Bill Text: IL HB3299 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Allows an elector to be added to a list of permanent vote by mail status voters who receive an official vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections. Provides that a voter whose application for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election authority shall remain on the permanent vote by mail list until the voter requests to be removed from permanent vote by mail status, the voter provides notice to the election authority of a change in registration, or the election authority receives confirmation that the voter has subsequently registered to vote in another county. Provides the notice to be sent by election authorities to all qualified voters before a general election for the option to be placed on the list of permanent vote by mail status voters. Provides the application form for permanent vote by mail status. Allows an election authority to combine the applications for single election vote by mail and permanent vote by mail status on one form. Makes conforming changes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-27 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB3299 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB3299-Introduced.html

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102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2021 and 2022 HB3299 Introduced , by Rep. Terra Costa Howard SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/19-2 from Ch. 46, par. 19-2
10 ILCS 5/19-2.5 new
10 ILCS 5/19-3 from Ch. 46, par. 19-3
Amends the Election Code. Allows an elector to be added to a list of permanent vote by mail status voters who receive an official vote by mail ballot for all subsequent elections. Provides that a voter whose application for permanent vote by mail status is accepted by the election authority shall remain on the permanent vote by mail list until the voter requests to be removed from permanent vote by mail status, the voter provides notice to the election authority of a change in registration, or the election authority receives confirmation that the voter has subsequently registered to vote in another county. Provides the notice to be sent by election authorities to all qualified voters before a general election for the option to be placed on the list of permanent vote by mail status voters. Provides the application form for permanent vote by mail status. Allows an election authority to combine the applications for single election vote by mail and permanent vote by mail status on one form. Makes conforming changes.
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A BILL FOR
HB3299 LRB102 10361 SMS 15688 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 19-2 and 19-3 and by adding Section 19-2.5 as
follows:
(10 ILCS 5/19-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2)
Sec. 19-2. Any elector as defined in Section 19-1 may by
mail or electronically on the website of the appropriate
election authority, not more than 90 nor less than 5 days prior
to the date of such election, or by personal delivery not more
than 90 nor less than one day prior to the date of such
election, make application to the county clerk or to the Board
of Election Commissioners for an official ballot for the
voter's precinct to be voted at such election, or be added to a
list of permanent vote by mail status voters who receive an
official vote by mail ballot for subsequent elections. Voters
who make an application for permanent vote by mail ballot
status shall follow the procedures specified in Section 19-3.
Voters whose application for permanent vote by mail status is
accepted by the election authority shall remain on the
permanent vote by mail list until the voter requests to be
removed from permanent vote by mail status, the voter provides

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notice to the election authority of a change in registration,
or the election authority receives confirmation that the voter
has subsequently registered to vote in another county. The URL
address at which voters may electronically request a vote by
mail ballot shall be fixed no later than 90 calendar days
before an election and shall not be changed until after the
election. Such a ballot shall be delivered to the elector only
upon separate application by the elector for each election.
(Source: P.A. 97-81, eff. 7-5-11; 98-115, eff. 7-29-13;
98-691, eff. 7-1-14; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-2.5 new)
Sec. 19-2.5. Notice for vote by mail ballot. An election
authority shall notify all qualified voters, not more than 90
days nor less than 45 days before a general election, of the
option for permanent vote by mail status using the following
notice and including the application for permanent vote by
mail status in subsection (b) of Section 19-3:
"You may apply to permanently be placed on vote by mail
status using the attached application.".
(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

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To be voted at the .... election in the County of .... and
State of Illinois, in the .... precinct of the (1) *township of
.... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in the City of ....
I state that I am a resident of the .... precinct of the
(1) *township of .... (2) *City of .... or (3) *.... ward in
the city of .... residing at .... in such city or town in the
county of .... and State of Illinois; that I have lived at such
address for .... month(s) last past; that I am lawfully
entitled to vote in such precinct at the .... election to be
held therein on ....; and that I wish to vote by vote by mail
ballot.
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.
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

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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:
...............
(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 the City of .... residing
at .... in such city in the county of .... and State of
Illinois; that I have lived at such address for .... month(s)
last past; that I am lawfully entitled to vote in such precinct
at the .... election to be held therein on ....; and that I
wish to vote by vote by mail ballot 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

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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 pursuant to Section
29-10 of the Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the
statements set forth in this application are true and correct.
....
Post office address to which ballot is mailed:
.............................................................
(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 this
application under subsection (a) or (b) are true and correct,
and a signature is not required.
(e) Any person may produce, reproduce, distribute, or
return to an election authority an the application under this
Section for vote by mail ballot. If applications are sent to a
post office box controlled by any individual or organization

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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 for vote
by mail ballot 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
provide check boxes for an applicant to indicate whether he or
she is applying for a single election vote by mail ballot or
for permanent vote by mail status.
(Source: P.A. 99-522, eff. 6-30-16; 100-623, eff. 7-20-18.)