Bill > HB1894

This bill amends the Illinois Election Code to clarify rules about ballot photography and voting privacy. Specifically, the bill makes it legal for voters to photograph their own ballots during the voting process or view photographs of their completed or partially completed ballots, which was previously potentially prohibited. At the same time, the bill introduces a new criminal provision that makes it a Class 4 felony (a serious criminal offense) for anyone to give, promise, or receive money or other valuable consideration in exchange for disseminating or viewing a ballot photograph. The intent appears to be protecting individual voter rights to document their own voting experience while simultaneously preventing potential vote buying, selling, or coercion schemes that might exploit ballot photography. A Class 4 felony in Illinois can typically result in significant penalties, including potential imprisonment, underlining the seriousness with which the state views attempts to manipulate or commercialize ballot images.

Government Affairs

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1894&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114&GA=104