February 16, 2018

TO: ALL City of Chicago Aldermen

FROM: Anna M. Valencia, City Clerk

SUBJECT: Chicago Board of Election Commissioners’ acceptance of the CityKey as a form of

identification

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform you of whether the Chicago Board of Election
Commissioners (“Board of Elections”) can accept the CityKey as a form of identification to
register to vote or, in some cases, to vote. Representatives from my Office and the Board of
Elections worked together to provide the information within this memorandum. The Board of
Elections is required by State law to accept the CityKey as documentary proof of an individual’s
identity and residency. If an individual does not have their address on the CityKey, then another
form of documentation is required to prove residency. As you will read below, the law provides
that a current and valid photo identification card, federal, State, or local government
documentation that shows the individual’s name and address, or other current documentation
that shows the name and address of an individual can be submitted as proof of identity and
residency.

Illinois Election Code

The Illinois Election Code (10 ILCS 5/1-1 et seq.) governs voter registration, voting, and elections
throughout the State. To register to vote in Illinois, the registrant must (1) be a United States
citizen, (2) be at least 18 years of age as of the next general election or municipal election, and
(3) have been a resident of the precinct at least 30 days prior to election day. The law requires
that the registrant submit documentary proof of identity and residency, but does not require
proof of citizenship status. A registrant only needs to attest to being a United States citizen when
they register to vote, and the law places no duty on the Board of Elections to confirm an
applicant’s citizenship. If an Illinois driver’s license number or State identification number is
submitted at the time of registration, then the Board of Elections is able to verify a registrant’s
residency with the Secretary of State. The Board of Elections is not required to verify a
registrant’s social security number with the Social Security Administration.

Below is a list of documents the Election Code requires the Board of Elections to accept as proof
of identity and/or residency (this is not an exhaustive list; emphasis added to the provisions that
apply to the CityKey):
 driver’s license;
 state identification;
  federal, State, or local government document that shows the person’s name
or address;
 social security card;
 public aid identification card;
 employee or student identification card;
 current and valid photo identification card;
o Passport or Military Identification
o Illinois FOID card
 credit or debit card;
 civic, union, or professional association membership card;
 lease, contract for residence, or deed to home;
 current utility, medical, or insurance bill;
 current bank statement;
 current government check;
 current paycheck/pension statement; or
 other current document that shows the name and address of the person
o vehicle registration card
o bill, transcript, or report card from school.
 For homeless individuals: A homeless individual may demonstrate their mailing address
by a piece of mail addressed to that individual and received at that address OR by a
statement from a person authorizing use of the mailing address, such as an employer,
friend or relative, or a homeless shelter.

In summary, the Illinois Election Code requires the Board of Elections to accept current, valid
photo identification cards and other local governmental documentation that includes an
individual’s name and address, as proof of identity and residency. The CityKey fits both of these
requirements. The CityKey is issued by the City, through my Office, will have the CityKey
holder’s photograph affixed to the card, and the CityKey holder will have the option to include
their address. For CityKey holders who choose to not include their address on the card, the
CityKey may still be used for voter registration and voting purposes, so long as the voter provides
another piece of acceptable identification that does show the voter’s address.

If you have any further question, please do not hesitate to contact me or Lamar Brown at 312-
744-0151.