Dupage Policy Journal

Seth Lewis introduced SB0054 in the Illinois Senate on Jan. 13, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Election Code. Provides that all election authorities shall provide regular updates to the State Board of Elections concerning votes tabulated by that election authority. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall make this information available to the public at least every 48 hours. Provides that, no later than January 1, 2026, the State Board of Elections shall adopt standards concerning how election authorities release information about the total number of vote by mail ballots that have been tabulated by the election authority. Provides that, beginning with the 2026 primary election and all primary, consolidated, general and special elections thereafter, all election authorities shall adhere to the standards adopted by the State Board of Elections. Effective immediately."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Election Code to require all election authorities to deliver regular updates on votes they have tabulated to the State Board of Elections, with this information to be publicly accessible at least every 48 hours. By January 1, 2026, the State Board of Elections will set standards on how authorities should report the number of vote by mail ballots tabulated. These standards are mandatory starting with the 2026 primary election for all primary, consolidated, general, and special elections. The bill aims to enhance transparency in tabulating votes and takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Lewis graduated from the University of Iowa in 1991 with a BS.

Seth Lewis is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 24th Senate District. He replaced previous state senator Suzy Glowiak in 2023.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB0054	01/13/2025	Amends the Election Code. Provides that all election authorities shall provide regular updates to the State Board of Elections concerning votes tabulated by that election authority. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall make this information available to the public at least every 48 hours. Provides that, no later than January 1, 2026, the State Board of Elections shall adopt standards concerning how election authorities release information about the total number of vote by mail ballots that have been tabulated by the election authority. Provides that, beginning with the 2026 primary election and all primary, consolidated, general and special elections thereafter, all election authorities shall adhere to the standards adopted by the State Board of Elections. Effective immediately.