Bill Text: IL HB0045 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person must be 17 years of age or older (currently, 18 years of age or older) to circulate petitions for nomination.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-10 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB0045 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB0045-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB0045 Introduced , by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/7-10 from Ch. 46, par. 7-10
10 ILCS 5/8-8 from Ch. 46, par. 8-8
10 ILCS 5/10-4 from Ch. 46, par. 10-4
Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person must be 17 years of age or older (currently, 18 years of age or older) to circulate petitions for nomination.
LRB103 03486 AWJ 48492 b
A BILL FOR
HB0045 LRB103 03486 AWJ 48492 b
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 7-10, 8-8, and 10-4 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/7-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-10)
Sec. 7-10. Form of petition for nomination. The name of no
candidate for nomination, or State central committeeperson, or
township committeeperson, or precinct committeeperson, or ward
committeeperson or candidate for delegate or alternate
delegate to national nominating conventions, shall be printed
upon the primary ballot unless a petition for nomination has
been filed in his behalf as provided in this Article in
substantially the following form:
We, the undersigned, members of and affiliated with the
.... party and qualified primary electors of the .... party,
in the .... of ...., in the county of .... and State of
Illinois, do hereby petition that the following named person
or persons shall be a candidate or candidates of the .... party
for the nomination for (or in case of committeepersons for
election to) the office or offices hereinafter specified, to
be voted for at the primary election to be held on (insert
date).

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Name Office Address
John Jones Governor Belvidere, Ill.
Jane James Lieutenant Governor Peoria, Ill.
Thomas Smith Attorney General Oakland, Ill.
Name.................. Address.......................
State of Illinois)
) ss.
County of........)
I, ...., do hereby certify that I reside at No. ....
street, in the .... of ...., county of ...., and State of
....., that I am 17 18 years of age or older, that I am a
citizen of the United States, and that the signatures on this
sheet were signed in my presence, and are genuine, and that to
the best of my knowledge and belief the persons so signing were
at the time of signing the petitions qualified voters of the
.... party, and that their respective residences are correctly
stated, as above set forth.
.........................
Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).
.........................
Each sheet of the petition other than the statement of
candidacy and candidate's statement shall be of uniform size
and shall contain above the space for signatures an

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appropriate heading giving the information as to name of
candidate or candidates, in whose behalf such petition is
signed; the office, the political party represented and place
of residence; and the heading of each sheet shall be the same.
Such petition shall be signed by qualified primary
electors residing in the political division for which the
nomination is sought in their own proper persons only and
opposite the signature of each signer, his residence address
shall be written or printed. The residence address required to
be written or printed opposite each qualified primary
elector's name shall include the street address or rural route
number of the signer, as the case may be, as well as the
signer's county, and city, village or town, and state.
However, the county or city, village or town, and state of
residence of the electors may be printed on the petition forms
where all of the electors signing the petition reside in the
same county or city, village or town, and state. Standard
abbreviations may be used in writing the residence address,
including street number, if any. At the bottom of each sheet of
such petition shall be added a circulator statement signed by
a person 17 18 years of age or older who is a citizen of the
United States, stating the street address or rural route
number, as the case may be, as well as the county, city,
village or town, and state; and certifying that the signatures
on that sheet of the petition were signed in his or her
presence and certifying that the signatures are genuine; and

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either (1) indicating the dates on which that sheet was
circulated, or (2) indicating the first and last dates on
which the sheet was circulated, or (3) for elections where the
petition circulation period is 90 days, certifying that none
of the signatures on the sheet were signed more than 90 days
preceding the last day for the filing of the petition, or (4)
for the 2022 general primary election only, certify that the
signatures on the sheet were signed during the period of
January 13, 2022 through March 14, 2022 or certify that the
signatures on the sheet were signed during the period of
January 13, 2022 through the date on which this statement was
sworn or affirmed to and certifying that to the best of his or
her knowledge and belief the persons so signing were at the
time of signing the petitions qualified voters of the
political party for which a nomination is sought. Such
statement shall be sworn to before some officer authorized to
administer oaths in this State.
Except as otherwise provided in this Code, no petition
sheet shall be circulated more than 90 days preceding the last
day provided in Section 7-12 for the filing of such petition.
The person circulating the petition, or the candidate on
whose behalf the petition is circulated, may strike any
signature from the petition, provided that:
(1) the person striking the signature shall initial
the petition at the place where the signature is struck;
and

