(10 ILCS 5/1A-16)
(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 98-1171)
Sec. 1A-16. Voter registration information; Internet posting; processing of voter registration forms; content of such forms. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the following provisions shall apply to voter registration under this Code.
(a) Voter registration information; Internet posting of voter registration form. Within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the State Board of Elections shall post on its World Wide Web site the following information:
(1) A comprehensive list of the names, addresses,
phone numbers, and websites, if applicable, of all county clerks and boards of election commissioners in Illinois.
(2) A schedule of upcoming elections and the deadline
for voter registration.
(3) A downloadable, printable voter registration
form, in at least English and in Spanish versions, that a person may complete and mail or submit to the State Board of Elections or the appropriate county clerk or board of election commissioners. Any forms described under paragraph (3) must state the following:
If you do not have a driver's license or social
security number, and this form is submitted by mail, and you have never registered to vote in the jurisdiction you are now registering in, then you must send, with this application, either (i) a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or (ii) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. If you do not provide the information required above, then you will be required to provide election officials with either (i) or (ii) described above the first time you vote at a voting place or by absentee ballot.
(b) Acceptance of registration forms by the State Board of Elections and county clerks and board of election commissioners. The State Board of Elections, county clerks, and board of election commissioners shall accept all completed voter registration forms described in subsection (a)(3) of this Section and Sections 1A-17 and 1A-30 that are:
(1) postmarked on or before the day that voter
registration is closed under the Election Code;
(2) not postmarked, but arrives no later than 5 days
after the close of registration;
(3) submitted in person by a person using the form on
or before the day that voter registration is closed under the Election Code; or
(4) submitted in person by a person who submits one
or more forms on behalf of one or more persons who used the form on or before the day that voter registration is closed under the Election Code.
Upon the receipt of a registration form, the State Board of Elections shall mark the date on which the form was received and send the form via first class mail to the appropriate county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, within 2 business days based upon the home address of the person submitting the registration form. The county clerk and board of election commissioners shall accept and process any form received from the State Board of Elections.
(c) Processing of registration forms by county clerks and boards of election commissioners. The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall promulgate procedures for processing the voter registration form.
(d) Contents of the voter registration form. The State Board shall create a voter registration form, which must contain the following content:
(1) Instructions for completing the form.
(2) A summary of the qualifications to register to
vote in Illinois.
(3) Instructions for mailing in or submitting the
form in person.
(4) The phone number for the State Board of Elections
should a person submitting the form have questions.
(5) A box for the person to check that explains one
of 3 reasons for submitting the form:
(a) new registration;
(b) change of address; or
(c) change of name.
(6) a box for the person to check yes or no that
asks, "Are you a citizen of the United States?", a box for the person to check yes or no that asks, "Will you be 18 years of age on or before election day?", and a statement of "If you checked 'no' in response to either of these questions, then do not complete this form.".
(7) A space for the person to fill in his or her home
telephone number.
(8) Spaces for the person to fill in his or her
first, middle, and last names, street address (principal place of residence), county, city, state, and zip code.
(9) Spaces for the person to fill in his or her
mailing address, city, state, and zip code if different from his or her principal place of residence.
(10) A space for the person to fill in his or her
Illinois driver's license number if the person has a driver's license.
(11) A space for a person without a driver's license
to fill in the last four digits of his or her social security number if the person has a social security number.
(12) A space for a person without an Illinois
driver's license to fill in his or her identification number from his or her State Identification card issued by the Secretary of State.
(13) A space for the person to fill the name
appearing on his or her last voter registration, the street address of his or her last registration, including the city, county, state, and zip code.
(14) A space where the person swears or affirms the
following under penalty of perjury with his or her signature:
(a) "I am a citizen of the United States.";
(b) "I will be at least 18 years old on or before
the next election.";
(c) "I will have lived in the State of Illinois
and in my election precinct at least 30 days as of the date of the next election."; and
"The information I have provided is true to the
best of my knowledge under penalty of perjury. If I have provided false information, then I may be fined, imprisoned, or if I am not a U.S. citizen, deported from or refused entry into the United States."
(15) A space for the person to fill in his or her
e-mail address if he or she chooses to provide that information.
(d-5) Compliance with federal law; rulemaking authority. The voter registration form described in this Section shall be consistent with the form prescribed by the Federal Election Commission under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, P.L. 107-252, in all relevant respects. The State Board of Elections shall periodically update the form based on changes to federal or State law. The State Board of Elections shall promulgate any rules necessary for the implementation of this Section; provided that the rules comport with the letter and spirit of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and Help America Vote Act of 2002 and maximize the opportunity for a person to register to vote.
(e) Forms available in paper form. The State Board of Elections shall make the voter registration form available in regular paper stock and form in sufficient quantities for the general public. The State Board of Elections may provide the voter registration form to the Secretary of State, county clerks, boards of election commissioners, designated agencies of the State of Illinois, and any other person or entity designated to have these forms by the Election Code in regular paper stock and form or some other format deemed suitable by the Board. Each county clerk or board of election commissioners has the authority to design and print its own voter registration form so long as the form complies with the requirements of this Section. The State Board of Elections, county clerks, boards of election commissioners, or other designated agencies of the State of Illinois required to have these forms under the Election Code shall provide a member of the public with any reasonable number of forms that he or she may request. Nothing in this Section shall permit the State Board of Elections, county clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate election official who may accept a voter registration form to refuse to accept a voter registration form because the form is printed on photocopier or regular paper stock and form.
(f) (Blank).
