SB 2123 (Sen. Morrison/Rep. Stuart) was approved by both chambers prior to the conclusion of the spring legislative session. The bill includes, but is not limited to, the following provisions:
- Establishes a Ranked-Choice and Voting Systems Task Force.
- Creates the Security of Remote Vote by Mail Task Force to study the feasibility of implementing a remote vote by mail system.
- Delays the date by which the General Assembly must draw districts for the newly elected Chicago School Board from July 1, 2023, to on or before April 1, 2024.
- Extends the Voting for Individuals with Disabilities Task Force
- Permits 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote.
- Directs election jurisdictions to have one election day voting center; jurisdictions with 500,000 or more voters must provide at least two election day voting centers.
- Increases the fees for discovery recount and requires challengers to election results to pay a security deposit.
- Prevents lame duck mayors from appointing members to the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Board.
- Declares that in 2024, the general election day is a school holiday
- Ensures that, in consolidated elections, the county clerk is notified of objections to petitions.
- Alters the permanent vote-by-mail option and notification
- Requires ballots use capital and lower-case letters.
- Mandates that constitutional amendments be printed at the top of ballots, and if newspapers publish the amendment in print editions, they must also include it on their website content.
- Eliminates a requirement that an organization disclose its sponsoring entities.
- Simplifies vote by mail attestation.
- Permits flexibility for County convention dates.
- Alters the election process of park district commissioners per their request.
- Extends the Judicial Elections Task Force.
- Makes changes to the jurisdiction of petition challenges for state senate candidates in Cook County and the city of Chicago.
The Governor will next consider the legislation. ISACo did not take a position on the bill.