Chapter 7. Election Day, While the Polls Are Open

7.F. Vote by Mail Ballots in the Polling Place

7.F.1. Jurisdictions That Accept Vote By Mail Ballots In the Polling Place

When an Election Authority accepts Vote by Mail ballots at the Polling Place, the poll watcher should observe the following:

  1. The security envelope is sealed.
  2. The security envelope is signed by the voter.
  3. If the Vote by Mail ballot is delivered by someone other than the voter, the Authorized Delivery Agent section of the security envelope is completed and signed.
  4. The Vote by Mail ballot in its sealed security envelope is immediately placed in a locked container.
    Note: The key to the locked container is not kept in the Polling Place but is retained by the Election Authority.
  5. After the polls close, the locked container of Vote by Mail ballots is delivered to the Election Authority.
    Note: During Early Voting and at other multi-day Temporary Branch Polling Places, the locked container of Vote by Mail ballots is collected daily by the Election Authority after the polls close.
blue thumb  Rule of Thumb

Once accepted, a Vote by Mail ballot should move directly from the voter into the locked collection container. The ballots should never be left unattended or set aside.

Relevant Illinois State Law

Such vote by mail voter shall make and subscribe to the certifications provided for in the application and on the return envelope for the ballot, and such ballot or ballots shall be folded by such voter in the manner required to be folded before depositing the same in the ballot box, and be deposited in such envelope and the envelope securely sealed. The voter shall then endorse his certificate upon the back of the envelope and the envelope shall be mailed in person by such voter, postage prepaid, to the election authority issuing the ballot or, if more convenient, it may be delivered in person, by either the voter or by any person authorized by the voter, or by a company licensed as a motor carrier of property by the Illinois Commerce Commission under the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law, which is engaged in the business of making deliveries.

10 ILCS 5/19-6

Election authorities may maintain one or more secure collection sites for the postage-free return of vote by mail ballots. Any election authority with collection sites shall collect all ballots returned each day and process them as required by this Code, including noting the day on which the ballot was collected.

Ballots returned to such collection sites after close of business shall be dated as delivered the next day, with the exception of ballots delivered on election day, which shall be dated as received on election day.

Election authorities shall permit electors to return vote by mail ballots at any collection site it has established through the close of polls on election day.

All collection sites shall be secured by locks that maybe opened only by election authority personnel.

The State Board of Elections shall establish additional guidelines for the security of collection sites.

10 ILCS 5/19-6

If the voter authorized a person to deliver the ballot to the election authority, the voter and the person authorized to deliver the ballot shall complete the authorization printed on the exterior envelope supplied by an election authority for the return of the vote by mail ballot. The exterior of the envelope supplied by an election authority for the return of the vote by mail ballot shall include an authorization...

10 ILCS 5/19-6

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