2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 10 - ELECTIONS › 10 ILCS 5/ - Election Code. › Article 19 - Voting by Mail

(10 ILCS 5/Art. 19 heading)
ARTICLE 19.  VOTING BY MAIL
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-1) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-1)
Sec. 19-1. Any qualified elector of the State of Illinois  having
duly registered where such registration is required may vote at such
election as hereinafter in this Article provided.
Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, this Article extends to a certified program participant under the Address Confidentiality for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking, or Stalking Act.
For purposes of this Article 19, a physically incapacitated voter marks
his or her ballot "personally" when the voter exercises his or her physical
abilities to their reasonable limit in marking the ballot, and marking
personally may include instructing the person assisting the incapacitated
voter when giving such instruction represents the reasonable limit of the
physical abilities.
(Source: P.A. 102-292, eff. 1-1-22.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2)
Sec. 19-2. Except as otherwise provided in this Code, 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. Such a ballot shall be delivered to the elector only upon separate application by the elector for each election. Voters who make an application for permanent vote by mail ballot status shall follow the procedures specified in Section 19-3 and may apply year round. 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 notice to the election authority of a change in registration that affects their registration status, or the election authority receives confirmation that the voter has subsequently registered to vote in another election authority jurisdiction. 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.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-668, eff. 11-15-21; 102-687, eff. 12-17-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-2.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2.1)
Sec. 19-2.1. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 7-29-13. Repealed by P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-2.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-2.2)
Sec. 19-2.2. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 93-847, eff. 7-30-04. Repealed by P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-2.3)
Sec. 19-2.3. Vote by mail; jails. Each election authority in a county with a population under 3,000,000 shall collaborate with the primary county jail where eligible voters are confined or detained who are within the jurisdiction of the election authority to facilitate an opportunity for voting by mail for voters eligible to vote in the election jurisdiction who are confined or detained in the county jail.
(Source: P.A. 101-442, eff. 1-1-20.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-2.4)
Sec. 19-2.4. Vote by mail; accommodation for voters with a disability. By December 31, 2021, the State Board of Elections shall prepare and submit to the General Assembly proposed legislation establishing a procedure to send vote by mail ballots via electronic transmission and enable a voter with a disability to independently and privately mark a ballot using assistive technology in order for the voter to vote by mail. Prior to submission, the State Board of Elections shall solicit public commentary and conduct at least 2 public hearings on its proposed legislation.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-2.5)
Sec. 19-2.5. Notice for vote by mail ballot. An election authority shall notify all qualified voters, except voters who have applied for permanent vote by mail status under subsection (b) of Section 19-3 or voters who submit a written request to be excluded from the permanent vote by mail status, 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.".
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-668, eff. 11-15-21; 103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-2.6)
Sec. 19-2.6. Vote by mail; voters with a print disability.
(a) Definitions.  As used in this Section, unless the context otherwise requires:
"Assistive technology" means any equipment, software, or product used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities, including, but not limited to, screen reading and magnification software, refreshable Braille displays, and speech recognition programs.
"Certified remote accessible vote by mail system" means a process approved by the State Board of Elections through which an election authority provides for the electronic transmission of a vote by mail ballot to a voter with a print disability and through which the voter with a print disability marks and verifies the voter's ballot using assistive technology.
"Electronic transmission" means the transfer of data or information through an authorized electronic data interchange system.
"Voter with a print disability" means a person having a temporary or permanent physical or mental impairment, such as blindness, low vision, physical dexterity limitations, or learning or cognitive disabilities, that prevents the person from effective reading, writing, or use of printed material.
(b)  The State Board of Elections shall provide a certified remote accessible vote by mail system for the General Election of November 8, 2022 and all subsequent elections, through which a vote by mail ballot can be delivered by electronic transmission to voters with print disabilities and through which voters with print disabilities are able to mark and verify their ballots using assistive technology.
(c)  Election authorities shall permit voters with a print disability to receive and mark their vote by mail ballots (i) through the certified remote accessible vote by mail system provided by the State Board of Elections pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section or (ii) through a certified remote accessible vote by mail system provided by the election authority.
(d)  If a vote by mail ballot application from a voter with a print disability arrives after the jurisdiction begins transmitting vote by mail ballots and instructions to voters, the election authority shall electronically transmit the ballot, instructions, and balloting materials to the voter within two business days after receipt of the application.
(e)  Ballots received and marked pursuant to this Section must be printed by the voter and returned to the election authority as provided in Section 19-6.
(f)   The State Board of Elections shall adopt rules, including emergency rules, necessary for the implementation of this Section.  The State Board of Elections' adopted rules shall include certification standards for a remote accessible vote by mail system and a method subject to the provisions in Sections 19-2 and 19-3 of this Article by which a voter with a print disability may request to use a certified remote accessible vote by mail system and apply for an accessible vote by mail ballot.