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(2) the person striking the signature shall sign a
certification listing the page number and line number of
each signature struck from the petition. Such
certification shall be filed as a part of the petition.
Such sheets before being filed shall be neatly fastened
together in book form, by placing the sheets in a pile and
fastening them together at one edge in a secure and suitable
manner, and the sheets shall then be numbered consecutively.
The sheets shall not be fastened by pasting them together end
to end, so as to form a continuous strip or roll. All petition
sheets which are filed with the proper local election
officials, election authorities or the State Board of
Elections shall be the original sheets which have been signed
by the voters and by the circulator thereof, and not
photocopies or duplicates of such sheets. Each petition must
include as a part thereof, a statement of candidacy for each of
the candidates filing, or in whose behalf the petition is
filed. This statement shall set out the address of such
candidate, the office for which he is a candidate, shall state
that the candidate is a qualified primary voter of the party to
which the petition relates and is qualified for the office
specified (in the case of a candidate for State's Attorney it
shall state that the candidate is at the time of filing such
statement a licensed attorney-at-law of this State), shall
state that he has filed (or will file before the close of the
petition filing period) a statement of economic interests as

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required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, shall
request that the candidate's name be placed upon the official
ballot, and shall be subscribed and sworn to by such candidate
before some officer authorized to take acknowledgment of deeds
in the State and shall be in substantially the following form:
Statement of Candidacy
Name Address Office District Party
John Jones 102 Main St. Governor Statewide Republican
Belvidere,
Illinois
State of Illinois)
) ss.
County of .......)
I, ...., being first duly sworn, say that I reside at ....
Street in the city (or village) of ...., in the county of ....,
State of Illinois; that I am a qualified voter therein and am a
qualified primary voter of the .... party; that I am a
candidate for nomination (for election in the case of
committeeperson and delegates and alternate delegates) to the
office of .... to be voted upon at the primary election to be
held on (insert date); that I am legally qualified (including
being the holder of any license that may be an eligibility
requirement for the office I seek the nomination for) to hold
such office and that I have filed (or I will file before the
close of the petition filing period) a statement of economic

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interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act
and I hereby request that my name be printed upon the official
primary ballot for nomination for (or election to in the case
of committeepersons and delegates and alternate delegates)
such office.
Signed ......................
Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ....,
who is to me personally known, on (insert date).
Signed ....................
(Official Character)
(Seal, if officer has one.)
The petitions, when filed, shall not be withdrawn or added
to, and no signatures shall be revoked except by revocation
filed in writing with the State Board of Elections, election
authority or local election official with whom the petition is
required to be filed, and before the filing of such petition.
Whoever forges the name of a signer upon any petition required
by this Article is deemed guilty of a forgery and on conviction
thereof shall be punished accordingly.
A candidate for the offices listed in this Section must
obtain the number of signatures specified in this Section on
his or her petition for nomination.
(a) Statewide office or delegate to a national nominating
convention. Except as otherwise provided in this Code, if a
candidate seeks to run for statewide office or as a delegate or

