[ Back ] [ Bottom ]
90_SB1702enr
10 ILCS 5/7-9 from Ch. 46, par. 7-9
Amends the Election Code. Provides that State
conventions shall be held on the first Friday after the
second Monday, next succeeding the general primary in
Presidential election years. Provides that in other
even-numbered years a State convention may be held at any
time after the proclamation of the results of the primary
(now all State conventions shall be held on the first Friday
after the second Monday next succeeding the primary at which
committeemen are elected). Provides that at least 33 days
before the date of a State convention (now the primary at
which committeemen are elected), a call for the State
convention shall be filed in the principal office of the
State Board of Elections (now the office of the county clerk
in each county of the State). Effective immediately.
LRB9011386MWpc
SB1702 Enrolled LRB9011386MWpc
1 AN ACT to amend the Election Code by changing Sections
2 7-8 and 7-9.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
6 Sections 7-8 and 7-9 as follows:
7 (10 ILCS 5/7-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-8)
8 Sec. 7-8. The State central committee shall be composed
9 of one or two members from each congressional district in the
10 State and shall be elected as follows:
11 State Central Committee
12 (a) Within 30 days after the effective date of this
13 amendatory Act of 1983 the State central committee of each
14 political party shall certify to the State Board of Elections
15 which of the following alternatives it wishes to apply to the
16 State central committee of that party.
17 Alternative A. At the primary held on the third Tuesday
18 in March 1970, and at the primary held every 4 years
19 thereafter, each primary elector may vote for one candidate
20 of his party for member of the State central committee for
21 the congressional district in which he resides. The
22 candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be
23 declared elected State central committeeman from the
24 district. A political party may, in lieu of the foregoing, by
25 a majority vote of delegates at any State convention of such
26 party, determine to thereafter elect the State central
27 committeemen in the manner following:
28 At the county convention held by such political party
29 State central committeemen shall be elected in the same
30 manner as provided in this Article for the election of
31 officers of the county central committee, and such election
SB1702 Enrolled -2- LRB9011386MWpc
1 shall follow the election of officers of the county central
2 committee. Each elected ward, township or precinct
3 committeeman shall cast as his vote one vote for each ballot
4 voted in his ward, township, part of a township or precinct
5 in the last preceding primary election of his political
6 party. In the case of a county lying partially within one
7 congressional district and partially within another
8 congressional district, each ward, township or precinct
9 committeeman shall vote only with respect to the
10 congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a
11 township or precinct is located. In the case of a
12 congressional district which encompasses more than one
13 county, each ward, township or precinct committeeman residing
14 within the congressional district shall cast as his vote one
15 vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a
16 township or precinct in the last preceding primary election
17 of his political party for one candidate of his party for
18 member of the State central committee for the congressional
19 district in which he resides and the Chairman of the county
20 central committee shall report the results of the election to
21 the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections
22 shall certify the candidate receiving the highest number of
23 votes elected State central committeeman for that
24 congressional district.
25 The State central committee shall adopt rules to provide
26 for and govern the procedures to be followed in the election
27 of members of the State central committee.
28 Alternative B. Each congressional committee shall,
29 within 30 days after the adoption of this alternative,
30 appoint a person of the sex opposite that of the incumbent
31 member for that congressional district to serve as an
32 additional member of the State central committee until his or
33 her successor is elected at the general primary election in
34 1986. Each congressional committee shall make this
SB1702 Enrolled -3- LRB9011386MWpc
1 appointment by voting on the basis set forth in paragraph (e)
2 of this Section. In each congressional district at the
3 general primary election held in 1986 and every 4 years
4 thereafter, the male candidate receiving the highest number
5 of votes of the party's male candidates for State central
6 committeeman, and the female candidate receiving the highest
7 number of votes of the party's female candidates for State
8 central committeewoman, shall be declared elected State
9 central committeeman and State central committeewoman from
10 the district. At the general primary election held in 1986
11 and every 4 years thereafter, if all a party's candidates for
12 State central committeemen or State central committeewomen
13 from a congressional district are of the same sex, the
14 candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be
15 declared elected a State central committeeman or State
16 central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a
17 failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a
18 vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the
19 second member of the State central committee from the
20 district. This vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the
21 congressional committee of the political party, and the
22 person appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of
23 the congressional district and of the sex opposite that of
24 the committeeman or committeewoman elected at the general
25 primary election. Each congressional committee shall make
26 this appointment by voting on the basis set forth in
27 paragraph (e) of this Section.
