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Illinois HOA and condo electronic voting law
Can a homeowners or condominium association in Illinois hold its vote online? Here is what state law says and what it means for your board.
Yes. State law expressly allows electronic voting
Main law: 765 ILCS 160/1-25, 605/18, 605/18.8.
Reviewed September 16, 2026. A summary of state law, not legal advice. Confirm with your association's attorney before a binding vote.
The rules at a glance
| Legal status | Allowed by statute |
|---|---|
| Main statute | 765 ILCS 160/1-25, 605/18, 605/18.8 |
| How electronic voting gets authorized | Board rules. Condo rule adopted 120 days ahead, 20% owner petition to reject |
| Secret ballot and counting | Condo secret ballot by board rule. No proxies in board elections |
| Paper ballot option | Owners without written consent served without technology |
| Ballot retention | 1 year (HOA), 12 months (condo) |
A state statute speaks to electronic voting for community associations. Read how it gets authorized below: some statutes let the board decide, some require each owner to consent, and some let governing documents opt out.
Running a Illinois vote with VoteStead
Available now, with attorney sign-off
VoteStead runs Illinois elections with a Illinois rule pack. Before a binding vote, the board confirms the state's required steps in the admin console. Until VoteStead's review of Illinois law is complete, a binding vote also needs a sign-off letter from your association's attorney. Test elections run without it.
No VoteStead features are turned off by Illinois law.
What every VoteStead election includes
- Ballots sealed on the owner's device and stored with no name attached
- A 2-of-3 key split, so nobody opens ballots before voting closes
- Email and text invitations, plus mailed notices with access codes
- Quorum tracking and automatic reminders to owners who have not voted
- A tracker code so each owner confirms their ballot counted
Illinois questions
Can an HOA or condo association in Illinois vote online?
Yes. State law expressly allows electronic voting. How it gets authorized: Board rules. Condo rule adopted 120 days ahead, 20% owner petition to reject. Main law: 765 ILCS 160/1-25, 605/18, 605/18.8. Reviewed September 16, 2026. This is a summary, not legal advice.
What are the Illinois secret ballot and vote counting rules?
Illinois rule on secrecy and counting: Condo secret ballot by board rule. No proxies in board elections. VoteStead seals every ballot on the owner's device and stores it with no name attached.
Do owners in Illinois keep a paper ballot option?
Illinois rule: Owners without written consent served without technology. VoteStead supports mailed voting notices with access codes for owners who get their mail on paper.
How long must a Illinois association keep ballots?
Illinois retention rule: 1 year (HOA), 12 months (condo). VoteStead keeps sealed ballots for 1 year after voting closes by default, and a legal hold keeps them longer.
Is VoteStead available for Illinois associations?
Yes. VoteStead runs Illinois elections with a Illinois rule pack. Features the state does not allow are turned off. Until VoteStead's review of Illinois law is complete, a binding vote needs a sign-off letter from the association's attorney. Test elections run without it.