Illinois Compiled Statutes
10 ILCS 5/9-20 (2026)
Any person who believes a violation of this Article has occurred may file a verified complaint with the Board
✓ current as of May 2026
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(10 ILCS 5/9-20)
(from Ch. 46, par. 9-20)
Sec. 9-20.
Any person who believes a violation of this Article has occurred may
file a verified complaint with the Board. Such verified complaint shall be
directed to a candidate or the chair or treasurer of a political
committee, and shall be subject to the following requirements:
(1) The complaint shall be in writing.
(2) The complaint shall state the name of the candidate or chair or
treasurer of a political committee against whom the complaint is directed.
(3) The complaint shall state the statutory provisions which are alleged
to have been violated.
(4) The complaint shall state the time, place, and nature of the alleged
offense.
The complaint shall be verified, dated, and signed by the person filing
the complaint in substantially the following manner:
VERIFICATION:
"I declare that this complaint (including any accompanying schedules and
statements) has been examined by me and to the best of my knowledge and
belief is a true and correct complaint as required by Article 9 of The
Election Code. I understand that the penalty for willfully filing a false
complaint shall be a fine not to exceed $500 or imprisonment in a penal
institution other than the penitentiary not to exceed 6 months, or both
fine and imprisonment."
..............................................................
(date of filing)
(signature of person filing the complaint)
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11
cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1998–2021 · leading case: Dempsey v. Johnson, 2016 IL App (1st) 153377 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016).
Dempsey v. Johnson, 2016 IL App (1st) 153377 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “; see also 10 ILCS 5/9-20 ( West 2010 ) ("Any person who believes that a violation of this Article has occurred may file a verified complaint with the [State] Board [of Elections]").”
Illinois Repub. Party v. Illinois State Bd. of Elections, 720 N.E.2d 231 (Ill. 1999). “10 ILCS 5/9-20 (West 1996). A complaint is procedurally deficient if it does not comply with section 9-20.”
Illinois Repub. Party v. State Bd. of Elections, 691 N.E.2d 169 (Ill. App. Ct. 1998). “10 ILCS 5/9-20 (West 1996). Respondents claim that since the Board failed to take action on the November 4 complaint within the time provided for under section 9-21 of the Election Code (10 ILCS 5/9-21 (West 1996)), which at most would have been 42 days after November 4, 1996,…”
Topinka v. Kimme, 2017 IL App (1st) 161000 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “1-16-1000 addition, the Board may hold investigations and hearings on any matter covered by Article IX (10 ILCS 5/9-18 (West 2014)) and any person who believes a violation of Article IX has occurred may file a verified complaint with the Board (10 ILCS 5/9-20 (West 2014)). ¶ 11…”
Cook Cnty. Repub. Party v. State Bd. of Elections, 882 N.E.2d 93 (Ill. App. Ct. 2007). “10 ILCS 5/9-20 (West 2004). Once a complaint is filed, a closed preliminary hearing is held to "elicit evidence on the question whether the complaint was filed on justifiable grounds, and having some basis in fact and law.”
Topinka v. Kimme, 2017 IL App (1st) 161000 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “In addition, the Board may hold investigations and hearings on any matter covered by article 9 (10 ILCS 5/9-18 (West 2014)) and any person who believes a violation of article 9 has occurred may file a verified complaint with the Board (10 ILCS 5/9-20 (West 2014)). ¶ 11…”
Washington v. Winston, 2021 IL App (1st) 210225-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). “10 ILCS 5/9-20 (West 2018). When the State Board imposes such a civil penalty, it does so through a final administrative order which itself may be appealed to this court under the Administrative Review Law.”
Thompson v. Illinois State Bd. of Elections, 945 N.E.2d 625 (Ill. App. Ct. 2011). “Upon receipt of the complaint, the Board is required to hold a closed preliminary hearing to determine whether the complaint appears to have been filed on justifiable grounds, and the Board shall dismiss the complaint without further hearing if it fails to determine that it had…”
Brennan v. Illinois State Bd. of Elections (Ill. App. Ct. 2002). “He argues that both the original complaint and the amended complaint should be dismissed for failure to comply with the statutory requirements in section 9-20 of the Election Code (10 ILCS 5/9-20 (West 2000)) because they did not identify what reports the committee failed to…”
Illinois Repub. Party v. Bd. of Elections (Ill. App. Ct. 1998). “10 ILCS 5/9-20 (West 1996). Respondents claim that since the Board failed to take action on the November 4 complaint within the time provided for under section 9-21 of the Election Code (10 ILCS 5/9-21 (West 1996)), which at most would have been 42 days after November 4, 1996,…”
Kuna v. Illinois State Bd. of Elections, 821 F. Supp. 2d 1060 (S.D. Ill. 2011). “Thus, under 10 ILCS 5/9-20 (2008), plaintiff should have first filed a complaint with the Illinois Election Board.”
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