(10 ILCS 5/24C‑1) Sec. 24C‑1. Purpose. The purpose of this Article is to authorize the use of Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems approved by the State Board of Elections. In a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System, voters cast votes by means of a ballot display provided with mechanical or electro‑optical devices that can be activated by the voters to mark their choices for the candidates of their preference and for or against public questions. Such voting devices shall be capable of instantaneously recording such votes, storing such votes, producing a permanent paper record and tabulating such votes at the precinct or at one or more counting stations. This Article authorizes the use of Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems for in‑precinct counting applications and for in‑person absentee voting in the office of the election authority and in the offices of local officials authorized by the election authority to conduct such absentee voting. All other absentee ballots must be counted at the office of the election authority. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |
(10 ILCS 5/24C‑3) Sec. 24C‑3. Adoption, experimentation or abandonment of Direct Recording Electronic Voting System; Boundaries of precincts; Notice. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, any county board, board of county commissioners and any board of election commissioners, with respect to territory within its jurisdiction, may adopt, experiment with, or abandon a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System approved for use by the State Board of Elections and may use such System in all or some of the precincts within its jurisdiction, or in combination with paper ballots or other voting systems. Any county board, board of county commissioners or board of election commissioners may contract for the tabulation of votes at a location outside its territorial jurisdiction when there is no suitable tabulating equipment available within its territorial jurisdiction. In no case may a county board, board of county commissioners or board of election commissioners contract or arrange for the purchase, lease or loan of a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System or System component without the approval of the State Board of Elections as provided by Section 24C‑16. Before any Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is introduced, adopted or used in any precinct or territory at least 2 months public notice must be given before the date of the first election where the System is to be used. The election authority shall publish the notice at least once in one or more newspapers published within the county or other jurisdiction, where the election is held. If there is no such newspaper, the notice shall be published in a newspaper published in the county and having a general circulation within such jurisdiction. The notice shall be substantially as follows: "Notice is hereby given that on ... (give date) ..., at ... (give place where election is held) ... in the county of ..., an election will be held for ... (give name of offices to be filled) ... at which a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System will be used." Dated at ... this ... day of ... 20....? This notice referred to shall be given only at the first election at which the Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is used. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |
(10 ILCS 5/24C‑3.1) Sec. 24C‑3.1. Retention or consolidation or alteration of existing precincts; Change of location. When a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is used, the county board or board of election commissioners may retain existing precincts or may consolidate, combine, alter, decrease or enlarge the boundaries of the precincts to change the number of registered voters of the precincts using the System, establishing the number of registered voters within each precinct at a number not to exceed 800 as the appropriate county board or board of election commissioners determines will afford adequate voting facilities and efficient and economical elections. Except in the event of a fire, flood or total loss of heat in a place fixed or established pursuant to law by any county board or board of election commissioners as a polling place for an election, no election authority shall change the location of a polling place established for any precinct after notice of the place of holding the election for that precinct has been given as required under Article 12 unless the election authority notifies all registered voters in the precinct of the change in location by first class mail in sufficient time for the notice to be received by the registered voters in the precinct at least one day prior to the date of the election. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |
(10 ILCS 5/24C‑4) Sec. 24C‑4. Use of Direct Recording Electronic Voting System; Requisites; Applicable procedure. Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems may be used in elections provided that such Systems are approved for use by the State Board of Elections. So far as applicable, the procedure provided for voting paper ballots shall apply when Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems are used. However, the provisions of this Article 24C will govern when there are conflicts. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |
(10 ILCS 5/24C‑5) Sec. 24C‑5. Voting Stations. In precincts where a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is used, a sufficient number of voting stations shall be provided for the use of the System according to the requirements determined by the State Board of Elections. Each station shall be placed in a manner so that no judge of election or pollwatcher is able to observe a voter casting a ballot. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |
