10 ILCS 5/24C-15
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 10 - ELECTIONS|10 ILCS 5/ - Election Code.|Article 24C - Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems

Sec. 24C-15. Official return of precinct; check of totals;  audit. The precinct return printed by the Direct Recording  Electronic Voting System tabulating equipment shall include the  number of ballots cast and votes cast for each candidate and  public question 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 total number of ballots and vote by mail  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 regarding the total number of votes cast in any  precinct, shall have the ballots for that precinct audited to  correct the return.  The procedures for this audit 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 or voting devices except  for election contests and discovery recounts.  The certificate  of results, which has been prepared and signed 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 reflected on the certificate of results, the  ballots for that precinct shall be audited to correct the  return.Prior to the proclamation, the election authority shall  test the voting devices and equipment 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 tested  shall be selected after election day on a random basis by the  State Board of Elections, so that every precinct and every device used in early voting in the election  jurisdiction 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 that are to  be tested.  The State central committee chair     of each established political party shall be given prior written notice of the time  and place of the random selection procedure and may be  represented at the procedure.The test shall be conducted by counting the votes marked on  the permanent paper record of each ballot cast in the tested  precinct printed by the voting system at the time that each  ballot was cast and comparing the results of this count with the  results shown by the certificate of results prepared by the  Direct Recording Electronic Voting System in the test precinct.  The election authority shall test count these votes either by  hand or by using an automatic tabulating device other than a  Direct Recording Electronic voting device that has been approved  by the State Board of Elections for that purpose and tested  before use to ensure accuracy. The election authority shall  print the results of each test count.  If any error is detected,  the cause shall be determined and corrected, and an errorless  count shall be made prior to the official canvass and  proclamation of election results.  If an errorless count cannot  be conducted and there continues to be difference in vote  results between the certificate of results produced by the  Direct Recording Electronic Voting System and the count of the  permanent paper records or if an error was detected and  corrected, the election authority shall immediately prepare and  forward to the appropriate canvassing board a written report  explaining the results of the test and any errors encountered  and the report shall be made available for public inspection.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 the test and may be represented at the test.The results of this post-election test 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 Code.  (Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)