(Source: P.A. 102-819, eff. 5-13-22.)
(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 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.
(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 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 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 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. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-819, eff. 5-13-22; 103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-4)
 (from Ch. 46, par. 19-4)
Sec. 19-4. Mailing or delivery of ballots; time. Immediately upon
the receipt of such application either by mail or electronic means, not more than 90 days
nor less than 5 days prior to such election, or by personal delivery not
more than 90 days nor less than one day prior to such election,  at the
office of such election authority, it shall be the duty of such election
authority to examine the records to ascertain whether or not such
applicant is lawfully entitled to vote as
requested, including a verification of the applicant's signature on file with the office of the election authority, and if found so to be entitled to vote, to post within one business day thereafter
the name, street address,
ward and precinct number or township and district number, as the case may be,
of such applicant given on a list, the pages of which are to be numbered
consecutively to be kept by such election authority for such purpose in a
conspicuous, open and public place accessible to the public at the entrance of
the office of such election authority, and in such a manner that such list may
be viewed without necessity of requesting permission therefor.  Within one
 day after posting the name and other information of an applicant for a vote by mail
 ballot, the election authority shall transmit by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections that name and other
posted information to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those
names and other information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by
county and accessible to State and local political committees. Within 2
business days after posting a name and other information on the list within
its
office, but no sooner than 40 days before an election, the election authority shall mail,
postage prepaid, or deliver in person in such office, or deliver via electronic transmission pursuant to Section 19-2.6, an official ballot
or ballots if more than one are to be voted at said election.  Mail delivery
of Temporarily Absent Student ballot applications pursuant to Section
19-12.3 shall be by nonforwardable mail.  However,
for the consolidated election, vote by mail ballots for certain precincts may
be delivered to applicants not less than 25 days before the election if
so much time is required to have prepared and printed the ballots containing
the names of persons nominated for offices at the consolidated primary.
The election authority shall enclose with each vote by mail ballot or
application written instructions on how voting assistance shall be provided
pursuant to Section 17-14 and a document, written and approved by the State
Board of Elections, informing the vote by mail voter of the required postage for returning the application and ballot, and
enumerating
the circumstances under which a person is authorized to vote by vote by mail
ballot pursuant to this Article; such document shall also include a
statement informing the applicant that if he or she falsifies or is
solicited by another to falsify his or her
eligibility to cast a vote by mail ballot, such applicant or other is subject
to
penalties pursuant to Section 29-10 and Section 29-20 of the Election Code.
 Each election authority shall maintain a list of the name, street address,
ward and
precinct, or township and district number, as the case may be, of all
applicants who have returned vote by mail ballots to such authority, and the name of such vote by mail voter shall be added to such list
within one business day from receipt of such ballot.
If the vote by mail ballot envelope indicates that the voter was assisted in
casting the ballot, the name of the person so assisting shall be included on
the list. The list, the pages of which are to be numbered consecutively,
shall be kept by each election authority in a conspicuous, open, and public
place accessible to the public at the entrance of the office of the election
authority and in a manner that the list may be viewed without necessity of
requesting permission for viewing.
Each election authority shall maintain a list for each election
of the
voters to whom it has issued vote by mail ballots. The list shall be
maintained for each precinct within the jurisdiction of the election
authority. Prior to the opening of the polls on election day, the
election authority shall deliver to the judges of election in each
precinct the list of registered voters in that precinct to whom vote by mail
ballots have been issued by mail.
Each election authority shall maintain a list for each election of
voters to whom it has issued temporarily absent student ballots.  The list
shall be maintained for each election jurisdiction within which such voters
temporarily abide.  Immediately after the close of the period during which
application may be  made by mail or electronic means for vote by mail ballots, each election
authority shall mail to each other election authority within the State a
certified list of all such voters temporarily abiding within the
jurisdiction of the other election authority.
In the event that the return address of an
application for ballot by a physically incapacitated elector
is that of a facility licensed or certified under the Nursing Home Care
Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or the MC/DD Act, within the jurisdiction of the election authority, and the applicant
is a registered voter in the precinct in which such facility is located,
the ballots shall be prepared and transmitted to a responsible judge of
election no later than 9 a.m. on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday immediately
preceding the election as designated by the election authority under
Section 19-12.2. Such judge shall deliver in person on the designated day
the ballot to the applicant on the premises of the facility from which
application was made. The election authority shall by mail notify the
applicant in such facility that the ballot will be delivered by a judge of
election on the designated day.
All applications for vote by mail ballots shall be available at the office
of the election authority for public inspection upon request from the
time of receipt thereof by the election authority until 30 days after the
election, except during the time such applications are kept in the
office of the election authority pursuant to Section 19-7, and except during
the time such applications are in the possession of the judges of election.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 30 of the Address Confidentiality for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking, or Stalking Act, neither the name nor the address of a program participant under that Act shall be included in any list of registered voters available to the public, including the lists referenced in this Section.
