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Article 4 - Registration Of Electors In Counties Having A Population Of Less Than 500,000

      (10 ILCS 5/Art. 4 heading)ARTICLE 4. REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS IN COUNTIES HAVING A POPULATION OF LESS THAN 500,000

(10 ILCS 5/4‑1) (from Ch. 46, par. 4‑1)     Sec. 4‑1. Except as provided in this Article 4, it is unlawful for any person residing in a county containing a population of less than 500,000, to vote at any election at which any officers are to be nominated or elected, or at any election at which any questions of public policy are to be voted on, unless such person is at the time of such election a registered voter under the provisions of this Article 4.     The provisions of this Article do not apply to electors voting in an election of any soil and water conservation district or drainage district or to electors residing in municipalities in this State which have adopted "An Act regulating the holding of elections and declaring the result thereof in cities, villages and incorporated towns in this State", approved June 19, 1885, as amended, or which have adopted Articles 6, 14 and 18 of this Act. This Article shall not apply to electors voting pursuant to Article 20 of this Act.     The provisions of this Article 4, so far as they require the registration of voters as a condition to their being allowed to vote shall not apply to persons otherwise entitled to vote who have made and subscribed to the affidavit provided in paragraph (b) of Section 17‑10 of this Act. (Source: P.A. 81‑1060.)

(10 ILCS 5/4‑2) (from Ch. 46, par. 4‑2)     Sec. 4‑2. No person shall be entitled to be registered in and from any precinct unless such person shall by the date of the election next following have resided in the State and within the precinct 30 days and be otherwise qualified to vote at such election. Every applicant who shall be 18 years of age or over on the day of the next election shall be permitted to register, if otherwise qualified.     To constitute residence under this Act, Article 3 is controlling. (Source: P.A. 81‑953.)

(10 ILCS 5/4‑3) (from Ch. 46, par. 4‑3)     Sec. 4‑3. The county board shall appoint the place of registry in each precinct for any precinct re‑registration of 1969 and 1970 under this Article 4 and for all precinct registrations. Such place or places shall be in the most public, orderly and convenient portions thereof; and no building or part of a building shall be designated or used as a place of registry, in which spirituous or intoxicating liquor is sold or which is used as political headquarters for any party, candidate or office holder. The county clerk may demand of the chief of police of each city, village or incorporated town, or the sheriff, to furnish officers of the law to attend during the progress of any registration at any place or places of registration designated by the county board. (Source: Laws 1968, p. 570.)

(10 ILCS 5/4‑4) (from Ch. 46, par. 4‑4)     Sec. 4‑4. The county clerk shall be ex officio the registration officer of such county and shall have full charge and control of the registration of voters within such county, where this Article 4 is in effect.     For the 3 days of any 1969 and 1970 re‑registration and for precinct registrations hereinafter provided, 2 of the judges of election, no more than one from the same political party, theretofore duly appointed and confirmed as such and acting in each precinct, shall be designated by the county clerk to constitute a board of registration for each precinct, respectively, and each of such judges of election so designated shall serve as a judge of registration therein.     In counties over 1,000,000 population town or road district clerks, city or village clerks, their duly authorized deputies approved by the county clerk, and employees of the office of the county clerk may be appointed by the county clerk as deputy registration officers.     Such clerks appointed as deputy registration officers may accept registration of voters at their offices at any time that such registrations may be accepted by the county clerk, but shall not accept such registrations at any other place. Such deputy registration officers shall return any registrations accepted by them to the county clerk within 7 days after any registration is accepted by them.     Registration officers, deputy registration officers and judges of registration shall be officers of the court and the provisions of the laws of this State as to vacancies, removal and control (except as hereinafter provided), and punishment in case of misbehavior of judges of election shall apply to such registration officials.     Each registration officer including officers and judges of registration shall before entering upon his duties take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation:     "I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of registration officer to the best of my ability, and that I will register no person nor cause the registration of any person except upon his personal application before me.                       .......................................                         (Signature of Registration Officer)"   This oath shall be administered by the county clerk, or by one of his deputies, or by any person qualified to take acknowledgments and shall immediately thereafter be filed with the county clerk, except that judges of registration may administer such oath or affirmation to each other and such oath of office and all affidavits which have been signed and sworn to before them shall be returned to the office of the county clerk in an envelope provided for that purpose.     No registration official for a precinct or other place of registration shall, without urgent necessity, absent himself from the place of registration or revision of registration upon any day of registration or revision of registration whereby less than the number of persons necessary to conduct the registration or revision of registration shall be present during such hours of registration or revision of registration. (Source: Laws 1968, p. 572.)

