Chapter Seven — Election Day, While the Polls Are Open

Number of poll watchers per precinct
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 10 ILCS 5/17-23

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