28 Under both of the foregoing alternatives, the State
29 central committee of each political party shall be composed
30 of members elected or appointed from the several
31 congressional districts of the State, and of no other person
32 or persons whomsoever. The members of the State central
33 committee shall, within 30 days after each quadrennial
34 election of the full committee, meet in the city of
SB1702 Enrolled -4- LRB9011386MWpc
1 Springfield and organize by electing from among their own
2 number a chairman, and may at such time elect such officers
3 from among their own number (or otherwise), as they may deem
4 necessary or expedient. The outgoing chairman of the State
5 central committee of the party shall, 10 days before the
6 meeting, notify each member of the State central committee
7 elected at the primary of the time and place of such meeting.
8 In the organization and proceedings of the State central
9 committee, each State central committeeman and State central
10 committeewoman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
11 his or her congressional district by the primary electors of
12 his or her party at the primary election immediately
13 preceding the meeting of the State central committee.
14 Whenever a vacancy occurs in the State central committee of
15 any political party, the vacancy may shall be filled by
16 appointment of the chairmen of the county central committees
17 of the political party of the counties located within the
18 congressional district in which the vacancy occurs and, if
19 applicable, the ward and township committeemen of the
20 political party in counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants
21 located within the congressional district. If the
22 congressional district in which the vacancy occurs lies
23 wholly within a county of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the
24 ward and township committeemen of the political party in that
25 congressional district shall vote to fill the vacancy. In
26 voting to fill the vacancy, each chairman of a county central
27 committee and each ward and township committeeman in counties
28 of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants shall have one vote for each
29 ballot voted in each precinct of the congressional district
30 in which the vacancy exists of his or her county, township,
31 or ward cast by the primary electors of his or her party at
32 the primary election immediately preceding the meeting to
33 fill the vacancy in the State central committee. The person
34 appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the
SB1702 Enrolled -5- LRB9011386MWpc
1 congressional district in which the vacancy occurs, shall be
2 a qualified voter, and, in a committee composed as provided
3 in Alternative B, shall be of the same sex as his or her
4 predecessor. by the congressional committee of that political
5 party in the congressional district from which the
6 appointee's predecessor was elected, and the member so
7 appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of that
8 congressional district and, in a committee composed as
9 provided in alternative B, shall be of the same sex as the
10 appointee's predecessor. A political party may, by a majority
11 vote of the delegates of any State convention of such party,
12 determine to return to the election of State central
13 committeeman and State central committeewoman by the vote of
14 primary electors. Any action taken by a political party at a
15 State convention in accordance with this Section shall be
16 reported to the State Board of Elections by the chairman and
17 secretary of such convention within 10 days after such
18 action.
19 Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen
20 (b) At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
21 1972, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
22 cities having a population of 200,000 or over may vote for
23 one candidate of his party in his ward for ward committeeman.
24 Each candidate for ward committeeman must be a resident of
25 and in the ward where he seeks to be elected ward
26 committeeman. The one having the highest number of votes
27 shall be such ward committeeman of such party for such ward.
