10 ILCS 5/24-13
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 10 - ELECTIONS|10 ILCS 5/ - Election Code.|Article 24 - Voting Machines

 (from Ch. 46, par. 24-13)Sec. 24-13.   Four sets of ballot labels for use in each voting  machine shall be provided for each polling place for each election by  the election authority.  There shall also be furnished all other necessary materials or supplies  for the proper use of the voting machines, including durable transparent  noninflammable covering at least 1/16 inch thick with which all the  ballot labels shall be securely covered to prevent shifting, tampering  with or mutilations of the ballot labels, facsimile diagrams, return  sheets, certificates, forms and materials of all kinds provided for in  this Article. The election authority shall before the  day of election, cause the proper ballot labels, together with the  transparent protective covering for same, to be put upon each machine,  corresponding with the sample ballot labels herein provided for, and the  machine in every way to be put in order, set and adjusted, ready for use  in voting when delivered at the precinct polling places and for the  purpose of so labeling the machine, putting in order, setting and  adjusting the same, they may employ one competent person to be known as  the voting machine custodian and additional deputy custodians as  required. The election authority  shall, preceding each  election day, holding a meeting or meetings for the purpose of  instructing all election precinct officials who are to serve in an  election precinct where voting machines are to be used. Before preparing  any voting machines for any election, the election authority shall cause written  notices to be sent to the chair of the county central committee of  each political party having a candidate or candidates on the ballot, or  the chair of each municipal or township  committee of each political  party having candidates on the ballot, in the case of a municipal or township  election, stating the times when, and the place  or places where,  the voting machines will be prepared for the election; they shall also  cause written notices to be sent to the chair or presiding officer of  any organization of citizens within the county, or other political subdivision,  having as its purpose, or among its purposes or interests, the  prevention, investigation or prosecution of election frauds, which has  registered its name and address and the names of its principal officers  with the officer, officers or board having charge of the preparation of  the machines for the election, at least 40 days before such  election, stating the times when, and the place or places where, the  voting machines will be prepared for the election, at which times and  place or places, one representative of each such political party,  certified by the respective chair of the county managing committee of  each such political party, or the chair of the municipal or township  committee in the case of a municipal or township  election, and one  representative of each such candidate, certified by such candidate, and  one representative of each organization of citizens, certified by the  respective chair or presiding officers of such organizations shall be  entitled to be present and see that the machines are properly prepared  and tested and placed in proper condition and order for use at the  election. The custodian or custodians of voting machines and the party  representatives shall take the constitutional oath of office. It shall  be the privilege of such party and organization representatives to be  present at the preparation of the voting machines for the election and  to see that each machine is tested for accuracy and is properly prepared  and that all registering counters are set at zero. The custodian shall,  in the presence of the party and candidate and organization  representatives, prepare the voting machine for the election and set all  registering counters at zero, and he shall then, assisted by the  watchers, test each such registering counter for accuracy by casting  votes upon it, and such testing shall be done in the presence of the  watchers, until each such registering counter is correctly registering  each vote cast upon it, and each certificate for each machine shall  state that this has been done, and the custodians shall then, in the  presence of the party and candidate and organization representatives,  reset each registering counter to zero, and shall then immediately seal  the voting machine with a numbered metal seal, and a record of the  number on the seal shall then and there be made by the custodian on the  certificate for that machine and the seal shall be so placed as to  prevent operation of the machine or its registering counters without  breaking the seal, and the custodian shall then immediately make a  record on the certificate for that machine of the reading shown on the  protective counter. Immediately after each machine has been so tested  and prepared for the election, it shall be the duty of such custodian or  custodians to make a certificate in writing which shall be filed in the  office of the election authority, stating the serial  number of each voting  machine, whether or not such machine has all the registering counters  set at zero, whether or not such machine has been tested by voting on  each registering counter so as to prove that each such registering  counter is in perfect and accurate working condition, the number  registered on the protective counter, and the number on the metal seal  with which the machine is sealed against operation. Unless objection is  filed, within 2 days, with the election authority, to the use  of a particular machine or  machines, such voting machine or machines when certified to be correct  by the custodian shall be conclusively presumed to have been properly  prepared for use at the election for which they were prepared. Any  objection filed shall particularly set forth the number of the machine  objected to, and the particulars or basis for the objection. The machine  shall then be locked so that it cannot be operated or voted upon without  first unlocking it and the keys shall be at once returned to the custody  of the election authority, and the election authority shall cause the  machine so labeled in order, set and adjusted, to be delivered at the  polling place, together with all necessary furniture and appliances that  go with the same, not later than one hour before the hour at which the  polls are to be opened. The election authority shall deliver the keys,  which unlock the  voting mechanism and the registering counters or counter compartment of  the voting machine, to the precinct election board, not earlier than  noon on the Saturday preceding the election day, nor later than one hour  before the opening of the polls, and shall receive and file a receipt  therefor. The keys shall be enclosed in a sealed envelope on which shall  be