10 ILCS 5/24A-15
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 10 - ELECTIONS|10 ILCS 5/ - Election Code.|Article 24A - Electronic, Mechanical Or Electric Voting Systems

 (from Ch. 46, par. 24A-15)Sec. 24A-15. The precinct return printed by the automatic tabulating  equipment shall include the number of ballots cast  and votes cast for each candidate and proposition and shall constitute the  official return of each precinct.  In addition to the precinct return, the  election authority shall provide the number of applications for ballots  in each precinct, the write-in votes, the total number of ballots counted in  each precinct for each political subdivision and district and the number  of registered voters in each precinct. However, the election authority  shall check the totals shown by the precinct return and, if there is an  obvious discrepancy with respect to the total number of votes cast in any  precinct, shall have the ballots for such precinct retabulated to correct  the return. The procedures for retabulation shall apply prior to and  after the proclamation is completed; however, after the proclamation of  results, the election authority must obtain a court order to unseal voted  ballots except for election contests and discovery recounts.  In those election jurisdictions that utilize in-precinct counting  equipment, the certificate of results, which has been prepared by the  judges of election after the ballots have been  tabulated, shall be the document used for the canvass of votes for such  precinct.  Whenever a discrepancy exists during the canvass of votes  between the unofficial results and the certificate of results, or whenever  a discrepancy exists during the canvass of votes between the certificate of  results and the set of totals which has been affixed to such certificate of  results, the ballots for such precinct shall be retabulated to correct the  return.  As an additional part of this check prior to the proclamation, in  those jurisdictions where in-precinct counting equipment is utilized, the  election authority shall retabulate the total number of votes cast in 5% of  the precincts within the election jurisdiction, as well as 5% of the voting devices used in early voting.  The precincts and the voting devices to be  retabulated shall be selected after election day on a random basis by the  State Board of Elections, so that every precinct in the election jurisdiction and every voting device used in early voting has  an equal mathematical chance of being selected.  The State Board of  Elections shall design a standard and scientific random method of selecting  the precincts and voting devices which are to be retabulated.  The State central committee chair     of each established political party shall be given prior written notice of the time and place of  such random selection procedure and may be represented at such procedure.  Such retabulation shall consist of counting the ballot cards which were  originally counted and shall not involve any determination as to which  ballot cards were, in fact, properly counted.  The ballots from the  precincts selected for such retabulation shall remain at all times under  the custody and control of the election authority and shall be transported  and retabulated by the designated staff of the election authority.As part of such retabulation, the election authority shall test the  computer program in the selected precincts and on the selected early voting devices.  Such test  shall be conducted by processing a preaudited group of ballots so punched  so as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate  and on each public question, and shall include for each office one or more  ballots which have votes in excess of the number allowed by law in order  to test the ability of the equipment to reject such votes.  If any error  is detected, the cause therefor shall be ascertained and corrected and an  errorless count shall be made prior to the official canvass and proclamation  of election results.The State Board of Elections, the State's Attorney and other appropriate  law enforcement agencies, the county chair of each established political  party and qualified civic organizations shall be given prior written notice  of the time and place of such retabulation and may be represented at such  retabulation.The results of this retabulation shall be treated in the same manner and  have the same effect as the results of the discovery procedures set forth  in Section 22-9.1 of this Act.  Upon completion of the retabulation, the  election authority shall print a comparison of the results of the  retabulation with the original precinct return printed by the automatic  tabulating equipment. Such comparison shall be done for each precinct and for each early voting device selected for testing and  for each office voted upon within that precinct or on that voting device, and the comparisons shall  be open to the public.  (Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)