Illinois Statutes § 5/6-7 Method for canvassing ballots

Such canvass shall be made by such judges in the following manner: Before the name or names of any candidate on any ballot shall be canvassed, one of the judges, two sitting on either side of him and observing the canvass, shall separate all the ballots cast in such precinct into 3 piles or files, putting together in the first pile all those containing the phrase, "For city election law", and putting together in the second pile all the ballots containing the phrase, "Against city election law", and putting together in the third pile all the other ballots of every description. One of the 3 judges shall then count the first pile of ballots in batches of 10, and when one batch is counted, shall pass the same to the next judge, who shall count the same and pass it to the third judge, who shall also count it, and when the 3 shall have finished the count of the 10 ballots, the last judge shall announce in a loud voice the result, "Ten votes for city election law". It shall then be duty of each of 2 judges, who took no part in the counting, to tally 10 votes accordingly on his tally sheet for city election law, and so the whole pile shall be counted. Before counting the second pile the tally judges shall announce the result or number so entered and credited, "For city election law", and the second pile shall be counted in the same way in batches of 10, and the result tallied and announced in the same way "Against city election law". And thereupon it shall be the duty of each of the judges in turn to announce in a loud voice the result of the election in that precinct upon that proposition. No ballot shall be counted for or against such proposition unless it be in the form herein prescribed; no account is to be kept of the third pile of ballots as to such proposition.