Under Construction
Chapter 12 – The Central Counting Location
B. Who Are The People In the Central Counting Location?
1. Election Judges
From the time the election judges enter the polling place before the polls open until the ballots are canvased, packaged and transported out of the polling place after the polls close, the election judges have exclusive jurisdiction over the polling place.
The election judges are actual judges. Any lawful decision is final. Election judges are not under the supervision of the County Clerk or the local Board of Election. Election judges are under the supervision of the Circuit Court.
Election Judge Identification
The election judge will wear a badge or label, provided by the County Clerk. The date of the election will be printed on the badge or label.
If the election judge's name and precinct are not pre-printed on the badge or label, the election judge will write that information on the badge or label.
2. Election workers
Election workers are employed by the election authority to assist election judges within the polling place.
Election workers also work at the central counting location.
Election workers are not officers of the court. Election workers do not have the authority of election judges.
Election workers cannot direct peace officers within the polling place.
Election workers do not wear election judge badges or labels.
Election workers do not participate in votes on challenges.
Election workers are to be treated by the poll watcher with the same curtesy due to election judges.
3. Election Officers or Precinct Election Officials
Election judges, election workers, and any assistants assigned to a polling place.
5. Election Authorities & Election Officials
Election Authorities
The election authorities (i.e. the County Clerk or Board of Election Commissioners) perform essential election management functions such as securing the polling place, providing election materials, seeing that voting machines and tabulators are functioning correctly.
What the election authorities are not are the supervisors of the election judges. Election authorities cannot give election judges orders. Election judges are under the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court.
Election judges can ask the opinion of the County Clerk or the Board of Election Commissioners, but must weigh that opinion and make a decision on their own.
Election Officials
Election Officials may or may not be the same persons as the election authority, depending upon the structure set by the County Board.
Election Officials may maintain registration lists, nominating petitions, voter lists, election judge lists, etc.
7. Other Observers
Officials in performance of their official duties are allowed to enter and remain in the polling place.
Upon entering the polling place, such representatives shall display their official credentials or other identification to the judges of election.
- Those allowed in the polling place are:
- The election authority for that jurisdiction,
- The State Board of Elections,
- Law enforcement, in the performance of their official election duties, including but not limited to:
- Untied States Attorney
- a State's attorney
- the Attorney General
[Editor's note: We will assume both the US Attorney General and the Illinois State Attorney General, we will not quibble.] - State, county, or local police department
- Obervers 10 ILCS 5/24B-13
- Tally Judges 10 ILCS 5/1-3
- Computer operator 10 ILCS 5/24B-13
Where neither voting machines nor electronic, mechanical or electric voting systems are used, the county board may, for any precinct with respect to which the board considers such action necessary or desirable in view of the number of voters, and shall for general elections for any precinct containing more than 600 registered voters, appoint in addition to the 5 judges of election a team of 5 tally judges. In such precincts the judges of election shall preside over the election during the hours the polls are open, and the tally judges, with the assistance of the holdover judges designated pursuant to Section 13-6.2, shall count the vote after the closing of the polls. The tally judges shall possess the same qualifications and shall be appointed in the same manner and with the same division between political parties as is provided for judges of election.