(10 ILCS 5/4‑5) (from Ch. 46, par. 4‑5)     Sec. 4‑5. The registration preceding the November, 1942, election shall constitute a permanent registration subject to revision and alteration in the manner hereinafter provided; and all registrations subsequent thereto shall be upon registration record cards provided by the county clerk. However, if the county board, by resolution adopted before October 15, 1969, determines that there shall be a re‑registration in the county before the June, 1970, primary as provided in this Article, such 1942 registration shall be a permanent registration only until such re‑registration as provided in Section 4‑‑5.01. (Source: Laws 1967, p. 2987.)

(10 ILCS 5/4‑5.01) (from Ch. 46, par. 4‑5.01)     Sec. 4‑5.01. Where the county board determines, as provided in Section 4‑5, that there shall be a re‑registration before the June, 1970, primary, there shall, subject to the provisions of Section 4‑6, be 3 days of re‑registration in each precinct. The first of such 3 days of re‑registration shall be Friday, November 21, 1969; the second, Friday, December 19, 1969; and the third, Tuesday, January 15, 1970. On each of the 3 days of re‑registration, the registration place or places shall open at 8:00 a.m. and remain open until 9:00 p.m.     Re‑registration provided by this Article 4 shall be conducted by the county clerk, shall be at the office of such clerk or in the precinct or in the offices of the respective deputy registration officers appointed by the county clerk as hereinabove in this Article provided, and shall be upon registration record cards in the manner provided by this Article. Such re‑registration shall constitute a permanent registration subject to revision and alteration in the manner hereinafter provided. All registrations shall be on registration record cards provided by the county clerk in accordance with the provisions of this Article 4.     Immediately following the last day of precinct re‑registration in 1970, all permanent registration records compiled before November 21, 1969, shall be destroyed if no election contest is pending in which such records are material. (Source: Laws 1967, p. 2987.)

(10 ILCS 5/4‑6) (from Ch. 46, par. 4‑6)     Sec. 4‑6. For the purpose of registering voters under this Article in addition to the method provided for precinct registration under Section 4‑7, the office of the county clerk shall be open every day, except Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Saturdays the hours of registration shall be from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, and such additional hours as the county clerk may designate. If, however, the county board otherwise duly regulates and fixes the hours of opening and closing of all county offices at the county seat of any county, such regulation shall control and supersede the hours herein specified. There shall be no registration at the office of the county clerk or at the office of municipal and township or road district clerks serving as deputy registrars during the 27 days preceding any regular or special election at which the cards provided in this Article are used, or until the 2nd day following such regular or special election; provided, that if by reason of the proximity of any such elections to one another the effect of this provision would be to close registrations for all or any part of the 10 days immediately prior to such 27 day period, the county clerk shall accept, solely for use in the subsequent and not in any intervening election, registrations and transfers of registration within the period from the 27th to the 38th days, both inclusive, prior to such subsequent election. In any election called for the submission of the revision or alteration of, or the amendments to the Constitution, submitted by a Constitutional Convention, the final day for registration at the office of the election authority charged with the printing of the ballot of this election shall be the 15th day prior to the date of election.     Any qualified person residing within the county or any portion thereof subject to this Article may register or re‑register with the county clerk.     Each county clerk shall appoint one or more registration or re‑registration teams for the purpose of accepting the registration or re‑registration of any voter who files an affidavit that he is physically unable to appear at any appointed place of registration or re‑registration. Each team shall consist of one member of each political party having the highest and second highest number of registered voters in the county. The county clerk shall designate a team to visit each disabled person and shall accept the registration or re‑registration of each such person as if he had applied for registration or re‑registration at the office of the county clerk.     As used in this Article, "deputy registrars" and "registration officers" mean any person authorized to accept registrations of electors under this Article. (Source: P.A. 92‑816, eff. 8‑21‑02.)

