Section 3-105. Administrative complaint procedure  


Latest version.
  • 1. The state board of
      elections shall establish  and  maintain  a  uniform,  nondiscriminatory
      administrative  complaint  procedure  pursuant  to  which any person who
      believes that there is a violation  (including  a  violation  which  has
      occurred or is occurring or is about to occur) of any provision of title
      three  of  the  federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), may file a
      complaint.
        2. Initially, any such complaint may be made orally, in person  or  by
      telephone, or in writing. Such complaints may be made to the state board
      of  elections  or  with any local board of elections. A toll-free number
      shall be made available therefor for telephone calls to the state  board
      of  elections.  Complaints  shall  be  addressed  by  election officials
      expediently and informally whenever possible.
        3. All formal complaints shall  be  filed  with  the  state  board  of
      elections.  All  formal complaints shall be written, signed and sworn by
      the complainant. The complainant shall use a complaint form  promulgated
      by the state board of elections. The state board of elections or a local
      board  of  elections  shall  assist  any  person  with  a disability who
      requests assistance to file  a  complaint.  Complaints  raising  similar
      questions  of  law and/or fact may be consolidated by the state board of
      elections.
        4. Upon the written request of  the  complainant,  there  shall  be  a
      hearing  on  the record, unless prior to the hearing, the state board of
      elections, in accordance with subdivision four of section 3-100 of  this
      article,  sustains  the formal complaint as being uncontested. Any party
      to the hearing may purchase a transcript of such hearing.
        5. The evidentiary standard applied to all formal complaints shall  be
      a preponderance of the evidence.
        6.  Hearings shall be conducted by a panel of two commissioners of the
      state board of elections of opposite parties or senior staff members  of
      opposite  parties as selected by the commissioners of that party. If the
      panel does not agree to sustain  the  complaint,  the  formal  complaint
      shall  be deemed dismissed and shall constitute the determination of the
      panel.
        7. The determination of the hearing panel will be final unless changed
      by the state board of elections pursuant to subdivision four of  section
      3-100  of  this  article, within ninety days of the filing of the formal
      complaint. A final determination shall be filed  and  published  by  the
      state  board  of  elections  within  ninety days after the filing of the
      formal complaint, unless the complainant agrees to a  longer  period  of
      time.  When  a  violation  has been found, the final determination shall
      include an appropriate remedy for any violation of Title III of the Help
      America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) found by the state board of elections. A
      final determination dismissing a formal complaint may be  filed  by  any
      one member of the hearing panel.
        8.  Whenever  a  final determination of a formal complaint is not made
      within ninety days, or any other longer agreed  upon  time  period,  the
      state  board  of  elections  shall  refer  the  formal  complaint  to an
      independent, alternative dispute resolution agency.  Such  hearings  and
      determinations  shall be conducted by the alternative dispute resolution
      agency pursuant  to  regulations  promulgated  by  the  state  board  of
      elections pursuant to subdivision four of section 3-100 of this article.
      Such  agency  shall have sixty days, from the expiration of the original
      ninety day time period, or any other longer agreed upon time period,  to
      make a final determination. The state board of elections shall contract,
      pursuant  to  subdivision four of section 3-100 of this article with one
      or more such alternative dispute resolution entities for  this  specific
      purpose.
    
        9.  No  provision  of  this  section  shall  be construed to impair or
      supersede the right of an aggrieved party  to  seek  a  judicial  remedy
      including  a  judicial  remedy  concerning  any final determination made
      pursuant to subdivision eight  of  this  section.  The  state  board  of
      elections  shall provide notice to all complainants of the provisions of
      this subdivision.