Senators Turner, Rezin join county
clerks to announce election reform legislation
-Seeks to increase transparency and add
standardization to Illinois’ election process
- Meeting includes Logan County Clerk Theresa Moore
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[May 07, 2021]
State Senator Sally Turner (R-Beason) and Senate Republican Deputy
Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) today joined with Sangamon County Clerk
Don Gray, Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman, Logan County Clerk
Theresa Moore, Marshall County Clerk Jill Kenyon and Mason County
Clerk Summer Brown to announce legislation that would instill
transparency and uniformity to the state’s election process.
“The Election Standardization Act is about adding standardized
practices and increased transparency to our election system,” said
Sen. Turner. “As a former county clerk myself, the election process
is a very important issue to me. I have spent over 20 years of my
career working to ensure the safety, transparency, and efficiency of
our election system. My passion for this continues as I continue my
public service as a state senator.”
“The ability to vote in free and fair elections is one of our
country’s greatest rights,” said Sen. Rezin. “This legislation does
not hinder that right in any way. In fact, it improves upon the
process for every Illinois voter by increasing transparency and
integrity. It ensures they have better access to information
regarding the process as well as providing them with consistency
every time they vote.”
The Election Standardization Act, Senate Bill 1326, was created
after State Sen. Sally Turner, who is the former Logan County Clerk
and Recorder, convened an Election Reform Working Group to help
improve the election process in the state. The group explored ways
to increase transparency and uniformity within the state’s current
election system. It drew upon ideas and feedback from key
stakeholders, including the State Board of Elections, individual
county clerks, and the Illinois Association of County Clerks and
Recorders.
“I was honored to be picked by Senator Turner to participate in her
election reform working group,” said Don Gray, Sangamon County
Clerk. “The Election Standardization Act is the culmination of
months of thoughtful and hard work. I truly believe this bill will
help create a more transparent and better election process for every
Illinoisan.”
The Election Standardization Act does the following:
· Standardizes election judge training by requiring election
authorities to use specific guidelines provided by the State Board
of Elections. Training topics must include voter verification,
campaign free zones, electioneering, vote-by-mail processing,
provisional voting, and ballot handling and processing.
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· Requires election authorities to post on their websites the reason for any
reporting delay that is five hours past close of polls.
· Requires the State Board of Elections to audit the post-election vote-by-mail
processing requirements and procedures of five percent of the state’s election
authorities.
· Requires election authorities to post on their websites the procedures for
processing vote by mail ballots, which could simply be a posting of the state’s
legal requirements for vote by mail processing.
“Senate Bill 1326, will greatly improve the transparency and standardization of
many of the duties that election authorities throughout the State of Illinois
must perform,” said Sandy Leitheiser, Montgomery County Clerk & Recorder. “I
appreciate Senator Turner's leadership with this valuable legislation, which
sends a reassuring message to our constituents that elections will be
administered in an open and efficient manner."
“All of the provisions included in this legislation are designed to better
our state’s elections and to help build confidence in our election system,” said
Theresa Moore, Logan County Clerk & Recorder. “They create additional
transparency for voters and uniformity among all election authorities.”
“I’m happy to support Sen. Turner and Sen. Rezin on their efforts to bring these
much-need, common-sense ideas to the election process,” said Jill Kenyon,
Marshall County Clerk & Recorder. “As county clerks, it’s our responsibility to
ensure voters have a smooth and easy method to their 15th Amendment right. This
legislation strengthens our laws to ensure we are doing just that.”
“With only a few weeks left before the end of the spring legislative session,
time is running out on this much-needed legislation,” said John Ackerman,
Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder. “I sincerely urge the General Assembly to move
the Election Standardization Act, so we can strengthen our existing electoral
procedures.”
Senators Turner and Rezin say these proposed reforms are not partisan ideas and
should be embraced by every Illinoisan.
[Marcus J. Durrett
Illinois Senate Republican Staff
Communications and Public Affairs]
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