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alternate delegate to a national nominating convention elected
from the State at-large, then the candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least 5,000 but not more than
10,000 signatures.
(b) Congressional office or congressional delegate to a
national nominating convention. Except as otherwise provided
in this Code, if a candidate seeks to run for United States
Congress or as a congressional delegate or alternate
congressional delegate to a national nominating convention
elected from a congressional district, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain at least the number of
signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of
his or her party in his or her congressional district. In the
first primary election following a redistricting of
congressional districts, a candidate's petition for nomination
must contain at least 600 signatures of qualified primary
electors of the candidate's political party in his or her
congressional district.
(c) County office. Except as otherwise provided in this
Code, if a candidate seeks to run for any countywide office,
including, but not limited to, county board chairperson or
county board member, elected on an at-large basis, in a county
other than Cook County, then the candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least the number of signatures
equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party who
cast votes at the last preceding general election in his or her

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county. If a candidate seeks to run for county board member
elected from a county board district, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain at least the number of
signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of
his or her party in the county board district. In the first
primary election following a redistricting of county board
districts or the initial establishment of county board
districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must contain
at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the
qualified electors of his or her party in the entire county who
cast votes at the last preceding general election divided by
the total number of county board districts comprising the
county board; provided that in no event shall the number of
signatures be less than 25.
(d) County office; Cook County only.
(1) If a candidate seeks to run for countywide office
in Cook County, then the candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least the number of signatures
equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party
who cast votes at the last preceding general election in
Cook County.
(2) If a candidate seeks to run for Cook County Board
Commissioner, then the candidate's petition for nomination
must contain at least the number of signatures equal to
0.5% of the qualified primary electors of his or her party
in his or her county board district. In the first primary

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election following a redistricting of Cook County Board of
Commissioners districts, a candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least the number of signatures
equal to 0.5% of the qualified electors of his or her party
in the entire county who cast votes at the last preceding
general election divided by the total number of county
board districts comprising the county board; provided that
in no event shall the number of signatures be less than 25.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this Code, if a
candidate seeks to run for Cook County Board of Review
Commissioner, which is elected from a district pursuant to
subsection (c) of Section 5-5 of the Property Tax Code,
then the candidate's petition for nomination must contain
at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the
total number of registered voters in his or her board of
review district in the last general election at which a
commissioner was regularly scheduled to be elected from
that board of review district. In no event shall the
number of signatures required be greater than the
requisite number for a candidate who seeks countywide
office in Cook County under subsection (d)(1) of this
Section. In the first primary election following a
redistricting of Cook County Board of Review districts, a
candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least
4,000 signatures or at least the number of signatures
required for a countywide candidate in Cook County,

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whichever is less, of the qualified electors of his or her
party in the district.
(e) Municipal or township office. If a candidate seeks to
run for municipal or township office, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain at least the number of
signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified primary electors of
his or her party in the municipality or township. If a
candidate seeks to run for alderperson of a municipality, then
the candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least
the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the qualified
primary electors of his or her party of the ward. In the first
primary election following redistricting of wards or trustee
districts of a municipality or the initial establishment of
wards or districts, a candidate's petition for nomination must
contain the number of signatures equal to at least 0.5% of the
total number of votes cast for the candidate of that political
party who received the highest number of votes in the entire
municipality at the last regular election at which an officer
was regularly scheduled to be elected from the entire
municipality, divided by the number of wards or districts. In
no event shall the number of signatures be less than 25.
(f) State central committeeperson. If a candidate seeks to
run for State central committeeperson, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain at least 100 signatures
of the primary electors of his or her party of his or her
congressional district.

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(g) Sanitary district trustee. Except as otherwise
provided in this Code, if a candidate seeks to run for trustee
of a sanitary district in which trustees are not elected from
wards, then the candidate's petition for nomination must
contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the
primary electors of his or her party from the sanitary
district. If a candidate seeks to run for trustee of a sanitary
district in which trustees are elected from wards, then the
candidate's petition for nomination must contain at least the
number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the primary electors of
his or her party in the ward of that sanitary district. In the
first primary election following redistricting of sanitary
districts elected from wards, a candidate's petition for
nomination must contain at least the signatures of 150
qualified primary electors of his or her ward of that sanitary
district.
(h) Judicial office. Except as otherwise provided in this
Code, if a candidate seeks to run for judicial office in a
district, then the candidate's petition for nomination must
contain the number of signatures equal to 0.4% of the number of
votes cast in that district for the candidate for his or her
political party for the office of Governor at the last general
election at which a Governor was elected, but in no event less
than 500 signatures. If a candidate seeks to run for judicial
office in a circuit or subcircuit, then the candidate's
petition for nomination must contain the number of signatures