(Source: P.A. 102-292, eff. 1-1-22; 102-819, eff. 5-13-22; 102-1126, eff. 2-10-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-5)
Sec. 19-5. Folding and enclosure of ballots in unsealed envelope; address on envelope; certification; instructions for marking and returning ballots. It shall be the duty of the election authority to fold the
ballot or ballots in the manner specified by the statute for folding
ballots prior to their deposit in the ballot box, and to enclose such
ballot or ballots in an envelope unsealed to be furnished by the election authority, which
envelope shall bear upon the face thereof the name, official title and
post office address of the election authority, and upon the other side
 a printed certification in substantially the
following form:
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; and that I am lawfully entitled to cast a ballot.
I further state that I personally marked the enclosed ballot in secret.
Under penalties of perjury as provided by law pursuant to Section 29-10
of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the statements set
forth in this certification are true and correct.

.......................
If the ballot is to go to an elector who is physically incapacitated and needs assistance marking the ballot,
the envelope shall bear upon the back thereof a certification in
substantially the following form:
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 cast a ballot; and that I am physically incapable of personally marking the ballot for this election.
I further state that I marked the enclosed ballot in secret with the assistance of

.................................
(Individual rendering assistance)
.................................
(Residence Address)
Under penalties of perjury  as provided by law pursuant to Section 29-10
of The Election Code, the undersigned certifies that the statements set forth
in this certification are true and correct.

.......................
In the case of a voter with a physical
incapacity, marking a ballot in secret includes marking a ballot with the
assistance of another individual, other than a candidate
whose name appears on the ballot (unless the voter is the spouse or a
parent, child, brother, or sister of the candidate),
the voter's employer, an
agent of that employer, or an officer or agent of the voter's union, when
the voter's physical incapacity necessitates such assistance.
In the case of a physically incapacitated voter, marking a ballot in secret includes marking a ballot with the
assistance of another individual, other than a candidate
whose name appears on the ballot (unless the voter is the spouse or a
parent, child, brother, or sister of the candidate), the voter's
employer, an
agent of that employer, or an officer or agent of the voter's union, when
the voter's physical incapacity necessitates such assistance.
Provided, that if the ballot enclosed is to be voted at a primary
election, the certification shall designate the name of the political
party with which the voter is affiliated.
In addition to the above, the election authority shall provide
printed slips, or an electronic version thereof for voters voting by mail pursuant to Section 19-2.6, giving full instructions regarding the manner of marking
and returning the ballot in order that the same may be counted, and
shall furnish one of such printed slips or the electronic version thereof for voters voting by mail pursuant to Section 19-2.6 to each of such applicants at
the same time the ballot is delivered to him.
Such instructions shall include the following statement: "In signing the
certification on the vote by mail ballot envelope, you are attesting that you
personally marked this vote by mail ballot in secret.  If you are physically
unable to mark the ballot, a friend or relative may assist you after
completing the enclosed affidavit.  Federal and State laws prohibit a
candidate whose name appears on the ballot (unless you
are the spouse or a parent, child, brother, or sister of the candidate), your
employer, your employer's agent or an officer or agent of your union
from assisting voters with physical disabilities."
In addition to the above, if a ballot to be provided to an elector
pursuant to this Section contains a public question described in subsection
(b) of Section 28-6 and the territory concerning which the question is
to be submitted is not described on the ballot due to the space limitations
of such ballot, the election authority shall provide a printed copy of
a notice of the public question, which shall include a description of the
territory in the manner required by Section 16-7.  The notice shall be
furnished to the elector at the same time the ballot is delivered to the
elector.
Election authorities transmitting ballots by electronic transmission pursuant to Section 19-2.6 shall, to the greatest extent possible, provide those applicants with the same instructions, certifications, and other balloting materials required when sending ballots by mail.
(Source: P.A. 102-819, eff. 5-13-22; 103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-6)
Sec. 19-6. 
Such vote by mail voter shall make and subscribe to the
certifications provided for in the application and on the return
envelope for the ballot, and such ballot or ballots shall be folded by
such voter in the manner required to be folded before depositing the
same in the ballot box, and be deposited in such envelope and the
envelope securely sealed. The voter shall then endorse his certificate
upon the back of the envelope and the envelope shall be mailed in person by
such voter, postage prepaid, to the election authority issuing the ballot or,
if more convenient, it may be delivered in person, by either the voter or
by any person authorized by the voter, or by a company
licensed as a motor carrier of property by the Illinois Commerce Commission
under the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law,
which is engaged in the business of making deliveries.