28 At the primary election held on the third Tuesday in March,
29 1970, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
30 counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or more,
31 outside of cities containing a population of 200,000 or more,
32 may vote for one candidate of his party for township
33 committeeman. Each candidate for township committeeman must
34 be a resident of and in the township or part of a township
SB1702 Enrolled -6- LRB9011386MWpc
1 (which lies outside of a city having a population of 200,000
2 or more, in counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or
3 more), and in which township or part of a township he seeks
4 to be elected township committeeman. The one having the
5 highest number of votes shall be such township committeeman
6 of such party for such township or part of a township. At the
7 primary held on the third Tuesday in March, 1970 and every 2
8 years thereafter, each primary elector, except in counties
9 having a population of 2,000,000 or over, may vote for one
10 candidate of his party in his precinct for precinct
11 committeeman. Each candidate for precinct committeeman must
12 be a bona fide resident of the precinct where he seeks to be
13 elected precinct committeeman. The one having the highest
14 number of votes shall be such precinct committeeman of such
15 party for such precinct. The official returns of the primary
16 shall show the name of the committeeman of each political
17 party.
18 Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected
19 under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such
20 committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the
21 second year after their election. Except as otherwise
22 provided in this Section for certain State central
23 committeemen who have 2 year terms, all State central
24 committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen
25 shall continue as such committeemen until the date of primary
26 to be held in the fourth year after their election. However,
27 a vacancy exists in the office of precinct committeeman when
28 a precinct committeeman ceases to reside in the precinct in
29 which he was elected and such precinct committeeman shall
30 thereafter neither have nor exercise any rights, powers or
31 duties as committeeman in that precinct, even if a successor
32 has not been elected or appointed.
33 (c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist
34 of the precinct committeemen of such party, in the
SB1702 Enrolled -7- LRB9011386MWpc
1 multi-township assessing district formed pursuant to Section
2 2-10 of the Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the
3 purposes set forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In
4 the organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township
5 Central Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one
6 vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary
7 electors of his party at the primary at which he was elected.
8 County Central Committee
9 (d) The county central committee of each political party
10 in each county shall consist of the various township
11 committeemen, precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if
12 any, of such party in the county. In the organization and
13 proceedings of the county central committee, each precinct
14 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
15 precinct by the primary electors of his party at the primary
16 at which he was elected; each township committeeman shall
17 have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part
18 of a township as the case may be by the primary electors of
19 his party at the primary election for the nomination of
20 candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately
21 preceding the meeting of the county central committee; and in
22 the organization and proceedings of the county central
23 committee, each ward committeeman shall have one vote for
24 each ballot voted in his ward by the primary electors of his
25 party at the primary election for the nomination of
26 candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately
27 preceding the meeting of the county central committee.
28 Congressional Committee
29 (e) The congressional committee of each party in each
30 congressional district shall be composed of the chairmen of
31 the county central committees of the counties composing the
32 congressional district, except that in congressional
33 districts wholly within the territorial limits of one county,
34 or partly within 2 or more counties, but not coterminous with
SB1702 Enrolled -8- LRB9011386MWpc
1 the county lines of all of such counties, the precinct
2 committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen, if
3 any, of the party representing the precincts within the
4 limits of the congressional district, shall compose the
5 congressional committee. A State central committeeman in each
6 district shall be a member and the chairman or, when a
7 district has 2 State central committeemen, a co-chairman of
8 the congressional committee, but shall not have the right to
9 vote except in case of a tie.
10 In the organization and proceedings of congressional
11 committees composed of precinct committeemen or township
12 committeemen or ward committeemen, or any combination
13 thereof, each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
14 each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of
15 his party at the primary at which he was elected, each
16 township committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot
17 voted in his township or part of a township as the case may
18 be by the primary electors of his party at the primary
19 election immediately preceding the meeting of the
20 congressional committee, and each ward committeeman shall
21 have one vote for each ballot voted in each precinct of his
22 ward located in such congressional district by the primary
23 electors of his party at the primary election immediately
24 preceding the meeting of the congressional committee; and in
25 the organization and proceedings of congressional committees
26 composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of
27 the counties within such district, each chairman of such
28 county central committee shall have one vote for each ballot
29 voted in his county by the primary electors of his party at
30 the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the
31 congressional committee.
