Chapter Seven — Election Day, While the Polls Are Open

Number of poll watchers per precinct
blank Primary Election Day
per Party 1 2
per Candidate 1 2
per Local
Civic Organization
1 1
per State
Civic Organization
1
Total of 2 organizations
1
Total of 2 organizations
per Ballot Proposition
Proponent & Opponent Groups
1 1
Statute 10 ILCS 5/7-34, this link opens in a new browser tab. 10 ILCS 5/17-23, this link opens in a new browser tab.

While this guide is being updated for the search feature and accessibility; pages marked with "🚧" are still under construction.

  1. Poll Watcher Entering the Polling Place While the Polls Are Open, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  2. Checking the Markers of the Campaign Free Zone & the Public Forum, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  3. People Allowed In the Polling Place, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  4. Voters and Registrants In Line To Vote, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. Electioneering While In Line, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. Request for Identification , this link opens in a new browser tab.
      1. Outside the Polling Room, this link opens in a new browser tab.
      2. At the Ballot Application Station, this link opens in a new browser tab.
        1. To Register to Vote, this link opens in a new browser tab.
        2. To Apply for a Ballot, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  5. Ballot Application, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. The Voter States Their Name & Address, this link opens in a new browser tab.
      1. What If the Voter Voluntarily Provides Their ID?, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. 🚧If the Voter Is Asked for Additional ID, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    3. 🚧When Voter's Name Cannot Be Found In the E-Poll Book, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    4. If the Voter Is Asked for Their Social Security Number When Applying for A Ballot, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    5. 🚧Comparing Signatures, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    6. 🚧Election Judge Initialing the Ballot Application, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    7. 🚧Election Judge Numbering and Spindling the Ballot Application, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  6. 🚧Vote by Mail Ballots in the Polling Place, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. 🚧Presenting a Vote by Mail Ballot, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. 🚧Canceling a Vote by Mail Ballot To Vote In Person, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    3. 🚧Presenting a Damaged Vote by Mail Ballot for a Replacement Ballot, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    4. 🚧Voter Claims They Never Received A Vote by Mail Ballot, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  7. 🚧Voting a Provisional Ballot, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  8. 🚧Voter Receives A Paper Ballot, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. 🚧Election Judge Initials Paper Ballots, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. 🚧Election Judge Instructions On Voting A Paper Ballot, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    3. 🚧Election Judge Instructions On Electronic Voting System Marking Device, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  9. 🚧Voting On A Voting Machine, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. 🚧Election Judge Issues A Voting Machine Voter Card, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. 🚧Election Judge Instruction To Voters Regarding Paper Ballot Printed From The Voting Machine, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    3. 🚧Election Judge Initials Printed Paper Ballot, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  10. 🚧Instructions to Voters, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. 🚧Poll Watcher Observing Election Judge's Instructions, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. 🚧Poll Watcher Instructions to Voters, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    3. 🚧Sample Ballots, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  11. Waiting To Vote Within the Polling Room, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. Waiting for an Open Voting Booth, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. Waiting for an Open Voting Machine, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  12. 🚧Poll Watcher Access To the Voting Booth Area While the Polls Are Open, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. 🚧Checking the Voting Booths While the Polls Are Open, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  13. 🚧 Voting On A Voting Machine, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. 🚧Poll Watcher Instructions to Voters, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. 🚧Checking the Voting Machine, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  14. 🚧S, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  15. 🚧Casting A Vote, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. 🚧Election Judge Instructions On Ballot Box/Tabulator, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. 🚧Poll Watcher Assisting A Voter in Casting a Vote, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  16. 🚧Poll Watcher Access To the Ballot Box/Tabulator Area While the Polls Are Open, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. 🚧Tabulator Error Messages, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. 🚧Checking the Ballot Box/Tabulator, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    3. 🚧Vote Count = Total of Ballot Applications = Total of Voters from the E-Poll Book, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  17. 🚧What A Poll Watcher Is Watching For, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    1. 🚧People Wandering Into the Polling Room, this link opens in a new browser tab.
    2. 🚧Voters, In the Voting Booth, Discussing Their Vote, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  18. 🚧Declaring the Upcoming Closure Of The Polls, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  19. 🚧People In Line to Vote Or To Register To Vote When The Polls Close, this link opens in a new browser tab.
  20. 🚧Closing the Polls, this link opens in a new browser tab.
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While this guide is being updated, pages marked with "🚧" are still under construction.