Election authorities shall accept any vote by mail ballot returned, including ballots returned with insufficient or no postage. Election authorities may maintain one or more secure collection sites for the postage-free return of vote by mail ballots. Any election authority with collection sites shall collect all ballots returned each day and process them as required by this Code, including noting the day on which the ballot was collected. Ballots returned to such collection sites after close of business shall be dated as delivered the next day, with the exception of ballots delivered on election day, which shall be dated as received on election day. Election authorities shall permit electors to return vote by mail ballots at any collection site it has established through the close of polls on election day. All collection sites shall be secured by locks that may be opened only by election authority personnel. The State Board of Elections shall establish additional guidelines for the security of collection sites.
It shall be unlawful for any person not the voter or a person authorized by the voter
 to take the ballot and ballot envelope of a
voter for deposit into the mail unless the ballot has been issued pursuant to
application by a physically incapacitated elector under Section
3-3 or a hospitalized voter under Section 19-13, in which case any
employee or person under the direction of the facility in which the elector or
voter is located may deposit the ballot and ballot envelope into the mail. If the voter authorized a person to deliver the ballot to the election authority, the voter and the person authorized to deliver the ballot shall complete the authorization printed on the exterior envelope supplied by an election authority for the return of the vote by mail ballot. The exterior of the envelope supplied by an election authority for the return of the vote by mail ballot shall include an authorization in substantially the following form:
I ............ (voter) authorize ............... to take the necessary steps to have this ballot delivered promptly to the office of the election authority.
.......................              ........................
Date
Signature of voter
...............................................
Printed Name of Authorized Delivery Agent
...............................................
Signature of Authorized Delivery Agency
...............................................
Date Delivered to the Election Authority
(Source: P.A. 102-1, eff. 4-2-21; 102-668, eff. 11-15-21.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-7)
Sec. 19-7. 
(a) Upon receipt of such vote by mail voter's ballot, the election
authority shall forthwith enclose the same unopened, together with the
application made by said vote by mail voter in a large or carrier envelope
which shall be securely sealed and endorsed with the name and official
title of such officer and the words, "This envelope contains a vote by mail ballot and must be opened on election day," together with the number and
description of the precinct in which said ballot is to be voted, and
such officer shall thereafter safely keep the same in his office until
counted by him as provided in the next section.
(b) Within one day after receipt of such vote by mail voter's ballot, the election authority shall transmit, by electronic means pursuant to a process established by the State Board of Elections, the voter's name, street address, e-mail address, and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be, to the State Board of Elections, which shall maintain those names and that information in an electronic format on its website, arranged by county and accessible to State and local political committees.
(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 7-29-13; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-8)
Sec. 19-8. Time and place of counting ballots.
(a) (Blank.)
(b) Each vote by mail voter's ballot returned to an election authority, by any means authorized by this Article, and received by that election authority before the closing of the polls on election day shall be endorsed by the receiving election authority with the day and hour of receipt and may be processed by the election authority beginning on the day it is received by the election authority in the central ballot counting location of the election authority, but the results of the processing may not be counted until the day of the election after 7:00 p.m., except as provided in subsections (g) and (g-5).
(c) Each vote by mail voter's ballot that is mailed to an election authority and postmarked no later than election day, but that is received by the election authority after the polls close on election day and before the close of the period for counting provisional ballots cast at that election, shall be endorsed by the receiving authority with the day and hour of receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot counting location of the election authority during the period for counting provisional ballots.
Each vote by mail voter's ballot that is mailed to an election authority absent a postmark or a barcode usable with an intelligent mail barcode tracking system, but that is received by the election authority after the polls close on election day and before the close of the period for counting provisional ballots cast at that election, shall be endorsed by the receiving authority with the day and hour of receipt, opened to inspect the date inserted on  the certification, and, if the certification date is election day or earlier and the ballot is otherwise found to be valid under the requirements of this Section, counted at the central ballot counting location of the election authority during the period for counting provisional ballots. Absent a date on the certification, the ballot shall not be counted.
If an election authority is using an intelligent mail barcode tracking system, a ballot that is mailed to an election authority absent a postmark may be counted if the intelligent mail barcode tracking system verifies the envelope was mailed no later than election day.
(d) Special write-in vote by mail voter's blank ballots returned to an election authority, by any means authorized by this Article, and received by the election authority at any time before the closing of the polls on election day shall be endorsed by the receiving election authority with the day and hour of receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot counting location of the election authority during the same period  provided for counting vote by mail voters' ballots under subsections (b), (g), and (g-5). Special write-in vote by mail voter's blank ballots that are mailed to an election authority and postmarked no later than election day, but that are received by the election authority after the polls close on election day and before the closing of the period for counting provisional ballots cast at that election, shall be endorsed by the receiving authority with the day and hour of receipt and shall be counted at the central ballot counting location of the election authority during the same periods provided for counting vote by mail voters' ballots under subsection (c).
