Bill > SB2226

This bill requires voters to present a government-issued photo identification card or a new Voter Identification Card when voting and establishes the process for obtaining such a Voter Identification Card. The Secretary of State must issue a Voter Identification Card to registered voters who do not have an acceptable form of photo identification, such as a driver's license or passport. To obtain the card, applicants must provide documentation proving their identity, date of birth, voter registration, and residence address. The bill defines acceptable forms of photo identification, which include state-issued identification cards, passports, and other government-issued photo IDs. Voters who are indigent (with income at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines) or have religious objections to being photographed may vote using a provisional ballot and sign an affidavit explaining their exemption. The bill also modifies existing election laws to incorporate these new identification requirements, specifying how election judges should verify voter identity and handle provisional ballots in cases where voters cannot immediately provide the required identification. The primary goal of this legislation is to enhance voter identification procedures and prevent potential voter fraud by ensuring voters can definitively prove their identity at polling places.

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2226&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114&GA=104