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equal to 0.25% of the number of votes cast for the judicial
candidate of his or her political party who received the
highest number of votes at the last general election at which a
judicial officer from the same circuit or subcircuit was
regularly scheduled to be elected, but in no event less than
1,000 signatures in circuits and subcircuits located in the
First Judicial District or 500 signatures in every other
Judicial District.
(i) Precinct, ward, and township committeeperson. Except
as otherwise provided in this Code, if a candidate seeks to run
for precinct committeeperson, then the candidate's petition
for nomination must contain at least 10 signatures of the
primary electors of his or her party for the precinct. If a
candidate seeks to run for ward committeeperson, then the
candidate's petition for nomination must contain no less than
the number of signatures equal to 10% of the primary electors
of his or her party of the ward, but no more than 16% of those
same electors; provided that the maximum number of signatures
may be 50 more than the minimum number, whichever is greater.
If a candidate seeks to run for township committeeperson, then
the candidate's petition for nomination must contain no less
than the number of signatures equal to 5% of the primary
electors of his or her party of the township, but no more than
8% of those same electors; provided that the maximum number of
signatures may be 50 more than the minimum number, whichever
is greater.

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(j) State's attorney or regional superintendent of schools
for multiple counties. If a candidate seeks to run for State's
attorney or regional Superintendent of Schools who serves more
than one county, then the candidate's petition for nomination
must contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of
the primary electors of his or her party in the territory
comprising the counties.
(k) Any other office. If a candidate seeks any other
office, then the candidate's petition for nomination must
contain at least the number of signatures equal to 0.5% of the
registered voters of the political subdivision, district, or
division for which the nomination is made or 25 signatures,
whichever is greater.
For purposes of this Section the number of primary
electors shall be determined by taking the total vote cast, in
the applicable district, for the candidate for that political
party who received the highest number of votes, statewide, at
the last general election in the State at which electors for
President of the United States were elected. For political
subdivisions, the number of primary electors shall be
determined by taking the total vote cast for the candidate for
that political party who received the highest number of votes
in the political subdivision at the last regular election at
which an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from
that subdivision. For wards or districts of political
subdivisions, the number of primary electors shall be

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determined by taking the total vote cast for the candidate for
that political party who received the highest number of votes
in the ward or district at the last regular election at which
an officer was regularly scheduled to be elected from that
ward or district.
A "qualified primary elector" of a party may not sign
petitions for or be a candidate in the primary of more than one
party.
The changes made to this Section by Public Act 93-574 are
declarative of existing law, except for item (3) of subsection
(d).
Petitions of candidates for nomination for offices herein
specified, to be filed with the same officer, may contain the
names of 2 or more candidates of the same political party for
the same or different offices. In the case of the offices of
Governor and Lieutenant Governor, a joint petition including
one candidate for each of those offices must be filed.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-687, eff. 12-17-21;
102-692, eff. 1-7-22.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-8)
Sec. 8-8. Form of petition for nomination. The name of no
candidate for nomination shall be printed upon the primary
ballot unless a petition for nomination shall have been filed
in his behalf as provided for in this Section. Each such
petition shall include as a part thereof the oath required by

