidate with a petition for nomination within 24 hours after receiving a completed request form; (iii) timestamp when a completed petition for nomination is filed; and (iv) make publicly available a list of filed petitions for nomination that shall be preserved for a period of not less than 6 months.
4141 LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
4242 LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
4343 A BILL FOR
4444
4545
4646
4747
4848
4949 10 ILCS 5/7-12 from Ch. 46, par. 7-12
5050
5151
5252
5353 LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
5454
5555
5656
5757
5858
5959
6060
6161
6262
6363 SB1717 LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
6464
6565
6666 SB1717- 2 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 2 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
6767 SB1717 - 2 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
6868 1 of Elections not more than 85 days and not less than 82
6969 2 days prior to the date of the primary.
7070 3 Where a vacancy occurs in the office of Supreme,
7171 4 Appellate or Circuit Court Judge within the 3-week period
7272 5 preceding the 134th day before a general primary election,
7373 6 petitions for nomination for the office in which the
7474 7 vacancy has occurred shall be filed in the principal
7575 8 office of the State Board of Elections not more than 120
7676 9 nor less than 113 days prior to the date of the general
7777 10 primary election.
7878 11 Where the nomination is to be made for delegates or
7979 12 alternate delegates to a national nominating convention,
8080 13 then such petition for nomination shall be filed in the
8181 14 principal office of the State Board of Elections not more
8282 15 than 141 and not less than 134 days prior to the date of
8383 16 the primary; provided, however, that if the rules or
8484 17 policies of a national political party conflict with such
8585 18 requirements for filing petitions for nomination for
8686 19 delegates or alternate delegates to a national nominating
8787 20 convention, the chair of the State central committee of
8888 21 such national political party shall notify the Board in
8989 22 writing, citing by reference the rules or policies of the
9090 23 national political party in conflict, and in such case the
9191 24 Board shall direct such petitions to be filed in
9292 25 accordance with the delegate selection plan adopted by the
9393 26 state central committee of such national political party.
9494
9595
9696
9797
9898
9999 SB1717 - 2 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
100100
101101
102102 SB1717- 3 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 3 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
103103 SB1717 - 3 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
104104 1 (2) Where the nomination is to be made for a county
105105 2 office or trustee of a sanitary district then such
106106 3 petition shall be filed in the office of the county clerk
107107 4 not more than 141 nor less than 134 days prior to the date
108108 5 of the primary.
109109 6 (3) Where the nomination is to be made for a municipal
110110 7 or township office, such petitions for nomination shall be
111111 8 filed in the office of the local election official, not
112112 9 more than 127 nor less than 120 days prior to the date of
113113 10 the primary; provided, where a municipality's or
114114 11 township's boundaries are coextensive with or are entirely
115115 12 within the jurisdiction of a municipal board of election
116116 13 commissioners, the petitions shall be filed in the office
117117 14 of such board; and provided, that petitions for the office
118118 15 of multi-township assessor shall be filed with the
119119 16 election authority.
120120 17 (4) The petitions of candidates for State central
121121 18 committeeperson shall be filed in the principal office of
122122 19 the State Board of Elections not more than 141 nor less
123123 20 than 134 days prior to the date of the primary.
124124 21 (5) Petitions of candidates for precinct, township or
125125 22 ward committeepersons shall be filed in the office of the
126126 23 county clerk not more than 141 nor less than 134 days prior
127127 24 to the date of the primary.
128128 25 (6) The State Board of Elections and the various
129129 26 election authorities and local election officials with
130130
131131
132132
133133
134134
135135 SB1717 - 3 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
136136
137137
138138 SB1717- 4 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 4 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
139139 SB1717 - 4 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
140140 1 whom such petitions for nominations are filed shall
141141 2 specify the place where filings shall be made and upon
142142 3 receipt shall endorse thereon the day and hour on which
143143 4 each petition was filed. All petitions filed by persons
144144 5 waiting in line as of 8:00 a.m. on the first day for
145145 6 filing, or as of the normal opening hour of the office
146146 7 involved on such day, shall be deemed filed as of 8:00 a.m.
147147 8 or the normal opening hour, as the case may be. Petitions
148148 9 filed by mail and received after midnight of the first day
149149 10 for filing and in the first mail delivery or pickup of that
150150 11 day shall be deemed as filed as of 8:00 a.m. of that day or
151151 12 as of the normal opening hour of such day, as the case may
152152 13 be. All petitions received thereafter shall be deemed as
153153 14 filed in the order of actual receipt. However, 2 or more
154154 15 petitions filed within the last hour of the filing
155155 16 deadline shall be deemed filed simultaneously. Where 2 or
156156 17 more petitions are received simultaneously, the State
157157 18 Board of Elections or the various election authorities or
158158 19 local election officials with whom such petitions are
159159 20 filed shall break ties and determine the order of filing,
160160 21 by means of a lottery or other fair and impartial method of
161161 22 random selection approved by the State Board of Elections.