(10 ILCS 5/4‑6.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 4‑6.1)     Sec. 4‑6.1. In addition to registration at the office of the county clerk, and at the offices of municipal and township or road district clerks, each county clerk shall provide for the following additional methods of registration:         (1) the appointment of deputy registrars as provided

in Section 4‑6.2; and

(2) the establishment of temporary places of

registration, as provided in Section 4‑6.3.

Each county clerk may provide for precinct registration pursuant to Section 4‑7. (Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

    (10 ILCS 5/4‑6.2)(from Ch. 46, par. 4‑6.2)
    Sec. 4‑6.2. (a) The county clerk shall appoint all municipal and township or road district clerks or their duly authorized deputies as deputy registrars who may accept the registration of all qualified residents of the State.
    The county clerk shall appoint all precinct committeepersons in the county as deputy registrars who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the State, except during the 27 days preceding an election.
    The election authority shall appoint as deputy registrars a reasonable number of employees of the Secretary of State located at driver's license examination stations and designated to the election authority by the Secretary of State who may accept the registration of any qualified residents of the State at any such driver's license examination stations. The appointment of employees of the Secretary of State as deputy registrars shall be made in the manner provided in Section 2‑105 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.
    The county clerk shall appoint each of the following named persons as deputy registrars upon the written request of such persons:
        1. The chief librarian, or a qualified person

designated by the chief librarian, of any public library situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State, at such library.

2. The principal, or a qualified person designated

by the principal, of any high school, elementary school, or vocational school situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State, at such school. The county clerk shall notify every principal and vice‑principal of each high school, elementary school, and vocational school situated within the election jurisdiction of their eligibility to serve as deputy registrars and offer training courses for service as deputy registrars at conveniently located facilities at least 4 months prior to every election.

3. The president, or a qualified person designated

by the president, of any university, college, community college, academy or other institution of learning situated within the election jurisdiction, who may accept the registrations of any resident of the State, at such university, college, community college, academy or institution.

4. A duly elected or appointed official of a bona

fide labor organization, or a reasonable number of qualified members designated by such official, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State.

5. A duly elected or appointed official of a

bonafide State civic organization, as defined and determined by rule of the State Board of Elections, or qualified members designated by such official, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the State. In determining the number of deputy registrars that shall be appointed, the county clerk shall consider the population of the jurisdiction, the size of the organization, the geographic size of the jurisdiction, convenience for the public, the existing number of deputy registrars in the jurisdiction and their location, the registration activities of the organization and the need to appoint deputy registrars to assist and facilitate the registration of non‑English speaking individuals. In no event shall a county clerk fix an arbitrary number applicable to every civic organization requesting appointment of its members as deputy registrars. The State Board of Elections shall by rule provide for certification of bonafide State civic organizations. Such appointments shall be made for a period not to exceed 2 years, terminating on the first business day of the month following the month of the general election, and shall be valid for all periods of voter registration as provided by this Code during the terms of such appointments.

6. The Director of Healthcare and Family Services,

or a reasonable number of employees designated by the Director and located at public aid offices, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the county at any such public aid office.

7. The Director of the Illinois Department of

Employment Security, or a reasonable number of employees designated by the Director and located at unemployment offices, who may accept the registration of any qualified resident of the county at any such unemployment office.

8. The president of any corporation as defined by

the Business Corporation Act of 1983, or a reasonable number of employees designated by such president, who may accept the registrations of any qualified resident of the State.

