Subject Index Election Law

Task force created to review eligibility standards for holding public office

March
2024
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Illinois General Assembly amended the Election Code. The amendment establishes the Task Force to Review Eligibility to Hold Public Office, which will review the criminal conduct that currently precludes an individual from holding public office in Illinois and make recommendations regarding what conduct should preclude such ineligibility.

Verification affidavits not required to be attached to a verified election contest petition or filed within 30-day filing period

February
2024
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
On Nov. 16, 2023, the Third District of the Illinois Appellate Court held there is no requirement for verification affidavits to be attached to a verified election contest petition or filed within the 30-day filing period under the Election Code.

Procedural requirements added for certain vacant elected county offices

May
2023
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
The Illinois General Assembly amended the Election Code, adding procedural requirements for certain vacant elected county offices.

Voter registration must be updated after name change to be a qualified candidate

October
2022
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
On Aug. 2, 2022, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that a candidate for Cook County sheriff was ineligible to run for office due to an invalid statement of candidacy and nomination papers.

Candidate must reside within district when filing nomination papers

September
2022
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
On June 24, 2022, the Second District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that where a county elects board members by district, candidates must reside in the district for which they are seeking office when they file nomination papers.

Accessible vote-by-mail system required for the 2022 general election for voters with print disabilities 

August
2022
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
The Illinois General Assembly amended the Election Code. The Illinois State Board of Elections must provide accessible, certified remote voting to voters with print disabilities for the Nov. 8, 2022, general election and all subsequent elections.

Former Chicago alderman’s use of campaign funds for personal legal fees was not a per se prohibited payment of personal debt

June
2022
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
On Mar. 24, 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court’s judgment and Illinois State Board of Election’s dismissal of an alderman’s complaint that his predecessor unlawfully paid personal legal fees from campaign funds.

Illinois General Assembly certifies 2021 redistricting

April
2022
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
The Illinois General Assembly enacted the Illinois Congressional Redistricting Act of 2021. It repeals the Congressional Reapportionment Act of 2001 to detail newly drawn districts for Illinois’ 17 congressional districts and lists the relevant voting precincts and blocks for each county respectively.

Election Code amended to improve voting conditions for persons with disabilities, allow voters to identify as nonbinary, and prohibit unidentified campaign contributions

February
2022
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
The Election Code is amended to create a task force to review current laws and make recommendations to improve access to voting for persons with disabilities.

Qualification for defendant to enter mayoral race restored by then-Gov. Rauner after a federal mail fraud conviction

November
2021
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
On Aug. 26, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed a First District Illinois Appellate Court decision holding the defendant was not qualified to run in a mayoral race after a federal mail fraud conviction.

Election laws expanded for voting by mail and at temporary polling locations

September
2021
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
The Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Election Code by changing and adding numerous sections in preparation for the 2022 election cycle.

Curbside voting and vote-by-mail procedures expanded

July
2021
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
The Illinois General Assembly amended the Election Code to provide for the allocation of funds toward maintaining security in the receipt of vote-by mail-ballots and delineating procedures for curbside voting.

The minimum signature requirement in section 10-3 of Election Code must be strictly followed

July
2021
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
On April 27, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court held that the statutorily required number of signatures in section 10-3 of the Election Code must be strictly followed.

Election holiday declared

September
2020
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
Public Act 101-0642 amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to include emergency provisions for the 2020 General Election in November.

Vote by mail certifications updated

September
2020
Illinois Law Update
, Page 18
Public Act 101-0641 is a contingent amendment to the Election Code. The amendment only comes into effect if Senate Bill 1863 of the 101st General Assembly becomes law in the form in which it passed the Illinois House of Representatives.

Political committee loans not repaid or forgiven must be reported as an asset held by the campaign

March
2020
Illinois Law Update
, Page 20
The State Board of Elections has adopted a new rule designed to more efficiently track loans made to candidates by political committees and to increase the transparency of financial-disclosure reporting by campaigns.

County jails and election authorities to facilitate voting for those in custody

February
2020
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
The Election Code is amended to require election authorities in counties with populations under three million to collaborate with the primary county jail to facilitate voting.

Election residency changes enfranchise long-term patients

January
2019
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
Election restrictions placed on those in healthcare facilities have been modified to be less onerous on those patients in long-term care.

Campaign contribution limits raised, ballot forfeiture loophole closed

September
2018
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
Pursuant to the Election Code's statutorily mandated increases for inflation, the State Board of Elections adopted amendments to Campaign Financing (26 Ill. Adm. Code 100 (effective June 19, 2018)) establishing new limits for political contributions.

Lottery system introduced for ballot ordering of last-minute candidate petitions

May
2016
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
The Board passed amendments to allow certification of last-minute candidate petitions for ballot placement. 26 Ill. Adm. Code 201 (eff. Jan. 25, 2016).

Election authority websites to post uncounted ballot information

May
2015
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
The Election Code has been amended to require election authority websites to post information regarding uncounted ballots.

Nominations for special elections of attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller, or treasurer

April
2015
Illinois Law Update
, Page 16
If a special election is required for the office of the Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, or Treasurer, the following procedures for making nominations and filling the vacancy must be followed.

Early voting at public universities

October
2013
Illinois Law Update
, Page 504
Election authorities must now conduct early public voting on campuses of public universities in "high traffic" locations in addition to conducting early voting at other locations required by law. 10 ILCS 5/1-12.

Law authorizes 17-year-olds to vote, online voter registration - but wait, there’s more

By Adam W. Lasker
September
2013
LawPulse
, Page 446
Amendments to Illinois election law also create a board of election commissioners for Lake County, require more petition signatures for a would-be Chicago alderman, and make other changes.

Voting age clarified. PA 098-0051

September
2013
Illinois Law Update
, Page 452
The Election Code has been amended to clarify the legal voting age. 10 ILCS 5/3-6.

Changes in election procedures due to religious observances authorized. PA 098-0004

August
2013
Illinois Law Update
, Page 392
Only for 2013, election authorities are being permitted to close early voting places on Good Sunday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday, provided that these voting places remain open an additional two hours on the days of April 3, 4, and 5 of 2013. (10 ILCS/f/19A-15).

New election law limits party switching. PA 097-0681

July
2012
Illinois Law Update
, Page 352
Illinois lawmakers have amended the Election Code to prohibit political candidates from switching parties during an election cycle (10 ILCS 5/7-43).

New anti-party switching law applies to independents

By Adam W. Lasker
June
2012
LawPulse
, Page 286
A new law forbids someone who took a partisan primary ballot from running as an independent in the general election – even those who pulled the ballot in the March primary, before the law was enacted.

No Election Code violation from partisan nominating papers and non-partisan statement of candidacy

May
2011
Illinois Law Update
, Page 228
On March 10, 2011, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, reversed a decision of the Circuit Court of Cook County, finding no violation of the Election Code when a candidate files partisan nominating papers and a non-partisan statement of candidacy.

Changes in Illinois Election Code

April
2011
Illinois Law Update
, Page 180
The State Board of Elections recently amended the Campaign Finance Act to implement the provisions of Public Act 96-0832.

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