32 Judicial District Committee
33 (f) The judicial district committee of each political
34 party in each judicial district shall be composed of the
SB1702 Enrolled -9- LRB9011386MWpc
1 chairman of the county central committees of the counties
2 composing the judicial district.
3 In the organization and proceedings of judicial district
4 committees composed of the chairmen of the county central
5 committees of the counties within such district, each
6 chairman of such county central committee shall have one vote
7 for each ballot voted in his county by the primary electors
8 of his party at the primary election immediately preceding
9 the meeting of the judicial district committee.
10 Circuit Court Committee
11 (g) The circuit court committee of each political party
12 in each judicial circuit outside Cook County shall be
13 composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of
14 the counties composing the judicial circuit.
15 In the organization and proceedings of circuit court
16 committees, each chairman of a county central committee shall
17 have one vote for each ballot voted in his county by the
18 primary electors of his party at the primary election
19 immediately preceding the meeting of the circuit court
20 committee.
21 Judicial Subcircuit Committee
22 (g-1) The judicial subcircuit committee of each
23 political party in each judicial subcircuit in Cook County
24 shall be composed of the ward and township committeemen of
25 the townships and wards composing the judicial subcircuit.
26 In the organization and proceedings of each judicial
27 subcircuit committee, each township committeeman shall have
28 one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a
29 township, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by
30 the primary electors of his party at the primary election
31 immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit
32 committee; and each ward committeeman shall have one vote for
33 each ballot voted in his ward or part of a ward, as the case
34 may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors of
SB1702 Enrolled -10- LRB9011386MWpc
1 his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
2 meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee.
3 Municipal Central Committee
4 (h) The municipal central committee of each political
5 party shall be composed of the precinct, township or ward
6 committeemen, as the case may be, of such party representing
7 the precincts or wards, embraced in such city, incorporated
8 town or village. The voting strength of each precinct,
9 township or ward committeeman on the municipal central
10 committee shall be the same as his voting strength on the
11 county central committee.
12 For political parties, other than a statewide political
13 party, established only within a municipality or township,
14 the municipal or township managing committee shall be
15 composed of the party officers of the local established
16 party. The party officers of a local established party shall
17 be as follows: the chairman and secretary of the caucus for
18 those municipalities and townships authorized by statute to
19 nominate candidates by caucus shall serve as party officers
20 for the purpose of filling vacancies in nomination under
21 Section 7-61; for municipalities and townships authorized by
22 statute or ordinance to nominate candidates by petition and
23 primary election, the party officers shall be the party's
24 candidates who are nominated at the primary. If no party
25 primary was held because of the provisions of Section 7-5,
26 vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the party's
27 remaining candidates who shall serve as the party's officers.
28 Powers
29 (i) Each committee and its officers shall have the
30 powers usually exercised by such committees and by the
31 officers thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of
32 this Article. The several committees herein provided for
33 shall not have power to delegate any of their powers, or
34 functions to any other person, officer or committee, but this
SB1702 Enrolled -11- LRB9011386MWpc
1 shall not be construed to prevent a committee from appointing
2 from its own membership proper and necessary subcommittees.
3 (j) The State central committee of a political party
4 which elects it members by Alternative B under paragraph (a)
5 of this Section shall adopt a plan to give effect to the
6 delegate selection rules of the national political party and
7 file a copy of such plan with the State Board of Elections
8 when approved by a national political party.
9 (k) For the purpose of the designation of a proxy by a
10 Congressional Committee to vote in place of an absent State
11 central committeeman or committeewoman at meetings of the
12 State central committee of a political party which elects its
13 members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section,
14 the proxy shall be appointed by the vote of the ward and
15 township committeemen, if any, of the wards and townships
16 which lie entirely or partially within the Congressional
17 District from which the absent State central committeeman or
18 committeewoman was elected and the vote of the chairmen of
19 the county central committees of those counties which lie
20 entirely or partially within that Congressional District and
21 in which there are no ward or township committeemen. When
22 voting for such proxy the county chairman, ward committeeman
23 or township committeeman, as the case may be shall have one
24 vote for each ballot voted in his county, ward or township,
25 or portion thereof within the Congressional District, by the
26 primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was
27 elected. However, the absent State central committeeman or
28 committeewoman may designate a proxy when permitted by the
29 rules of a political party which elects its members by
30 Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section.