written or printed: (1) The name, number of or designation of the  election precinct or district; (2) The number of the voting machine; (3)  The number of the seal with which the machine is sealed; (4) The number  registered on the protective counter or device as reported by the  custodian. No precinct election official shall break the seal of such  envelope except in the presence of all members of the precinct election  board, and such envelope shall not be opened until it shall have been  examined by each member of the precinct election board to see that it  has not been previously opened. Such envelope shall not be opened until  it shall have been found that the numbers and records recorded thereon  are correct and agree in every respect with the numbers and records as  shown on the machine. If any such number is found not to agree with the  numbers on the machine, the envelope shall not be opened until the  precinct election officials shall have notified the  election authority, and until the election authority  or some other person authorized by the election authority shall have  presented himself at the polling place for  the purpose of re-examining the machine, and shall have certified that  it is properly arranged after testing and examining it. On the morning  of the election the precinct election officials shall meet in the  polling place at least one hour before the time for opening the polls.  They shall see that the sample ballot labels and instructions for voting  are posted properly, and prominently so that the voters can have easy  access to them and that the instruction model is placed on the precinct  election officials' table and that everything is in readiness for voting  at the hour of opening the polls. They shall also see that the voting  machine is properly illuminated in accordance with the equipment  furnished. The precinct election officials shall compare the ballot  labels on the machine with the sample ballots and return sheets, see  that they are correct, examine and see that all the registering counters  in the machine are set at zero (0) or if the machine is equipped with a  device which will automatically record the number on the registering  columns on the back of the machine to recording sheets of paper and the  said paper can be removed without opening the back of the machine, that  all of the said registering counters for each candidate as appears on  the said recording sheet registers (0) and that the public counter is  also set at zero (0) and that the machine is otherwise in perfect order  and they shall compare and record the number on the metal seal with  which the voting machine is sealed, with the number furnished them as  recorded on the envelope containing the keys, by the election authority,  and if the number on the seal and the number on the protective  counter do not agree with the numbers supplied to them, they shall not  open the polls, but shall notify the election authority, and the election  authority or its authorized representatives or  custodian, shall, as soon as may be, test, examine and set the machine  in the same manner as is provided in this section for the testing,  setting and preparation of voting machines for an election. If, after  being so tested and examined, it is found that such voting machine is in  perfect working order, all registering counters shall be set at zero  (0), the reading of the protective counter shall be read and recorded  and the precinct election officials may proceed with the opening of the  polls. If such machine be found not to be in perfect working order as  hereinbefore provided, it shall not be used in the election, but shall  be replaced with another machine which is in perfect working order,  properly set, tested and sealed, and the election board shall then  proceed to examine such machine in the same manner as is provided in  this section for the examination of each voting machine by the election  board before the opening of the polls. They shall not thereafter permit  the counters to be operated or moved except by electors in voting, and  they shall also see that all necessary arrangements and adjustments are  made for voting irregular ballots on the machine. Each precinct election  official shall sign a certificate which shall certify that he has  complied with all the provisions of this Article, and that, before the  polls were declared open, he found the ballot labels to be in their  proper places and to exactly agree with the facsimile diagrams and  return or recording sheet belonging to that precinct; all registering  counters set at zero (0); the number on the metal seal and the number on  the protective counter exactly agree with the records furnished by the  election authority; the metal seal actually was sealed so as to prevent  movement of the voting machine mechanism without first breaking the  seal; all ballot labels were clean and without marks of any kind upon  them and they were in no way defaced or mutilated. When voting machines  are used in an election precinct, the watchers or challengers  representing the various political parties, candidates and citizens'  organizations, provided by law to be present shall be permitted to be  present from the time the precinct election board convenes on election  morning until the completion of the canvass after the close of the  polls. Such watchers shall be permitted to carefully examine each voting  machine before the polls are declared open and to compare the number of  the metal seal and the number on the protective counter with their own  records, and to see that all ballot labels are in their proper places,  and that the machine registering counters are all set at zero (0), and  that the machine or machines are in every way ready for voting at the  opening of the polls. If it is found that the ballot labels are not in  their proper places on the machine, or that they fail to conform in any  respect, with the facsimile diagrams and return sheets belonging to the  precinct, the precinct election officials shall not use such machine but  shall at once notify the proper election authority,  and such machine shall not be used until the election authority or person  authorized by it, shall have  supplied the proper ballot labels, and shall have placed such proper  ballot labels in their proper places, and they shall have been found to  be correct by the precinct election officials and watchers. If any  registering counter shall be found not to be set at zero (0), the  precinct election officials shall immediately notify the custodian or  officer or officers or board having charge of the preparation of the  voting machines for the election or primary, and the election authority  or person authorized by him or them  or it shall adjust  such registering counter or counters to zero (0), in the presence of all  the precinct election officials and watchers serving in such election  district.  (Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)