* Sarah Mansur at Capitol News Illinois…

A bill to expand the use of vote-by-mail and curbside voting in future elections passed the Illinois Senate Thursday, meaning it needs only a signature from the governor to become law.

House Bill 1871, which was approved by the House last week, would revise the state election code to make permanent some of the changes that were widely adopted across Illinois for the 2020 general election in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If the bill is sent to the governor and signed quickly enough, it would take effect immediately, possibly in time for the April 6 elections.

The changes include allowing election authorities to install drop box sites where voters can submit mail-in ballots without postage during and on Election Day. The bill also permits curbside voting where people can fill out ballots outside the polling place during early voting and on Election Day.

* JJ Bullock at the Daily Herald…

State Sen. Julie Morrison, a Democrat from Deerfield, brought the legislation, House Bill 1871, to the Senate floor with support from the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders. The legislation passed in the Senate 48-7, with all seven no votes coming from Senate Republicans who did not give their reasons. Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods voted present.

The legislation would allow local election authorities to establish curbside voting during early voting periods and on Election Day, with election judges from opposite parties working in pairs to collect ballots. The legislation also would establish that all ballot drop-boxes are to be locked and opened only by election authorities.

The law specifically authorizing ballot drop boxes and curbside voting for the 2020 election expired on Jan. 1. Some election authorities, including in Cook County, have continued to use drop boxes for the February primary election and the upcoming April 6 election.

Lake County Clerk Robin O’Connor supports the legislation, saying the vote-by-mail provisions are “very safe and very secure.”

* Andrew Sullender at the Sun-Times…

Due to the pandemic, the expansions were originally set up in anticipation of a surge in mail-in ballots in the 2020 vote. But the changes expired at the beginning of January.

That left many counties who wanted to use drop-boxes for municipal elections on April 6 in limbo, said Matt Dietrich, spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Elections.

“A lot of election jurisdictions that had used drop-boxes in the general election in November intended to use them again for April,” he said. “The language was no longer there to authorize [drop-boxes], but there was nothing in the existing election code that prohibited their use. So it was important that the election code be amended to have explicit permission to use drop-boxes.” […]

Another change that would be made permanent is curbside voting, which allows voters to fill out ballots from their vehicles, instead of going inside the polling places. […]

“You look around the country today, and there are states that are trying to limit one’s ability to vote. Let’s take a look at Georgia, trying to limit drop-box access and are making it a crime to give food or drinks to those waiting in line to vote,” [Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Tinley Park] said. “Coming off of COVID some people still just don’t feel comfortable voting. And that’s why we should focus on expanding one’s ability to vote and the security of that vote.”