162162 23 Such lottery shall be conducted within 9 days following
163163 24 the last day for petition filing and shall be open to the
164164 25 public. Seven days written notice of the time and place of
165165 26 conducting such random selection shall be given by the
166166
167167
168168
169169
170170
171171 SB1717 - 4 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
172172
173173
174174 SB1717- 5 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 5 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
175175 SB1717 - 5 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
176176 1 State Board of Elections to the chair of the State central
177177 2 committee of each established political party, and by each
178178 3 election authority or local election official, to the
179179 4 County Chair of each established political party, and to
180180 5 each organization of citizens within the election
181181 6 jurisdiction which was entitled, under this Article, at
182182 7 the next preceding election, to have pollwatchers present
183183 8 on the day of election. The State Board of Elections,
184184 9 election authority or local election official shall post
185185 10 in a conspicuous, open and public place, at the entrance
186186 11 of the office, notice of the time and place of such
187187 12 lottery. The State Board of Elections shall adopt rules
188188 13 and regulations governing the procedures for the conduct
189189 14 of such lottery. All candidates shall be certified in the
190190 15 order in which their petitions have been filed. Where
191191 16 candidates have filed simultaneously, they shall be
192192 17 certified in the order determined by lot and prior to
193193 18 candidates who filed for the same office at a later time.
194194 19 (7) The State Board of Elections or the appropriate
195195 20 election authority or local election official with whom
196196 21 such a petition for nomination is filed shall notify the
197197 22 person for whom a petition for nomination has been filed
198198 23 of the obligation to file statements of organization,
199199 24 reports of campaign contributions, and quarterly reports
200200 25 of campaign contributions and expenditures under Article 9
201201 26 of this Code. Such notice shall be given in the manner
202202
203203
204204
205205
206206
207207 SB1717 - 5 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
208208
209209
210210 SB1717- 6 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 6 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
211211 SB1717 - 6 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
212212 1 prescribed by paragraph (7) of Section 9-16 of this Code.
213213 2 (8) Nomination papers filed under this Section are not
214214 3 valid if the candidate named therein fails to file a
215215 4 statement of economic interests as required by the
216216 5 Illinois Governmental Ethics Act in relation to his
217217 6 candidacy with the appropriate officer by the end of the
218218 7 period for the filing of nomination papers unless he has
219219 8 filed a statement of economic interests in relation to the
220220 9 same governmental unit with that officer within a year
221221 10 preceding the date on which such nomination papers were
222222 11 filed. If the nomination papers of any candidate and the
223223 12 statement of economic interests of that candidate are not
224224 13 required to be filed with the same officer, the candidate
225225 14 must file with the officer with whom the nomination papers
226226 15 are filed a receipt from the officer with whom the
227227 16 statement of economic interests is filed showing the date
228228 17 on which such statement was filed. Such receipt shall be
229229 18 so filed not later than the last day on which nomination
230230 19 papers may be filed.
231231 20 (9) Except as otherwise provided in this Code, any
232232 21 person for whom a petition for nomination, or for
233233 22 committeeperson or for delegate or alternate delegate to a
234234 23 national nominating convention has been filed may cause
235235 24 his name to be withdrawn by request in writing, signed by
236236 25 him and duly acknowledged before an officer qualified to
237237 26 take acknowledgments of deeds, and filed in the principal
238238
239239
240240
241241
242242
243243 SB1717 - 6 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
244244
245245
246246 SB1717- 7 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 7 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
247247 SB1717 - 7 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
248248 1 or permanent branch office of the State Board of Elections
249249 2 or with the appropriate election authority or local
250250 3 election official, not later than the date of
251251 4 certification of candidates for the consolidated primary
252252 5 or general primary ballot. No names so withdrawn shall be
253253 6 certified or printed on the primary ballot. If petitions
254254 7 for nomination have been filed for the same person with
255255 8 respect to more than one political party, his name shall
256256 9 not be certified nor printed on the primary ballot of any
257257 10 party. If petitions for nomination have been filed for the
258258 11 same person for 2 or more offices which are incompatible
259259 12 so that the same person could not serve in more than one of
260260 13 such offices if elected, that person must withdraw as a
261261 14 candidate for all but one of such offices within the 5
262262 15 business days following the last day for petition filing.
263263 16 A candidate in a judicial election may file petitions for
264264 17 nomination for only one vacancy in a subcircuit and only
265265 18 one vacancy in a circuit in any one filing period, and if
266266 19 petitions for nomination have been filed for the same
267267 20 person for 2 or more vacancies in the same circuit or
268268 21 subcircuit in the same filing period, his or her name
269269 22 shall be certified only for the first vacancy for which
270270 23 the petitions for nomination were filed. If he fails to
271271 24 withdraw as a candidate for all but one of such offices
272272 25 within such time his name shall not be certified, nor
273273 26 printed on the primary ballot, for any office. For the
274274
275275
276276
277277
278278
279279 SB1717 - 7 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
280280
281281
282282 SB1717- 8 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 8 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
283283 SB1717 - 8 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
284284 1 purpose of the foregoing provisions, an office in a
285285 2 political party is not incompatible with any other office.