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, vote by mail voters' ballots and special write-in vote by mail voter's blank ballots received by the election authority after the closing of the polls on an
election day shall be endorsed by the election authority receiving them

with the day and hour of receipt and shall be safely kept unopened by the

election authority for the period of time required for the preservation of
ballots used at the election, and shall then, without being opened, be
destroyed in like manner as the used ballots of that election.
(f) Counting required under this Section to begin on election day after the closing of the polls shall commence no later than 8:00 p.m. and shall be conducted
by a panel or panels of election judges appointed in the manner provided
by law. The counting shall continue until all vote by mail voters' ballots and special write-in vote by mail voter's blank ballots required to be counted on election day have been counted.
(g) The procedures set forth in Articles 17 and
18 of this Code shall apply to all ballots counted under
this Section. In addition, within 2 days after a vote by mail ballot is received, but in all cases before the close of the period for counting provisional ballots, the election judge or official shall compare the voter's signature on the certification envelope of that vote by mail ballot with the voter's signature on the application verified in accordance with Section 19-4 or the signature of the voter on file in the office of the election authority.  If the election judge or official determines that the 2 signatures match, and that the vote by mail voter is otherwise qualified to cast a vote by mail ballot, the election authority shall cast and count the ballot on election day or the day the ballot is determined to be valid, whichever is later, adding the results to the precinct in which the voter is registered.  If the election judge or official determines that the signatures do not match, or that the vote by mail voter is not qualified to cast a vote by mail ballot, then without opening the certification envelope, the judge or official shall mark across the face of the certification envelope the word "Rejected" and shall not cast or count the ballot.
In addition to the voter's signatures not matching, a vote by mail ballot may be rejected by the election judge or official:
(1) if the ballot envelope is open or has been opened     and resealed;
(2) if the voter has already cast an early or grace     period ballot;
(3) if the voter voted in person on election day or     the voter is not a duly registered voter in the precinct; or
(4) on any other basis set forth in this Code.
If the election judge or official determines that any of these reasons apply, the judge or official shall mark across the face of the certification envelope the word "Rejected" and shall not cast or count the ballot.
(g-5) If a vote by mail ballot is rejected by the election judge or official for any reason, the election authority shall, within 2 days after the rejection but in all cases before the close of the period for counting provisional ballots, notify the vote by mail voter that his or her ballot was rejected. The notice shall inform the voter of the reason or reasons the ballot was rejected and shall state that the voter may appear before the election authority, on or before the 14th day after the election, to show cause as to why the ballot should not be rejected.  The voter may present evidence to the election authority supporting his or her contention that the ballot should be counted.  The election authority shall appoint a panel of 3 election judges to review the contested ballot, application, and certification envelope, as well as any evidence submitted by the vote by mail voter.  No more than 2 election judges on the reviewing panel shall be of the same political party.  The reviewing panel of election judges shall make a final determination as to the validity of the contested vote by mail ballot.  The judges' determination shall not be reviewable either administratively or judicially.
A vote by mail ballot subject to this subsection that is determined to be valid shall be counted before the close of the period for counting provisional ballots.
If a vote by mail ballot is rejected for any reason, the election authority shall, within one day after the rejection, transmit to the State Board of Elections by electronic means the voter's name, street address, email address and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be. If a rejected vote by mail ballot is determined to be valid, the election authority shall, within one day after the determination, remove the name of the voter from the list transmitted to the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections shall maintain the names and information in an electronic format on its website accessible to State and local political committees.
Upon request by the State or local political committee, each election authority shall,  within one day after the request, provide the following information about all rejected vote by mail ballots: voter's name, street address, email address and precinct, ward, township, and district numbers, as the case may be.
(g-10) All vote by mail ballots determined to be valid shall be added to the vote totals for the precincts for which they were cast in the order in which the ballots were opened.
(h)  Each political party, candidate, and qualified civic organization shall be entitled to have present one pollwatcher for each panel of election judges therein assigned.
(Source: P.A. 102-1126, eff. 2-10-23; 103-467, eff. 8-4-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-9)
Sec. 19-9. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 87-1052. Repealed by P.A. 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-10)
Sec. 19-10. Pollwatchers may be appointed to observe early
voting procedures and view all reasonably requested records relating to the conduct of the election, provided the secrecy of the ballot is not impinged, at the office of the election authority as well as at
municipal, township or road district clerks' offices where such early
voting is conducted.  Such pollwatchers shall qualify and be appointed in
the same manner as provided in Sections 7-34 and 17-23, except each
candidate, political party or organization of citizens may appoint only one
pollwatcher for each location where early voting is conducted.
Pollwatchers must be registered to vote in Illinois and possess valid
pollwatcher credentials.