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Section 7-10.1 of this Code Act and a statement of candidacy by
the candidate filing or in whose behalf the petition is filed.
This statement shall set out the address of such candidate
and , the office for which he is a candidate; , shall state that
the candidate is a qualified primary voter of the party to
which the petition relates, is qualified for the office
specified, and has filed a statement of economic interests as
required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act; , shall
request that the candidate's name be placed upon the official
ballot; and shall be subscribed and sworn by such candidate
before some officer authorized to take acknowledgment of deeds
in this State and may be in substantially the following form:
State of Illinois)
) ss.
County ..........)
I, ...., being first duly sworn, say that I reside at ....
street in the city (or village of) .... in the county of ....
State of Illinois; that I am a qualified voter therein and am a
qualified primary voter of .... party; that I am a candidate
for nomination to the office of .... to be voted upon at the
primary election to be held on (insert date); that I am legally
qualified to hold such office and that I have filed a statement
of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental
Ethics Act and I hereby request that my name be printed upon
the official primary ballot for nomination for such office.
Signed ....................

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Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ....,
who is to me personally known, on (insert date).
Signed .... (Official Character)
(Seal if officer has one.)
The receipt issued by the Secretary of State indicating
that the candidate has filed the statement of economic
interests required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act
must be filed with the petitions for nomination as provided in
subsection (8) of Section 7-12 of this Code.
Except as otherwise provided in this Code, all petitions
for nomination for the office of State Senator shall be signed
by at least 1,000 but not more than 3,000 of the qualified
primary electors of the candidate's party in his legislative
district.
Except as otherwise provided in this Code, all petitions
for nomination for the office of Representative in the General
Assembly shall be signed by at least 500 but not more than
1,500 of the qualified primary electors of the candidate's
party in his or her representative district.
Opposite the signature of each qualified primary elector
who signs a petition for nomination for the office of State
Representative or State Senator such elector's residence
address shall be written or printed. The residence address
required to be written or printed opposite each qualified
primary elector's name shall include the street address or
rural route number of the signer, as the case may be, as well

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as the signer's county and city, village, or town.
For the purposes of this Section, the number of primary
electors shall be determined by taking the total vote cast, in
the applicable district, for the candidate for such political
party who received the highest number of votes, state-wide, at
the last general election in the State at which electors for
President of the United States were elected.
A "qualified primary elector" of a party may not sign
petitions for or be a candidate in the primary of more than one
party.
In the affidavit at the bottom of each sheet, the petition
circulator, who shall be a person 17 18 years of age or older
who is a citizen of the United States, shall state his or her
street address or rural route number, as the case may be, as
well as his or her county, city, village or town, and state;
and shall certify that the signatures on that sheet of the
petition were signed in his or her presence; and shall certify
that the signatures are genuine; and shall certify that, to
the best of his or her knowledge and belief, the persons so
signing were at the time of signing the petition qualified
primary voters for which the nomination is sought.
In the affidavit at the bottom of each petition sheet, the
petition circulator shall either (1) indicate the dates on
which he or she circulated that sheet, or (2) indicate the
first and last dates on which the sheet was circulated, or (3)
for elections where the petition circulation period is 90

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days, certify that none of the signatures on the sheet were
signed more than 90 days preceding the last day for the filing
of the petition, or (4) for the 2022 general primary election
only, certify that the signatures on the sheet were signed
during the period of January 13, 2022 through March 14, 2022 or
certify that the signatures on the sheet were signed during
the period of January 13, 2022 through the date on which this
statement was sworn or affirmed to. No petition sheet shall be
circulated more than 90 days preceding the last day provided
in Section 8-9 for the filing of such petition.
All petition sheets which are filed with the State Board
of Elections shall be the original sheets which have been
signed by the voters and by the circulator, and not
photocopies or duplicates of such sheets.
The person circulating the petition, or the candidate on
whose behalf the petition is circulated, may strike any
signature from the petition, provided that:
(1) the person striking the signature shall initial
the petition at the place where the signature is struck;
and
(2) the person striking the signature shall sign a
certification listing the page number and line number of
each signature struck from the petition. Such
certification shall be filed as a part of the petition.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-692, eff. 1-7-22;
revised 2-28-22.)

