Bill
HB 2467
HB2467 lets polling places offer a non-binding mock election for children to learn how voting works; results don’t affect real elections, and local officials decide details.
Status and key dates
- Bill: HB 2467 — “Mock election for children at polling place” (adds 10 ILCS 5/17‑44).
- Introduced: February 2025. Passed both chambers and signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.
- Effective date: September 1, 2025.
- Companion: SB 1981.
Purpose and intent
- To promote civic education by allowing polling places to offer a non‑binding, educational “mock election” for children that teaches the basics of the electoral process.
Primary provision
- Adds a new Section 17‑44 to the Illinois Election Code: a polling place may (permissive language) offer a non‑binding election for children to educate them about voting and how elections work.
- The mock election is explicitly non‑binding — results do not affect official election outcomes.
Who is affected
- Polling places and election authorities: they are given discretion to offer mock elections; no mandatory duties or funding are specified.
- Children, families, schools, and civic educators: may benefit from on‑site, practical education about voting.
- Poll workers and volunteers: may need to allocate time, space, materials and supervision if a polling place chooses to run a mock election.
Potential impacts and implementation considerations
- Civic education: expected to increase hands‑on learning about ballots, voting processes and civic participation.
- Administrative burden: minimal and voluntary. Polling places that offer mock elections will need to ensure mock activities do not interfere with official voting operations, voter privacy, or security of ballots and equipment.
- No funding, procedural rules, age limits, or detailed safeguards are included in the statutory text; implementation details (hours, materials, supervision, early voting inclusion) would be determined locally by election officials.
- Legal risk is limited because the activity is non‑binding; nonetheless election authorities should adopt operational guidance to avoid confusion with official voting.
Note on document inconsistency
- The provided document also contains unrelated statutory language about corporate contribution reporting (Arizona §16‑916 / proposed §16‑926.01). That appears to be a different measure and is not part of the Illinois mock‑election provision. If you want a separate summary of that corporate‑contribution text, I can prepare one.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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