If the request to be appointed as deputy registrar is denied, the county clerk shall, within 10 days after the date the request is submitted, provide the affected individual or organization with written notice setting forth the specific reasons or criteria relied upon to deny the request to be appointed as deputy registrar.     The county clerk may appoint as many additional deputy registrars as he considers necessary. The county clerk shall appoint such additional deputy registrars in such manner that the convenience of the public is served, giving due consideration to both population concentration and area. Some of the additional deputy registrars shall be selected so that there are an equal number from each of the 2 major political parties in the election jurisdiction. The county clerk, in appointing an additional deputy registrar, shall make the appointment from a list of applicants submitted by the Chairman of the County Central Committee of the applicant's political party. A Chairman of a County Central Committee shall submit a list of applicants to the county clerk by November 30 of each year. The county clerk may require a Chairman of a County Central Committee to furnish a supplemental list of applicants.     Deputy registrars may accept registrations at any time other than the 27 day period preceding an election. All persons appointed as deputy registrars shall be registered voters within the county and shall take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation:     "I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of deputy registrar to the best of my ability and that I will register no person nor cause the registration of any person except upon his personal application before me. ............................ (Signature Deputy Registrar)"     This oath shall be administered by the county clerk, or by one of his deputies, or by any person qualified to take acknowledgement of deeds and shall immediately thereafter be filed with the county clerk.     Appointments of deputy registrars under this Section, except precinct committeemen, shall be for 2‑year terms, commencing on December 1 following the general election of each even‑numbered year; except that the terms of the initial appointments shall be until December 1st following the next general election. Appointments of precinct committeemen shall be for 2‑year terms commencing on the date of the county convention following the general primary at which they were elected. The county clerk shall issue a certificate of appointment to each deputy registrar, and shall maintain in his office for public inspection a list of the names of all appointees.     (b) The county clerk shall be responsible for training all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a), at times and locations reasonably convenient for both the county clerk and such appointees. The county clerk shall be responsible for certifying and supervising all deputy registrars appointed pursuant to subsection (a). Deputy registrars appointed under subsection (a) shall be subject to removal for cause.     (c) Completed registration materials under the control of deputy registrars, appointed pursuant to subsection (a), shall be returned to the appointing election authority within 7 days, except that completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars during the period between the 35th and 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars to the appointing election authority within 48 hours after receipt thereof. The completed registration materials received by the deputy registrars on the 28th day preceding an election shall be returned by the deputy registrars within 24 hours after receipt thereof. Unused materials shall be returned by deputy registrars appointed pursuant to paragraph 4 of subsection (a), not later than the next working day following the close of registration.     (d) The county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, must provide any additional forms requested by any deputy registrar regardless of the number of unaccounted registration forms the deputy registrar may have in his or her possession.     (e) No deputy registrar shall engage in any electioneering or the promotion of any cause during the performance of his or her duties.     (f) The county clerk shall not be criminally or civilly liable for the acts or omissions of any deputy registrar. Such deputy registrars shall not be deemed to be employees of the county clerk.     (g) Completed registration materials returned by deputy registrars for persons residing outside the county shall be transmitted by the county clerk within 2 days after receipt to the election authority of the person's election jurisdiction of residence. (Source: P.A. 94‑645, eff. 8‑22‑05; 95‑331, eff. 8‑21‑07.)

    (10 ILCS 5/4‑6.3)(from Ch. 46, par. 4‑6.3)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 96‑339)
    Sec. 4‑6.3. The county clerk may establish a temporary place of registration for such times and at such locations within the county as the county clerk may select. However, no temporary place of registration may be in operation during the 27 days preceding an election. Notice of the time and place of registration under this Section shall be published by the county clerk in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county not less than 3 nor more than 15 days before the holding of such registration.
    Temporary places of registration shall be established so that the areas of concentration of population or use by the public are served, whether by facilities provided in places of private business or in public buildings or in mobile units. Areas which may be designated as temporary places of registration include, but are not limited to, facilities licensed or certified pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act, Soldiers' and Sailors' Homes, shopping centers, business districts, public buildings and county fairs.
    Temporary places of registration shall be available to the public not less than 2 hours per year for each 1,000 population or fraction thereof in the county.
    All temporary places of registration shall be manned by deputy county clerks or deputy registrars appointed pursuant to Section 4‑6.2.
(Source: P.A. 92‑816, eff. 8‑21‑02.)
 
