A couple of interesting bills were recently introduced in the Illinois General Assembly that would, if enacted, expand the persons eligible to vote in municipal elections to include 16 and 17 year olds and noncitzens.
HB 5604, if passed, would allow 16 and 17 year olds to register to vote in municipal elections. The bill would not allow these new registered voters to vote in any other election except in municipal elections and on any referendum question on the ballot. Municipal elections are defined in the proposed legislation to be “non-State elections.”
HB 5474, if passed, would allow noncitizens to register to vote in municipal elections. The noncitizen would have to file an affidavit that he or she is not a U.S. citizen, is a resident within the municipality and intends to remain a resident in that municipality, will be at least 18 years old at the time of the election, and is not otherwise disqualified from voting. The bill would also allow the individual to vote in school board elections.