(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 10-1-13.)
(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 98-1171)
Sec. 1A-16. Voter registration information; Internet posting; processing of voter registration forms; content of such forms. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the following provisions shall apply to voter registration under this Code.
(a) Voter registration information; Internet posting of voter registration form. Within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the State Board of Elections shall post on its World Wide Web site the following information:
(1) A comprehensive list of the names, addresses,
phone numbers, and websites, if applicable, of all county clerks and boards of election commissioners in Illinois.
(2) A schedule of upcoming elections and the deadline
for voter registration.
(3) A downloadable, printable voter registration
form, in at least English and in Spanish versions, that a person may complete and mail or submit to the State Board of Elections or the appropriate county clerk or board of election commissioners. Any forms described under paragraph (3) must state the following:
If you do not have a driver's license or social
security number, and this form is submitted by mail, and you have never registered to vote in the jurisdiction you are now registering in, then you must send, with this application, either (i) a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or (ii) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. If you do not provide the information required above, then you will be required to provide election officials with either (i) or (ii) described above the first time you vote at a voting place.
(b) Acceptance of registration forms by the State Board of Elections and county clerks and board of election commissioners. The State Board of Elections, county clerks, and board of election commissioners shall accept all completed voter registration forms described in subsection (a)(3) of this Section and Sections 1A-17 and 1A-30 that are:
(1) postmarked on or before the day that voter
registration is closed under the Election Code;
(2) not postmarked, but arrives no later than 5 days
after the close of registration;
(3) submitted in person by a person using the form on
or before the day that voter registration is closed under the Election Code; or
(4) submitted in person by a person who submits one
or more forms on behalf of one or more persons who used the form on or before the day that voter registration is closed under the Election Code.
Upon the receipt of a registration form, the State Board of Elections shall mark the date on which the form was received and send the form via first class mail to the appropriate county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, within 2 business days based upon the home address of the person submitting the registration form. The county clerk and board of election commissioners shall accept and process any form received from the State Board of Elections.
(c) Processing of registration forms by county clerks and boards of election commissioners. The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall promulgate procedures for processing the voter registration form.
(d) Contents of the voter registration form. The State Board shall create a voter registration form, which must contain the following content:
(1) Instructions for completing the form.
(2) A summary of the qualifications to register to
vote in Illinois.
(3) Instructions for mailing in or submitting the
form in person.
(4) The phone number for the State Board of Elections
should a person submitting the form have questions.
(5) A box for the person to check that explains one
of 3 reasons for submitting the form:
(a) new registration;
(b) change of address; or
(c) change of name.
(6) a box for the person to check yes or no that
asks, "Are you a citizen of the United States?", a box for the person to check yes or no that asks, "Will you be 18 years of age on or before election day?", and a statement of "If you checked 'no' in response to either of these questions, then do not complete this form.".
(7) A space for the person to fill in his or her home
telephone number.
(8) Spaces for the person to fill in his or her
first, middle, and last names, street address (principal place of residence), county, city, state, and zip code.
(9) Spaces for the person to fill in his or her
mailing address, city, state, and zip code if different from his or her principal place of residence.
(10) A space for the person to fill in his or her
Illinois driver's license number if the person has a driver's license.
(11) A space for a person without a driver's license
to fill in the last four digits of his or her social security number if the person has a social security number.
(12) A space for a person without an Illinois
driver's license to fill in his or her identification number from his or her State Identification card issued by the Secretary of State.
(13) A space for the person to fill the name
appearing on his or her last voter registration, the street address of his or her last registration, including the city, county, state, and zip code.
(14) A space where the person swears or affirms the
following under penalty of perjury with his or her signature:
(a) "I am a citizen of the United States.";
(b) "I will be at least 18 years old on or before
the next election.";
(c) "I will have lived in the State of Illinois
and in my election precinct at least 30 days as of the date of the next election."; and
"The information I have provided is true to the
best of my knowledge under penalty of perjury. If I have provided false information, then I may be fined, imprisoned, or if I am not a U.S. citizen, deported from or refused entry into the United States."
(15) A space for the person to fill in his or her
e-mail address if he or she chooses to provide that information.
(d-5) Compliance with federal law; rulemaking authority. The voter registration form described in this Section shall be consistent with the form prescribed by the Federal Election Commission under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, P.L. 107-252, in all relevant respects. The State Board of Elections shall periodically update the form based on changes to federal or State law. The State Board of Elections shall promulgate any rules necessary for the implementation of this Section; provided that the rules comport with the letter and spirit of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and Help America Vote Act of 2002 and maximize the opportunity for a person to register to vote.
(e) Forms available in paper form. The State Board of Elections shall make the voter registration form available in regular paper stock and form in sufficient quantities for the general public. The State Board of Elections may provide the voter registration form to the Secretary of State, county clerks, boards of election commissioners, designated agencies of the State of Illinois, and any other person or entity designated to have these forms by the Election Code in regular paper stock and form or some other format deemed suitable by the Board. Each county clerk or board of election commissioners has the authority to design and print its own voter registration form so long as the form complies with the requirements of this Section. The State Board of Elections, county clerks, boards of election commissioners, or other designated agencies of the State of Illinois required to have these forms under the Election Code shall provide a member of the public with any reasonable number of forms that he or she may request. Nothing in this Section shall permit the State Board of Elections, county clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate election official who may accept a voter registration form to refuse to accept a voter registration form because the form is printed on photocopier or regular paper stock and form.
(f) (Blank).
(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 10-1-13; 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015