Where vote by mail voters' ballots are processed or counted 
in the office of the election authority as provided in Section 19-8 of this
Act, each political party, candidate and qualified civic organization shall
be entitled to have present one pollwatcher for each panel of election judges
therein assigned. Such pollwatchers shall be subject to the same provisions
as are provided for pollwatchers in Sections 7-34 and 17-23 of this Code,
and shall be permitted to observe the election judges making the signature
comparison  as provided in Section 19-8.
(Source: P.A. 102-1126, eff. 2-10-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-11) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-11)
Sec. 19-11. 
		
		Whenever it shall be made to appear by due proof to the judges
of election that any elector who has marked and forwarded his ballot as
provided in this article has died prior to the opening of the polls on the
date of the election, then the ballot of such deceased voter shall be
returned by the judges of election in the same manner as provided for
rejected ballots above; but the casting of the ballot of a deceased voter
shall not invalidate the election.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-12) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-12)
Sec. 19-12. 
		
		In all jurisdictions in which
voting machines are used, all the provisions of this Act and not
inconsistent with the provisions of this article relating to the
furnishing of ballot boxes, printing and furnishing official ballots and
supplies in such number as provided by law, the canvassing of the
ballots and making the proper return of the result of the election,
shall, to the extent necessary to make this article effective, apply
with full force and effect; Provided, however, that the number of
ballots to be printed shall be in the discretion of the respective election authority.
(Source: P.A. 80-1469.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-12.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-12.1)
Sec. 19-12.1. 
Any qualified elector who has secured an Illinois
 Person with a Disability Identification Card in accordance with the Illinois
Identification Card Act, indicating that the person named thereon has a Class
1A or Class 2 disability or any qualified voter who has a permanent physical
incapacity of such a nature as to make it improbable that he will be
able to be present at the polls at any future election, or any
voter who is a resident of (i) a federally operated veterans' home, hospital, or facility located in Illinois or (ii) a facility licensed or certified pursuant to
the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or the MC/DD Act and has a condition or disability of
such a nature as to make it improbable that he will be able to be present
at the polls at any future election, may secure a voter's identification card for persons with disabilities or a
nursing home resident's identification card, which will enable him to vote
under this Article as a physically incapacitated or nursing home voter. For the purposes of this Section,  "federally operated veterans' home, hospital, or facility" means the long-term care facilities at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Illiana Health Care System, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Marion VA Medical Center, and Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
Application for a voter's identification card for persons with disabilities or a nursing home resident's
identification card shall be made either: (a) in writing, with voter's
sworn affidavit, to the county clerk or board of election commissioners, as
the case may be, and shall be accompanied
by the affidavit of the attending physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant specifically describing the
nature of the physical incapacity or the fact that the voter is a nursing
home resident and is physically unable to be present at the polls on election
days; or (b) by presenting, in writing or otherwise, to the county clerk
or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, proof that the
applicant has secured an Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card
indicating that the person named thereon has a Class 1A or Class 2 disability.
Upon the receipt of either the sworn-to
application and the physician's, advanced practice registered nurse's, or a physician assistant's affidavit or proof that the applicant has
secured an Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card indicating that the
person named thereon has a Class 1A or Class 2 disability, the county clerk
or board of election commissioners shall issue a voter's identification card for persons with disabilities or a
nursing home resident's identification
card. Such identification cards shall be issued for a
period of 5 years, upon the expiration of which time the voter may
secure a new card by making application in the same manner as is
prescribed for the issuance of an original card, accompanied by a new
affidavit of the attending physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant.  The date of expiration of such
five-year period shall be made known to any interested person by the
election authority upon the request of such person.  Applications for the
renewal of the identification cards shall be mailed to the voters holding
such cards not less than 3 months prior to the date of expiration of the cards.
Each voter's identification card for persons with disabilities or nursing home resident's identification card
shall bear an identification number, which shall be clearly noted on the voter's
original and duplicate registration record cards. In the event the
holder becomes physically capable of resuming normal voting, he must
surrender his voter's identification card for persons with disabilities or nursing home resident's identification
card to the county clerk or board of election commissioners before the next election.
The holder of a voter's identification card for persons with disabilities or a nursing home resident's
identification card may make application by mail for an official ballot
within the time prescribed by Section 19-2. Such application shall contain
the same information as is
included in the form of application for ballot by a physically
incapacitated elector prescribed in Section 19-3 except that it shall
also include the applicant's voter's identification card for persons with disabilities card number
and except that it need not be sworn to. If an examination of the records
discloses that the applicant is lawfully entitled to vote, he shall be
mailed a ballot as provided in Section 19-4. The ballot envelope shall
be the same as that prescribed in Section 19-5 for voters with physical disabilities, and the manner of voting and returning the ballot shall be the
same as that provided in this Article for other vote by mail ballots, except
that a statement to be subscribed to by the voter but which need not be
sworn to shall be placed on the ballot envelope in lieu of the affidavit
prescribed by Section 19-5.