    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 96‑339)
    Sec. 4‑6.3. The county clerk may establish a temporary place of registration for such times and at such locations within the county as the county clerk may select. However, no temporary place of registration may be in operation during the 27 days preceding an election. Notice of the time and place of registration under this Section shall be published by the county clerk in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county not less than 3 nor more than 15 days before the holding of such registration.
    Temporary places of registration shall be established so that the areas of concentration of population or use by the public are served, whether by facilities provided in places of private business or in public buildings or in mobile units. Areas which may be designated as temporary places of registration include, but are not limited to, facilities licensed or certified pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act or the MR/DD Community Care Act, Soldiers' and Sailors' Homes, shopping centers, business districts, public buildings and county fairs.
    Temporary places of registration shall be available to the public not less than 2 hours per year for each 1,000 population or fraction thereof in the county.
    All temporary places of registration shall be manned by deputy county clerks or deputy registrars appointed pursuant to Section 4‑6.2.
(Source: P.A. 96‑339, eff. 7‑1‑10.)

(10 ILCS 5/4‑7) (from Ch. 46, par. 4‑7)     Sec. 4‑7. In counties having a re‑registration in 1969 and 1970, there shall be 3 days of precinct re‑registration in each precinct. The first of such 3 days shall be Friday, November 21, 1969; the second, Friday, December 19, 1969; and the third, Tuesday, January 15, 1970. In all counties over 1,000,000 population, or in counties under 1,000,000 population if the county clerk determines to have precinct registration in the county pursuant to Section 4‑6.1 there shall be one day of precinct registration preceding each regular election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even numbered years, on Saturday preceding the Tuesday 6 weeks preceding the election. The county board shall have authority to designate 2 days of registration in each precinct, in which event the second day of precinct registration shall be 29 days before such election. On each day of registration, the registration places shall be opened at noon and remain open until 9:00 P.M. The provisions of Section 4‑3 of this Article shall apply to the selection of places of registration or re‑registration under this Section.     At least 20 days prior to a precinct registration or re‑registration, the county clerk shall publish a notice of registration or re‑registration, giving the dates, hours and places of registration or re‑registration, in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county, if there is one, or otherwise in a newspaper of general circulation in such county.     The election authorities shall issue credentials to registration day pollwatchers in the manner and on the terms prescribed in Section 17‑23 with respect to pollwatchers at elections. Registration day pollwatchers shall be allowed to see the names and addresses of the people who have registered during the course of the day.     No person shall, at any precinct registration or reregistration, do any electioneering or soliciting of votes or engage in any political discussion within any precinct registration place or within 30 feet thereof. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit any candidate from being present in or near any precinct registration place. All persons who register to vote at any precinct registration place must be residents of the precinct in which they register. (Source: P.A. 81‑1535.)

