§15-9  Return and receipt of absentee
ballots.  (a)  The return envelope shall be:



(1)  Mailed and must be received by the clerk issuing
the absentee ballot not later than the closing of the polls on any election
day;



(2)  Delivered other than by mail to the clerk issuing
the absentee ballot, or another election official designated by the clerk to
act on the clerk's behalf, not later than the closing of polls on any election
day; or



(3)  Delivered other than by mail to any polling place
within the county in which the voter is registered and deposited by a precinct
official in the ballot box before the closing of the polls on any election day.



(b)  Upon receipt of the return envelope from
any person voting under this chapter, the clerk may prepare the ballots for
counting pursuant to this section and section 15-10.



(c)  Prior to opening the return and ballot
envelopes and counting the ballots, the return envelopes shall be checked for
the following:



(1)  Signature on the affirmation statement;



(2)  Whether the signature corresponds with the
absentee request or register as prescribed in the rules adopted by the chief
election officer; and



(3)  Whether the person is a registered voter and has
complied with the requirements of sections 11-15 and 11-16.



(d)  If any of the above requirements is not
met or if the return or ballot envelope appears to be tampered with, the clerk
or the absentee ballot team official shall mark across the face of the envelope
"invalid" and it shall be kept in the custody of the clerk and
disposed of as prescribed for ballots in section 11-154.



(e)  If an absentee polling place is
established at the clerk's office prior to election day, the officials of the
absentee polling place shall check the return or ballot envelopes for the above
requirements prior to depositing them in the correct absentee ballot box. [L
1975, c 36, pt of §3; am L 1976, c 106, §4(4); am L 1979, c 133, §8; am L 1980,
c 248, §1(f); am L 1983, c 34, §22; am L 1985, c 203, §8; am L 1993, c 304,
§10]