(10 ILCS 5/24C‑5.1) Sec. 24C‑5.1. Instruction of Voters; Instruction Model; Partiality to Political Party; Manner of Instruction. Before entering the voting booth each voter shall be offered instruction in using the Direct Recording Electronic Voting System. In instructing voters, no precinct official may show partiality to any political party or candidate. The duties of instruction shall be discharged by a judge from each of the political parties represented and they shall alternate serving as instructor so that each judge shall serve a like time at such duties. No instructions may be given inside a voting booth after the voter has entered the voting booth. No precinct official or person assisting a voter may in any manner request, suggest, or seek to persuade or induce any voter to cast his or her vote for any particular ticket, candidate, amendment, question or proposition. All instructions shall be given by precinct officials in a manner that it may be observed by other persons in the polling place. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |
(10 ILCS 5/24C‑5.2) Sec. 24C‑5.2. Demonstration of Direct Recording Electronic Voting System; Placement in Public Library. When a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is used in a forthcoming election, the election authority may provide, for the purpose of instructing voters in the election, one demonstrator Direct Recording Electronic Voting System unit for placement in any public library or in any other public or private building within the political subdivision where the election occurs. If the placement of a demonstrator takes place it shall be made available at least 30 days before the election. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |
(10 ILCS 5/24C‑6.1) Sec. 24C‑6.1. Security Designation. In all elections conducted under this Article, ballots shall have a security designation. In precincts where more than one ballot configuration may be voted upon, ballots shall have a different security designation for each ballot configuration. If a precinct has only one possible ballot configuration, the ballots must have a security designation to identify the precinct and the election. Where ballots from more than one precinct are being tabulated, the ballots from each precinct must be clearly identified; official results shall not be generated unless the precinct identification for any precinct corresponds. When the tabulating equipment being used requires entering the program immediately before tabulating the ballots for each precinct, the precinct program may be used. The Direct Recording Electronic Voting System shall be designed to ensure that the proper ballot is selected for each polling place and for each ballot configuration and that the format can be matched to the software or firmware required to interpret it correctly. The system shall provide a means of programming each piece of equipment to reflect the ballot requirements of the election and shall include a means for validating the correctness of the program and of the program's installation in the equipment or in a programmable memory device. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |
(10 ILCS 5/24C‑8) Sec. 24C‑8. Preparation for Use; Comparison of Ballots; Operational Checks of Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems Equipment; Pollwatchers. The county clerk or board of election commissioners shall cause the approved Direct Recording Electronic Voting System equipment to be delivered to the polling places. Before the opening of the polls, all Direct Recording Voting System devices shall provide a printed record of the following, upon verification of the authenticity of the commands by a judge of election: the election's identification data, the equipment's unit identification, the ballot's format identification, the contents of each active candidate register by office and of each active public question register showing that they contain all zeros, all ballot fields that can be used to invoke special voting options, and other information needed to ensure the readiness of the equipment, and to accommodate administrative reporting requirements. The Direct Recording Electronic Voting System shall provide a means of opening the polling place and readying the equipment for the casting of ballots. Such means shall incorporate a security seal, a password, or a data code recognition capability to prevent inadvertent or unauthorized actuation of the poll‑opening function. If more than one step is required, it shall enforce their execution in the proper sequence. Pollwatchers as provided by law shall be permitted to closely observe the judges in these procedures and to periodically inspect the Direct Recording Electronic Voting System equipment when not in use by the voters. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |
(10 ILCS 5/24C‑10) Sec. 24C‑10. Recording of votes by Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems. Whenever a Direct Recording Electronic Voting System is used to automatically record and count the votes on ballots, the provisions of this Section shall apply. A voter shall cast a proper vote on a ballot by marking the designated area for the casting of a vote for any party or candidate or for or against any public question. For this purpose, a mark is an intentional selection of the designated area on the ballot by appropriate means and which is not otherwise an identifying mark. (Source: P.A. 93‑574, eff. 8‑21‑03.) |