Any person who knowingly subscribes to a false statement in
connection with voting under this Section shall be guilty of a Class A
misdemeanor.
For the purposes of this Section, "nursing home resident" includes a resident of (i) a federally operated veterans' home, hospital, or facility located in Illinois or (ii) a facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, or the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013. For the purposes of this Section,  "federally operated veterans' home, hospital, or facility" means the long-term care facilities at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Illiana Health Care System, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Marion VA Medical Center, and Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-180, eff. 7-29-15; 99-581, eff. 1-1-17; 99-642, eff. 6-28-16; 100-513, eff. 1-1-18.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-12.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-12.2)
Sec. 19-12.2. Voting by physically incapacitated electors who have made
proper application to the election authority not later than 5 days before
the regular primary and general election of 1980 and before each election
thereafter shall be conducted on the premises of (i) federally operated veterans' homes, hospitals, and facilities located in Illinois or (ii) facilities licensed or
certified pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or the MC/DD Act for the sole benefit of
residents of such homes, hospitals, and facilities. For the purposes of this Section,  "federally operated veterans' home, hospital, or facility" means the long-term care facilities at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Illiana Health Care System, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Marion VA Medical Center, and Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center. Such voting shall be conducted during any
continuous period sufficient to allow all applicants to cast their ballots
between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. either on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday
or Monday immediately preceding the regular election. This vote by mail voting on
one of said days designated by the election authority shall be supervised by
two election judges who must be selected by the election authority in the
following order of priority: (1) from the panel of judges appointed for the
precinct in which such home, hospital, or facility is located, or from a panel of judges appointed
for any other precinct within the jurisdiction of the election authority in the
same ward or township, as the case may be, in which the home, hospital, or facility is located or,
only in the case where a judge or judges from the precinct, township or ward
are unavailable to serve, (3) from a panel of judges appointed for any other
precinct within the jurisdiction of the election authority. The two judges
shall be from different political parties. Not less than 30 days before each
regular election, the election authority shall have arranged with the chief
administrative officer of each home, hospital, or facility in his or its election jurisdiction a
mutually convenient time period on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday
immediately preceding the election for such voting on the premises of the home, hospital, or
facility and shall post in a prominent place in his or its office a notice of
the agreed day and time period for conducting such voting at each home, hospital, or facility;
provided that the election authority shall not later than noon on the Thursday
before the election also post the names and addresses of those homes, hospitals, and facilities from
which no applications were received and in which no supervised vote by mail voting
will be conducted.  All provisions of this Code applicable to pollwatchers
shall be applicable herein. To the maximum extent feasible, voting booths or
screens shall be provided to insure the privacy of the voter. Voting procedures
shall be as described in Article 17 of this Code, except that ballots shall be
treated as vote by mail ballots and shall not be counted until the close of the
polls on the following day. After the last voter has concluded voting, the
judges shall seal the ballots in an envelope and affix their signatures across
the flap of the envelope. Immediately thereafter, the judges
shall bring the sealed envelope to the office of the election authority
who shall deliver such ballots to the election authority's central ballot counting location prior to
the closing of the polls on the day of election.  The judges of election shall
also report to the election authority the name of any applicant in the home, hospital, or facility
who, due to unforeseen circumstance or condition or because
of a religious holiday, was unable to vote.  In this event, the election
authority may appoint a qualified person from his or its staff to deliver
the ballot to such applicant on the day of election.  This staff person
shall follow the same procedures prescribed for judges conducting vote by mail
voting in such homes, hospitals, or facilities and shall return the ballot to the central ballot counting location before the polls close. However, if the home, hospital, or facility from
which the application was made is also used as a regular precinct polling place
for that voter, voting procedures heretofore prescribed may be implemented by 2
of the election judges of opposite party affiliation assigned to that polling
place during the hours of voting on the day of the election. Judges of election
shall be compensated not less than $25.00 for conducting vote by mail voting in
such homes, hospitals, or facilities.
Not less than 120 days before each regular election, the Department
of Public Health shall certify to the State Board of Elections a list of
the facilities licensed or certified pursuant to the Nursing Home Care
Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or the MC/DD Act. The lists shall indicate the approved bed capacity and the name of
the chief administrative officer of each such home, hospital, or facility, and the State Board
of Elections shall certify the same to the appropriate election authority
within 20 days thereafter.