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(10 ILCS 5/10-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 10-4)
Sec. 10-4. Form of petition for nomination. All petitions
for nomination under this Article 10 for candidates for public
office in this State, shall in addition to other requirements
provided by law, be as follows: Such petitions shall consist
of sheets of uniform size and each sheet shall contain, above
the space for signature, an appropriate heading, giving the
information as to name of candidate or candidates in whose
behalf such petition is signed; the office; the party; place
of residence; and such other information or wording as
required to make same valid, and the heading of each sheet
shall be the same. Such petition shall be signed by the
qualified voters in their own proper persons only, and
opposite the signature of each signer his residence address
shall be written or printed. The residence address required to
be written or printed opposite each qualified primary
elector's name shall include the street address or rural route
number of the signer, as the case may be, as well as the
signer's county, and city, village or town, and state.
However, the county or city, village or town, and state of
residence of such electors may be printed on the petition
forms where all of the electors signing the petition reside in
the same county or city, village or town, and state. Standard
abbreviations may be used in writing the residence address,
including street number, if any. Except as otherwise provided

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in this Code, no signature shall be valid or be counted in
considering the validity or sufficiency of such petition
unless the requirements of this Section are complied with. At
the bottom of each sheet of such petition shall be added a
circulator's statement, signed by a person 17 18 years of age
or older who is a citizen of the United States; stating the
street address or rural route number, as the case may be, as
well as the county, city, village or town, and state;
certifying that the signatures on that sheet of the petition
were signed in his or her presence; certifying that the
signatures are genuine; and either (1) indicating the dates on
which that sheet was circulated, or (2) indicating the first
and last dates on which the sheet was circulated, or (3)
certifying that none of the signatures on the sheet were
signed more than 90 days preceding the last day for the filing
of the petition; and certifying that to the best of his
knowledge and belief the persons so signing were at the time of
signing the petition duly registered voters under Article 4,
5, or 6 of this Code of the political subdivision or district
for which the candidate or candidates shall be nominated, and
certifying that their respective residences are correctly
stated therein. Such statement shall be sworn to before some
officer authorized to administer oaths in this State. Except
as otherwise provided in this Code, no petition sheet shall be
circulated more than 90 days preceding the last day provided
in Section 10-6 for the filing of such petition. Such sheets,

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before being presented to the electoral board or filed with
the proper officer of the electoral district or division of
the state or municipality, as the case may be, shall be neatly
fastened together in book form, by placing the sheets in a pile
and fastening them together at one edge in a secure and
suitable manner, and the sheets shall then be numbered
consecutively. The sheets shall not be fastened by pasting
them together end to end, so as to form a continuous strip or
roll. All petition sheets which are filed with the proper
local election officials, election authorities or the State
Board of Elections shall be the original sheets which have
been signed by the voters and by the circulator, and not
photocopies or duplicates of such sheets. A petition, when
presented or filed, shall not be withdrawn, altered, or added
to, and no signature shall be revoked except by revocation in
writing presented or filed with the officers or officer with
whom the petition is required to be presented or filed, and
before the presentment or filing of such petition. Whoever
forges any name of a signer upon any petition shall be deemed
guilty of a forgery, and on conviction thereof, shall be
punished accordingly. The word "petition" or "petition for
nomination", as used herein, shall mean what is sometimes
known as nomination papers, in distinction to what is known as
a certificate of nomination. The words "political division for
which the candidate is nominated", or its equivalent, shall
mean the largest political division in which all qualified

HB0045 - 23 - LRB103 03486 AWJ 48492 b
voters may vote upon such candidate or candidates, as the
state in the case of state officers; the township in the case
of township officers et cetera. Provided, further, that no
person shall circulate or certify petitions for candidates of
more than one political party, or for an independent candidate
or candidates in addition to one political party, to be voted
upon at the next primary or general election, or for such
candidates and parties with respect to the same political
subdivision at the next consolidated election.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-687, eff. 12-17-21.)