Quinn signs election laws on Fourth of July

[July 06, 2010]  DES PLAINES (AP) -- Gov. Pat Quinn spent the Fourth of July in Des Plaines, where he signed three new Illinois laws dealing with election ballot access.

Among the legislation Quinn signed into law, one bill lets Illinois residents living overseas receive absentee ballots and registration forms electronically or by fax. Quinn's office says it also gives the Illinois governor the power to change absentee voting if there's an emergency.

Another of the new laws establishes a grace period on the main campuses of Illinois' public universities for voter registration and creates early voting pilot programs.

And a third law lets college students vote absentee from a school residence without having to give a reason.

[Associated Press]

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