(Source: P.A. 98-104, eff. 7-22-13; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15; 99-180, eff. 7-29-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-12.3)
Sec. 19-12.3. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 84-917. Repealed by P.A. 96-1003, eff. 7-6-10.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-13) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-13)
Sec. 19-13. Any qualified voter who has been admitted to a hospital, nursing home, or rehabilitation center
due to an illness or physical injury not more than  14 days before an election
shall be entitled to personal delivery of a vote by mail ballot in the hospital, nursing home, or rehabilitation center
subject to the following conditions:
(1) The voter completes the Application for Physically Incapacitated
Elector as provided in Section 19-3, stating as reasons therein that he is
a patient in ............... (name of hospital/home/center), ............... located
at, ............... (address of hospital/home/center), ............... (county,
city/village), was admitted for ............... (nature of illness or
physical injury),  on ............... (date of admission), and does not
expect to be released from the hospital/home/center on or before the day of election or, if released, is expected to be homebound on the day of the election and unable to travel to the polling place.
(2) The voter's physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant completes a Certificate of Attending Health Care Professional
in a form substantially as follows:
CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDING HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL
I state that I am a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant, duly licensed to practice in the State of
.........; that .......... is a patient in .......... (name of hospital/home/center),
located at ............. (address of hospital/home/center), ................. (county,
city/village); that such individual was admitted for ............. (nature
of illness or physical injury), on ............ (date of admission); and
that I have examined such individual in the State in which I am licensed
to practice and do not expect such individual to be released from
the hospital/home/center on or before the day of election or, if released, to be able to travel to the polling place on 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
certification are true and correct.
(Signature) ...............
(Date licensed) ............
(3) Any person who is registered to vote in the same precinct as the admitted voter or any legal relative of the admitted voter may
present such voter's vote by mail ballot application, completed as prescribed
in paragraph 1, accompanied by the physician's, advanced practice registered nurse's, or a physician assistant's certificate, completed as
prescribed in paragraph 2, to the election authority.
Such precinct voter or relative shall execute and sign an affidavit furnished
by the election authority attesting that he is a registered voter in the
same precinct as the admitted voter or that he is a legal relative of
the admitted voter and stating the nature of the
relationship.  Such precinct voter or relative shall further attest that
he has been authorized by the admitted voter to obtain his or her vote by mail ballot
from the election authority and deliver such ballot to him in the hospital, home, or center.
Upon receipt of the admitted voter's application, physician's, advanced practice registered nurse's, or a physician assistant's
certificate, and the affidavit of the precinct voter or the relative, the
election authority shall examine the registration records to determine if
the applicant is qualified to vote and, if found to be qualified, shall
provide the precinct voter or the relative the vote by mail ballot for delivery
to the applicant.
Upon receipt of the vote by mail ballot, the admitted voter shall mark the
ballot in secret and subscribe to the certifications on the vote by mail ballot
return envelope.  After depositing the ballot in the return envelope and
securely sealing the envelope, such voter shall give the envelope to the
precinct voter or the relative who shall deliver it to the election authority
in sufficient time for the ballot to be delivered by the election authority
to the election authority's central ballot counting location

before 7 p.m. on election day.
Upon receipt of the admitted voter's vote by mail ballot,
the ballot shall be counted in the manner prescribed in this Article.
(Source: P.A. 99-581, eff. 1-1-17; 100-513, eff. 1-1-18.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-14) (from Ch. 46, par. 19-14)
Sec. 19-14. 
		
		The foregoing sections of this article shall be deemed to
provide a method of voting in addition to the method otherwise provided in
this Act.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-15)
Sec. 19-15. Precinct tabulation optical scan technology
voting equipment. If the election authority has adopted the use of Precinct
Tabulation Optical Scan Technology voting equipment pursuant to
Article 24B of this Code, and the provisions of the Article are
in conflict with the provisions of this Article 19, the
provisions of Article 24B shall govern the procedures followed by
the election authority, its judges of elections, and all
employees and agents, provided that vote by mail ballots are counted at the election authority's central ballot counting location.  In following the provisions of
Article 24B, the election authority is authorized to develop and
implement procedures to fully utilize Precinct Tabulation Optical
Scan Technology voting equipment, at the central ballot counting location, authorized by the State Board of
Elections as long as the procedure is not in conflict with
either Article 24B or the administrative rules of the State Board
of Elections.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
(10 ILCS 5/19-20)
Sec. 19-20. Report on vote by mail ballots. This Section applies to vote by mail ballots.
On or before the 21st day after an election, each election authority shall transmit to the State Board of Elections the following information with respect to that election:
(1) The number, by precinct, of vote by mail ballots     requested, provided, and counted.
(2) The number of rejected vote by mail ballots.
(3) The number of voters seeking review of rejected     vote by mail ballots pursuant to subsection (g-5) of Section 19-8.
(4) The number of vote by mail ballots counted     following review pursuant to subsection (g-5) of Section 19-8.On or before the 28th day after an election, the State Board of Elections shall compile the information received under this Section with respect to that election and make that information available to the public.
(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)