Freedom to Vote in Illinois:Election Law Improves 2022 Voter Access

This text was adapted from a January 21, 2022 member bulletin  from Allyson E. Haut, Ph.D. President, League of Women Voters of Illinois.

Just a reminder that in June 2021, many changes were made to election law to make Illinois elections more fair and accessible, protecting the freedom to vote for all Illinois voters.

House Bill 1871 

• Allows election authorities to let a citizen who is temporarily or permanently disabled vote from their car on election day, monitored by two election judges.
• Provides funding for secure collection sites (drop boxes) for postage-free vote by mail ballots.
• Allows for the acceptance of vote by mail ballots that lack postage.

Senate Bill 825

• Declares Election Day, November 8, 2022 to be a state and school holiday.
• Allows voters to apply for permanent vote by mail status, eliminating the need to apply for a ballot every election. The election authority must notify qualified voters no less than 45 days before the election of the option for permanent vote by mail status.
• Requires each election authority to open a vote center on election day at either the election authority site or in their largest municipality; voters can use either the vote center or their precinct polling site to vote. (Expires 1/1/2023)
• Requires election authorities to implement cybersecurity measures, including biennial risk assessments and monthly vulnerability scans.
• Requires high schools to provide voter registration information to students. 
• Requires high schools to allow nonpartisan voter registration activities on site. 
• Allows sheriffs to establish temporary polling places in county jails so those who have not been convicted of a crime can vote based upon their residence address.
• Allows those who have been banned from running for office due to conviction for certain crimes to petition the governor for restoration of that right.
• Prevents a local government from requiring that a member of the General Assembly resign from office before running for a local office.