AI-assisted research summary: Voters who need help may choose a person to assist them, but certain employers, labor-union agents, and ballot-listed candidates may not provide that help.
(a) Except as otherwise provided, any voter who requires assistance to vote at a polling place or by absentee ballot may be given assistance by a person of the voter's choice. If the voter requires assistance at a polling place, the voter may choose to receive the assistance of two precinct officials who are not of the same political party. Additionally, a voter needing assistance at a polling place may choose to be handed a ballot outside the polling place but within one hundred feet thereof or within the polling place parking lot by the precinct officials and in their presence but in a secret manner, mark and return the same to the precinct officials. The voter's employer or agent of that employer, agent of the voter's labor union, or a candidate for any office that is listed on the ballot shall not provide assistance. Written or oral instructions delivered via telephone, electronic means, or mail shall not be deemed assistance prohibited by this section provided the voter's employer or agent of that employer, agent of the voter's labor union, or a candidate for any office listed on the ballot is not physically present with the voter when the instructions are delivered. (b) If assistance is provided pursuant to subsection (a), the precinct officials providing assistance shall enter in writing in the record book the following: (1) The voter's name; (2) The fact that the voter cannot read the names on the ballot, if that is the reason for requiring assistance, and otherwise, the specific physical disability which requires the voter to receive assistance; and (3) The name or names of the person or persons furnishing the assistance. (c) Violation of this section by an employer or agent of that employer, agent of the voter's labor union, or a candidate shall constitute election fraud as provided under section 19-3. [L 1970, c 26, pt of §2; am L 1972, c 158, §2; am L 1973, c 217, §1(tt); am L 1985, c 203, §5; am L 2002, c 89, §1; am L 2013, c 235, §2]