286286 3 (10)(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other
287287 4 statute, no primary shall be held for an established
288288 5 political party in any township, municipality, or ward
289289 6 thereof, where the nomination of such party for every
290290 7 office to be voted upon by the electors of such township,
291291 8 municipality, or ward thereof, is uncontested. Whenever a
292292 9 political party's nomination of candidates is uncontested
293293 10 as to one or more, but not all, of the offices to be voted
294294 11 upon by the electors of a township, municipality, or ward
295295 12 thereof, then a primary shall be held for that party in
296296 13 such township, municipality, or ward thereof; provided
297297 14 that the primary ballot shall not include those offices
298298 15 within such township, municipality, or ward thereof, for
299299 16 which the nomination is uncontested. For purposes of this
300300 17 Article, the nomination of an established political party
301301 18 of a candidate for election to an office shall be deemed to
302302 19 be uncontested where not more than the number of persons
303303 20 to be nominated have timely filed valid nomination papers
304304 21 seeking the nomination of such party for election to such
305305 22 office.
306306 23 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other
307307 24 statute, no primary election shall be held for an
308308 25 established political party for any special primary
309309 26 election called for the purpose of filling a vacancy in
310310
311311
312312
313313
314314
315315 SB1717 - 8 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
316316
317317
318318 SB1717- 9 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 9 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
319319 SB1717 - 9 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
320320 1 the office of representative in the United States Congress
321321 2 where the nomination of such political party for said
322322 3 office is uncontested. For the purposes of this Article,
323323 4 the nomination of an established political party of a
324324 5 candidate for election to said office shall be deemed to
325325 6 be uncontested where not more than the number of persons
326326 7 to be nominated have timely filed valid nomination papers
327327 8 seeking the nomination of such established party for
328328 9 election to said office. This subsection (b) shall not
329329 10 apply if such primary election is conducted on a regularly
330330 11 scheduled election day.
331331 12 (c) Notwithstanding the provisions in subparagraph (a)
332332 13 and (b) of this paragraph (10), whenever a person who has
333333 14 not timely filed valid nomination papers and who intends
334334 15 to become a write-in candidate for a political party's
335335 16 nomination for any office for which the nomination is
336336 17 uncontested files a written statement or notice of that
337337 18 intent with the local election official where the
338338 19 candidate is seeking to appear on the ballot, a primary
339339 20 ballot shall be prepared and a primary shall be held for
340340 21 that office. Such statement or notice shall be filed on or
341341 22 before the date established in this Article for certifying
342342 23 candidates for the primary ballot. Such statement or
343343 24 notice shall contain (i) the name and address of the
344344 25 person intending to become a write-in candidate, (ii) a
345345 26 statement that the person is a qualified primary elector
346346
347347
348348
349349
350350
351351 SB1717 - 9 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
352352
353353
354354 SB1717- 10 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 10 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
355355 SB1717 - 10 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
356356 1 of the political party from whom the nomination is sought,
357357 2 (iii) a statement that the person intends to become a
358358 3 write-in candidate for the party's nomination, and (iv)
359359 4 the office the person is seeking as a write-in candidate.
360360 5 An election authority shall have no duty to conduct a
361361 6 primary and prepare a primary ballot for any office for
362362 7 which the nomination is uncontested unless a statement or
363363 8 notice meeting the requirements of this Section is filed
364364 9 in a timely manner.
365365 10 (11) If multiple sets of nomination papers are filed
366366 11 for a candidate to the same office, the State Board of
367367 12 Elections, appropriate election authority or local
368368 13 election official where the petitions are filed shall
369369 14 within 2 business days notify the candidate of his or her
370370 15 multiple petition filings and that the candidate has 3
371371 16 business days after receipt of the notice to notify the
372372 17 State Board of Elections, appropriate election authority
373373 18 or local election official that he or she may cancel prior
374374 19 sets of petitions. If the candidate notifies the State
375375 20 Board of Elections, appropriate election authority or
376376 21 local election official, the last set of petitions filed
377377 22 shall be the only petitions to be considered valid by the
378378 23 State Board of Elections, election authority or local
379379 24 election official. If the candidate fails to notify the
380380 25 State Board of Elections, election authority or local
381381 26 election official then only the first set of petitions
382382
383383
384384
385385
386386
387387 SB1717 - 10 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
388388
389389
390390 SB1717- 11 -LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b SB1717 - 11 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
391391 SB1717 - 11 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b
392392
393393
394394
395395
396396
397397 SB1717 - 11 - LRB104 10200 SPS 20274 b