Article 3 - Qualification Of Voters


      (10 ILCS 5/Art. 3 heading)
ARTICLE 3. QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS

    (10 ILCS 5/3‑1) (from Ch. 46, par. 3‑1)
    Sec. 3‑1. Every person (i) who has resided in this State and in the election district 30 days next preceding any election therein, or (ii) who has resided in and is registered to vote from the election district 30 days next preceding any election therein and has moved to another election district in this State within said 30 days and has made and subscribed to the affidavit provided in paragraph (b) of Section 17‑10 of this Act, or (iii) who has resided in and is registered to vote from the election district 30 days next preceding any election therein and has not moved to another residence but whose address has changed as a result of implementation of a 9‑1‑1 emergency telephone system and has made and subscribed to the affidavit provided in subsection (a) of Section 17‑10, and who is a citizen of the United States, of the age of 18 or more years is entitled to vote at such election for all offices and on all propositions. Any military establishment within the boundaries of Illinois is "in this State" even though the government of the United States may have exclusive jurisdiction over such establishment.
(Source: P.A. 90‑664, eff. 7‑30‑98.)

    (10 ILCS 5/3‑1.2) (from Ch. 46, par. 3‑1.2)
    Sec. 3‑1.2. Eligibility to sign petition. For the purpose of determining eligibility to sign a nominating petition or a petition proposing a public question the terms "voter", "registered voter", "qualified voter", "legal voter", "elector", "qualified elector", "primary elector" and "qualified primary elector" as used in this Code or in another Statute shall mean a person who is registered to vote at the address shown opposite his signature on the petition or was registered to vote at such address when he signed the petition. Any person, otherwise qualified under this Section, who has not moved to another residence but whose address has changed as a result of implementation of a 9‑1‑1 emergency telephone system shall be considered a "voter", "registered voter", "qualified voter", "legal voter", "elector", "qualified elector", "primary elector", and "qualified primary elector".
(Source: P.A. 91‑57, eff. 6‑30‑99; 92‑129, eff. 7‑20‑01.)

    (10 ILCS 5/3‑1.3) (from Ch. 46, par. 3‑1.3)
    Sec. 3‑1.3. Whenever this Code or another Statute requires that a nominating petition or a petition proposing a public question shall be signed by a specified percentage of the registered voters of the State, a political subdivision or district or precinct or combination of precincts, the total number of voters to which the percentage is applied shall be the number of voters who are registered in the State, political subdivision or district or precinct or combination of precincts, as the case may be, on the date registration closed before the regular election next preceding the last day on which such petition may be filed in accordance with the general election law. This Section does not apply to the determination of the number of signatures required on a petition filed pursuant to Article IX of The Liquor Control Act of 1934.
(Source: P.A. 84‑1467.)

    (10 ILCS 5/3‑2) (from Ch. 46, par. 3‑2)
    Sec. 3‑2. (a) A permanent abode is necessary to constitute a residence within the meaning of Section 3‑1. No elector or spouse shall be deemed to have lost his or her residence in any precinct or election district in this State by reason of his or her absence on business of the United States, or of this State. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prevent homeless individuals from registering to vote under the provisions of this Act.
    (b) A homeless individual must have a mailing address in order to be eligible to register to vote. For purposes of this Act, a mailing address shall constitute a homeless individual's residence for voting purposes. A mailing address of a homeless individual may include, but is not limited to, a shelter, a day shelter, or a private residence.
    Election authorities may by reasonable rules limit the place where voter registration of homeless individuals may be taken and the class of deputy registrars who may take the voter registration of homeless individuals.
    (c) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to confer upon homeless individuals any additional privileges or benefits other than the right to register to vote and to be qualified to vote in an election under Articles 4, 5, and 6 of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 87‑1241.)

    (10 ILCS 5/3‑3)(from Ch. 46, par. 3‑3)
    Sec. 3‑3. Every honorably discharged soldier or sailor who is an inmate of any soldiers' and sailors' home within the State of Illinois, any person who is a resident of a facility licensed or certified pursuant to the Nursing Home Care Act or the MR/DD Community Care Act, or any person who is a resident of a community‑integrated living arrangement, as defined in Section 3 of the Community‑Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act, for 30 days or longer, and who is a citizen of the United States and has resided in this State and in the election district 30 days next preceding any election shall be entitled to vote in the election district in which any such home or community‑integrated living arrangement in which he is an inmate or resident is located, for all officers that now are or hereafter may be elected by the people, and upon all questions that may be submitted to the vote of the people: Provided, that he shall declare upon oath, that it was his bona fide intention at the time he entered said home or community‑integrated living arrangement to become a resident thereof.
(Source: P.A. 96‑339, eff. 7‑1‑10; 96‑563, eff. 1‑1‑10; 96‑1000, eff. 7‑2‑10.)

    (10 ILCS 5/3‑4) (from Ch. 46, par. 3‑4)
    Sec. 3‑4. No patient of any hospital or mental institution in this State, shall by virtue of his abode at such hospital or mental institution be deemed a resident or legal voter in the town, city, village or election district or precinct in which such hospital or mental institution may be situated; but every such person shall be deemed a resident of the town, city, village or election district or precinct in which he resided next prior to becoming a patient of such hospital or mental institution. However, the term "hospital" does not include skilled nursing facilities.
(Source: P.A. 79‑1123.)

    (10 ILCS 5/3‑5)(from Ch. 46, par. 3‑5)
    Sec. 3‑5. No person who has been legally convicted, in this or another State or in any federal court, of any crime, and is serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution, or who has been convicted under any section of this Act and is serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution, shall vote, offer to vote, attempt to vote or be permitted to vote at any election until his release from confinement.
    Confinement for purposes of this Section shall include any person convicted and imprisoned but granted a furlough as provided by Section 3‑11‑1 of the "Unified Code of Corrections", or admitted to a work release program as provided by Section 3‑13‑2 of the "Unified Code of Corrections". Confinement shall not include any person convicted and imprisoned but released on parole.
    Confinement or detention in a jail pending acquittal or conviction of a crime is not a disqualification for voting.
(Source: P.A. 94‑637, eff. 1‑1‑06.)