Illinois Statutes Chapter 10. Elections § 5/24A-8. Preparation for use; comparison of ballots; operational checks of automatic tabulating equipment; pollwatchers

§ 24A-8. The county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, shall cause the marking devices to be put in order, set, adjusted and made ready for voting when delivered to the polling places. Before the opening of the polls the judges of election shall compare the ballots used in the marking devices with the specimen ballots furnished and see that the names, numbers and letters thereon agree and shall certify thereto on forms provided by the county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be.

In addition, in those polling places where in-precinct counting equipment is utilized, the judges of election shall make an operational check of the automatic tabulating equipment before the opening of the polls. A precinct identification card provided by the election authority shall be entered into the automatic tabulating equipment to ensure that the totals are all zeroes in the count column on the printing unit.

Pollwatchers as provided by law shall be permitted to closely observe the judges in these procedures and to periodically inspect the equipment when not in use by the voters to see that the ballot labels are in proper position and have not been marked upon or mutilated.