Chapter 6. Election Day, Before the Polls Open

6.A. Entering the Polling Place

6.A.1. Arriving Late

Don't.

Election Judges have a significant amount of work to complete before the polls open. Arriving late and requiring them to stop their work to unlock the door for a poll watcher is inappropriate.

Election Judges are required to admit a poll watcher into the Polling Place; however, they are not required to interrupt their duties to do so immediately.

BUT the Election Judges must allow the poll watcher into the Polling Place in time to observe the examination of the ballot box/tabulator and voting machines.

If the Election Judges claim that the examination of the ballot box/tabulator has already been completed (and the polls have not yet opened, meaning no votes have been cast), the poll watcher may request that the Election Judge conduct the examination again in the poll watcher's presence.

Once the polls open, the ballot box/tabulator may no longer be examined. For this reason, it is essential that the poll watcher arrive on time.

blue thumb Rule of Thumb.

If the poll watcher is locked out, contact the Poll Watcher Team.

Relevant Illinois State Law

Before voting begins, the ballot box shall be emptied and shall be opened and shown to those present to be empty, after which it shall be locked and the key delivered to one of the primary judges, and such ballot box shall not be removed from public view from the time it is shown to be empty until after the close of the polls.

10 ILCS 5/7-40(a)
Primaries.

Before voting begins, the ballot box shall be publicly opened and exhibited, and the judges shall see that no ballot is in such box; after which the box shall be locked and the key delivered to one of the judges, and shall not be again opened until the close of the polls.

10 ILCS 5/17-3(a)
General, special,
and consolidated elections.

Before voting begins in such municipalities the ballot box shall be empty; and shall be opened and shown to those present to be empty, after which it shall be locked and the key delivered to one of the judges, and it shall not be removed from public view from the time when it is shown to be empty until after the close of the polls. It shall remain locked and shall not be again opened until after the close of the polls.

5/18-3(a)
Municipal elections

On the morning of the election the precinct election officials shall meet in the polling place at least one hour before the time for opening the polls.

10 ILCS 5/24-13

Pollwatchers as provided by law shall be permitted to carefully check the voting machine and its protective devices, and ballot labels and registering counters, before the polls may be declared open on election morning, and they shall be permitted to remain in the polling place at all times throughout the conduct of the election if desired, and after the close of the polls, to be present and check the protective devices and registering counters of each voting machine, and the official return sheets thereof.

10 ILCS 5/24-8

Pollwatchers as provided by law shall be permitted to closely observe the judges in these procedures and to periodically inspect the equipment when not in use by the voters to see that the ballot labels are in proper position and have not been marked upon or mutilated.

10 ILCS 5/24A-8

Pollwatchers as provided by law shall be permitted to closely observe the judges in these procedures and to periodically inspect the Precinct Tabulation Optical Scan Technology equipment when not in use by the voters.

10 ILCS 5/24B-8

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.

10 ILCS 5/24C-8

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