Bill Text: IL HB1444 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: 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.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-17 - Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Nabeela Syed [HB1444 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB1444-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1444 Introduced , by Rep. Nabeela Syed 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.
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A BILL FOR
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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
Section 19-3 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/19-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-3)
Sec. 19-3. Application for a vote by mail ballot.
(a) The application for a vote by mail ballot for a single
election shall be substantially in the following form:
APPLICATION FOR VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT
To be voted at the .... election in the County of .... and
State of Illinois.
I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
.... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
for at least 30 days; that I am lawfully entitled to vote at
the .... election to be held on ....; and that I wish to vote
by mail.
I hereby make application for an official ballot or
ballots to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I
shall return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing
the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the
election or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than
election day, for counting no later than during the period for

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counting provisional ballots, the last day of which is the
14th day following election day.
I understand that this application is made for an official
vote by mail ballot or ballots to be voted by me at the
election specified in this application and that I must submit
a separate application for an official vote by mail ballot or
ballots to be voted by me at any subsequent election.
Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section
29-10 of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
....
*fill in either (1), (2) or (3).
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
...............
(a-5) The application for a single vote by mail ballot
transmitted electronically pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall be
substantively similar to the application for a vote by mail
ballot for a single election and shall include:
I swear or affirm that I am a voter with a print
disability, and, as a result of this disability, I am
making a request to receive a vote by mail ballot
electronically so that I may privately and independently
mark, verify, and print my vote by mail ballot.
(a-6) 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 the requirements

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of subsection (b).
(b) The application for permanent vote by mail status
shall be substantially in the following form:
APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT VOTE BY MAIL STATUS
I am currently a registered voter and wish to apply for
permanent vote by mail status.
I state that I am a resident of .... in the municipality of
.... in the county of ....; that I have resided at such address
for at least 30 days; that I am lawfully entitled to vote at
the .... election to be held on ....; and that I wish to vote
by mail in:
..... all subsequent elections that do not require a party
designation.
..... all subsequent elections, and I wish to receive a
................... Party vote by mail ballot in
elections that require a party designation.
I hereby make application for an official ballot or
ballots to be voted by me at such election, and I agree that I
shall return such ballot or ballots to the official issuing
the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the
election or, if returned by mail, postmarked no later than
election day, for counting no later than during the period for
counting provisional ballots, the last day of which is the
14th day following election day.
Under penalties as provided by law under Section 29-10 of
the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the

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statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
....
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
...............
(b-5) The application for permanent vote by mail ballots
transmitted electronically pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall be
substantively similar to the application for permanent vote by
mail status and shall include:
I swear or affirm that I am a voter with a
non-temporary print disability, and as a result of this
disability, I am making a request to receive vote by mail
ballots electronically so that I may privately and
independently mark, verify, and print my vote by mail
ballots.
(c) However, if application is made for a primary election
ballot, such application shall require the applicant to
designate the name of the political party with which the
applicant is affiliated. The election authority shall allow
any voter on permanent vote by mail status to change his or her
party affiliation for a primary election ballot by a method
and deadline published and selected by the election authority.
(d) If application is made electronically, the applicant
shall mark the box associated with the above described
statement included as part of the online application
certifying that the statements set forth in the application
under subsection (a) or (b) are true and correct, and a

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signature is not required.
(e) Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or
return to an election authority an application under this
Section. If applications are sent to a post office box
controlled by any individual or organization that is not an
election authority, those applications shall (i) include a
valid and current phone number for the individual or
organization controlling the post office box and (ii) be
turned over to the appropriate election authority within 7
days of receipt or, if received within 2 weeks of the election
in which an applicant intends to vote, within 2 days of
receipt. Failure to turn over the applications in compliance
with this paragraph shall constitute a violation of this Code
and shall be punishable as a petty offense with a fine of $100
per application. Removing, tampering with, or otherwise
knowingly making the postmark on the application unreadable by
the election authority shall establish a rebuttable
presumption of a violation of this paragraph. Upon receipt,
the appropriate election authority shall accept and promptly
process any application under this Section submitted in a form
substantially similar to that required by this Section,
including any substantially similar production or reproduction
generated by the applicant.
(f) An election authority may combine the applications in
subsections (a) and (b) onto one form, but the distinction
between the applications must be clear and the form must

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