40 ILCS 5/6-175
The regular elections for members of the board shall be held by mail. The board shall designate not less than 2 clerks of election to conduct the election. The board shall furnish the clerks of election with a list of firemen, pensioners and annuitants eligible to vote at the election, and tally sheets to be used in counting the vote. The clerks of election shall count the votes cast, recording on the tally sheets provided a true count of ballots cast for each candidate and the correct number of unused and spoiled ballots.
Immediately after all ballots are counted, the clerks of election shall certify the tally sheets by signing them at the place provided, the marked ballots shall be sealed and delivered together with all other materials used in the election to the office of the board, which shall cause a detailed receipt to be issued to each clerk of election upon receiving such material. Not later than 30 days prior to the elections, the retirement board shall publish written rules for the conduct of the elections in conformity herewith, including notification to eligible voters and provision for poll watchers for candidates to be present at the places where the votes are counted.
At any election for active firemen members, all firemen employed by the city at the time the election is held and all firemen on occupational, duty or ordinary disability at the time the election is held shall have a right to vote.
At any election for the pensioner or annuitant member, all annuitants and pensioners (except children less than age 18) and the legal guardian of any child annuitant or child pensioner whose mother or stepmother shall not be an annuitant or pensioner, shall have a right to vote.
Ballots to be used in such elections shall be of a secret character. The board shall mail, to each person who is entitled to vote, a ballot which permits such person to vote by mail.
The board shall provide by its rules sufficient time before the date of election to permit the voting by mail provided herein. The mailed ballots shall remain sealed until the official tallying is begun, at which time all mail votes shall be tallied by not less than 2 clerks of election at the office of the board as hereinabove set forth.
Within 72 hours after the close of each election, the board shall cause records pertaining to the election, including all lists of persons eligible to vote, all ballots, used, unused and spoiled, and all tally sheets used in the counting of votes, to be deposited with the city clerk who shall preserve all such material for 6 months from the date of election.
40 ILCS 5/6-175