Chapter 5 — In-Person, In-Precinct Voting.

1. Printing the Tabulator Tape.

If your precinct uses a tabulator, after the polls close and last voter has deposited their ballot, the Election Judge will place the tabulator in the closed-vote status, [procedures vary according to tabulator and local procedures].

IMMEDIATELY after the polls close request a copy of the tabulator print-out in a loud and clear voice and then wait for an acknowledgment from an Election Judge.

A copy of the tabulator tape should be made available to all poll watchers and other observers who remain in the polling place after the polls close. Ask because some Election Judges forget to run the extra copies.

Next, the Election Judge will print out the tabulator tape with the vote total.

What if the Election Judge Refuses To Give the Poll Watcher a Copy of the Tape?

Inform the Election Judges (who have been there since 5:00 a.m.) that Illinois state law [10 ILCS 5/10.1 ¶7] allows you a copy of the tape.

If you have to copy the tape by hand, everyone will be there until well after midnight.

What the Poll Watcher Is Looking For.

The poll watcher can receive a copy of the tabulator tape after the polls close on Election Day.

For early voting or Grace Period voting the poll watcher does not receive a copy of the tabulator tape. The tabulator tape remains election material until the polls close on Election Day, and cannot be touched by the poll watcher or any other observer.

For more information see Chapter 6C, After the Polls Close, The Last Day of Early Voting. opens in a new browser tab.

2. Witness the Signing of the Tabulator Tape.

All Election Judges will sign the bottom of the tabulator tape.*

* "All Election Judges" may mean all Election Judges present or it may mean all Election Judges representing a single precinct. That decision is according to local procedure and cannot be challenged by a poll watcher or other observer.

The smallest number of Election Judges to sign the tabulator tape are all the Election Judges for the precinct represented on the tabulator tape. If fewer than all Election Judges for a precinct sign the tabulator tape, then that tabulator tape can be challenged by a poll watcher or observer.

What the Poll Watcher Is Looking For.

The Election Judges should check that all three vote totals match:

• 1. The tabulator tape.
• 2. The ballot applications.
• 3. The voter count from the online voter database.

If there are discrepancies in the numbers, the discrepancies will be acknowledged in the canvass of ballots.

One signed tabulator tape per precinct is displayed publicly at the polling place the other signed tabulator tape is delivered to the election authority.

Tabulator tapes given to poll watchers or other observers are not required to be signed.

3. Witness the Canvassing of the Ballots.

Keep in mind that a poll watcher cannot touch any election records. If the Election Judges count the ballots, try to remain at least an arm's length away from the ballots and all other election records.

Witness the opening of the ballot box and the count of the ballots.

Before the ballots and election records are secured, ask for the final count of provisional ballots, spoiled ballots, and surrendered vote by mail ballots (which should be included in the spoiled ballot count).

Witness the securing of the ballots and of all election records.

Witness that two Election Judges of different parties will deliver the ballots and election records to the county clerk's office or board of election office for storage until Election Day.

Ask for a copy of the output of the tabulator, if you haven't already received the tabulator tape.