    (10 ILCS 5/4‑8)(from Ch. 46, par. 4‑8)
    Sec. 4‑8. The county clerk shall provide a sufficient number of blank forms for the registration of electors, which shall be known as registration record cards and which shall consist of loose leaf sheets or cards, of suitable size to contain in plain writing and figures the data hereinafter required thereon or shall consist of computer cards of suitable nature to contain the data required thereon. The registration record cards, which shall include an affidavit of registration as hereinafter provided, shall be executed in duplicate.
    The registration record card shall contain the following and such other information as the county clerk may think it proper to require for the identification of the applicant for registration:
    Name. The name of the applicant, giving surname and first or Christian name in full, and the middle name or the initial for such middle name, if any.
    Sex.
    Residence. The name and number of the street, avenue, or other location of the dwelling, including the apartment, unit or room number, if any, and in the case of a mobile home the lot number, and such additional clear and definite description as may be necessary to determine the exact location of the dwelling of the applicant. Where the location cannot be determined by street and number, then the section, congressional township and range number may be used, or such other description as may be necessary, including post‑office mailing address. In the case of a homeless individual, the individual's voting residence that is his or her mailing address shall be included on his or her registration record card.
    Term of residence in the State of Illinois and precinct. This information shall be furnished by the applicant stating the place or places where he resided and the dates during which he resided in such place or places during the year next preceding the date of the next ensuing election.
    Nativity. The state or country in which the applicant was born.
    Citizenship. Whether the applicant is native born or naturalized. If naturalized, the court, place, and date of naturalization.
    Date of application for registration, i.e., the day, month and year when applicant presented himself for registration.
    Age. Date of birth, by month, day and year.
    Physical disability of the applicant, if any, at the time of registration, which would require assistance in voting.
    The county and state in which the applicant was last registered.
    Signature of voter. The applicant, after the registration and in the presence of a deputy registrar or other officer of registration shall be required to sign his or her name in ink to the affidavit on both the original and duplicate registration record cards.
    Signature of deputy registrar or officer of registration.
    In case applicant is unable to sign his name, he may affix his mark to the affidavit. In such case the officer empowered to give the registration oath shall write a detailed description of the applicant in the space provided on the back or at the bottom of the card or sheet; and shall ask the following questions and record the answers thereto:
    Father's first name.
    Mother's first name.
    From what address did the applicant last register?
    Reason for inability to sign name.
    Each applicant for registration shall make an affidavit in substantially the following form: AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION STATE OF ILLINOIS
COUNTY OF .......
    I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States; that on the date of the next election I shall have resided in the State of Illinois and in the election precinct in which I reside 30 days and that I intend that this location shall be my residence; that I am fully qualified to vote, and that the above statements are true. .............................. (His or her signature or mark)     Subscribed and sworn to before me on (insert date).
..................................
Signature of registration officer.
(To be signed in presence of registrant.)
 
    Space shall be provided upon the face of each registration record card for the notation of the voting record of the person registered thereon.
    Each registration record card shall be numbered according to precincts, and may be serially or otherwise marked for identification in such manner as the county clerk may determine.
    The registration cards shall be deemed public records and shall be open to inspection during regular business hours, except during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. On written request of any candidate or objector or any person intending to object to a petition, the election authority shall extend its hours for inspection of registration cards and other records of the election authority during the period beginning with the filing of petitions under Sections 7‑10, 8‑8, 10‑6 or 28‑3 and continuing through the termination of electoral board hearings on any objections to petitions containing signatures of registered voters in the jurisdiction of the election authority. The extension shall be for a period of hours sufficient to allow adequate opportunity for examination of the records but the election authority is not required to extend its hours beyond the period beginning at its normal opening for business and ending at midnight. If the business hours are so extended, the election authority shall post a public notice of such extended hours. Registration record cards may also be inspected, upon approval of the officer in charge of the cards, during the 27 days immediately preceding any election. Registration record cards shall also be open to inspection by certified judges and poll watchers and challengers at the polling place on election day, but only to the extent necessary to determine the question of the right of a person to vote or to serve as a judge of election. At no time shall poll watchers or challengers be allowed to physically handle the registration record cards.
    Updated copies of computer tapes or computer discs or other electronic data processing information containing voter registration information shall be furnished by the county clerk within 10 days after December 15 and May 15 each year and within 10 days after each registration period is closed to the State Board of Elections in a form prescribed by the Board. For the purposes of this Section, a registration period is closed 27 days before the date of any regular or special election. Registration information shall include, but not be limited to, the following information: name, sex, residence, telephone number, if any, age, party affiliation, if applicable, precinct, ward, township, county, and representative, legislative and congressional districts. In the event of noncompliance, the State Board of Elections is directed to obtain compliance forthwith with this nondiscretionary duty of the election authority by instituting legal proceedings in the circuit court of the county in which the election authority maintains the registration information. The costs of furnishing updated copies of tapes or discs shall be paid at a rate of $.

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