31 (Source: P.A. 87-1052; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)
32 (10 ILCS 5/7-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-9)
33 Sec. 7-9. County central committee; county and State
SB1702 Enrolled -12- LRB9011386MWpc
1 conventions.
2 (a) On the second Monday next succeeding the primary at
3 which committeemen are elected, the county central committee
4 of each political party shall meet at the county seat of the
5 proper county and proceed to organize by electing from its
6 own number a chairman and either from its own number, or
7 otherwise, such other officers as such committee may deem
8 necessary or expedient. Such meeting of the county central
9 committee shall be known as the county convention.
10 The chairman of each county committee shall within 10
11 days after the organization, forward to the State Board of
12 Elections, the names and post office addresses of the
13 officers, precinct committeemen and representative
14 committeemen elected by his political party.
15 The county convention of each political party shall
16 choose delegates to the State convention of its party; but in
17 any county having within its limits any city having a
18 population of 200,000, or over the delegates from such city
19 shall be chosen by wards, the ward committeemen from the
20 respective wards choosing the number of delegates to which
21 such ward is entitled on the basis prescribed in paragraph
22 (e) of this Section such delegates to be members of the
23 delegation to the State convention from such county. In all
24 counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or more outside
25 of cities having a population of 200,000 or more, the
26 delegates from each of the townships or parts of townships as
27 the case may be shall be chosen by townships or parts of
28 townships as the case may be, the township committeemen from
29 the respective townships or parts of townships as the case
30 may be choosing the number of delegates to which such
31 townships or parts of townships as the case may be are
32 entitled, on the basis prescribed in paragraph (e) of this
33 Section such delegates to be members of the delegation to the
34 State convention from such county.
SB1702 Enrolled -13- LRB9011386MWpc
1 Each member of the State Central Committee of a political
2 party which elects its members by Alternative B under
3 paragraph (a) of Section 7-8 shall be a delegate to the State
4 Convention, ex officio.
5 Each member of the State Central Committee of a political
6 party which elects its members by Alternative B under
7 paragraph (a) of Section 7-8 may appoint 2 delegates to the
8 State Convention who must be residents of the member's
9 Congressional District.
10 (b)All State conventions shall be held within 180 days
11 after the general primary in the year 2000 and every 4 years
12 thereafter on the first Friday after the second Monday next
13 succeeding the primary at which committeemen are elected. In
14 the year 1998, and every 4 years thereafter, the chairman of
15 a State central committee may issue a call for a State
16 convention within 180 days after the general primary.
17 The State convention of each political party has power to
18 make nominations of candidates of its political party for the
19 electors of President and Vice President of the United
20 States, and to adopt any party platform, and, to the extent
21 determined by the State central committee as provided in
22 Section 7-14, to choose and select delegates and alternate
23 delegates at large to national nominating conventions. The
24 State Central Committee may adopt rules to provide for and
25 govern the procedures of the State convention.
26 (c) The chairman and secretary of each State convention
27 shall, within 2 days thereafter, transmit to the State Board
28 of Elections of this State a certificate setting forth the
29 names and addresses of all persons nominated by such State
30 convention for electors of President and Vice President of
31 the United States, and of any persons selected by the State
32 convention for delegates and alternate delegates at large to
33 national nominating conventions; and the names of such
34 candidates so chosen by such State convention for electors of
SB1702 Enrolled -14- LRB9011386MWpc
1 President and Vice President of the United States, shall be
2 caused by the State Board of Elections to be printed upon the
3 official ballot at the general election, in the manner
4 required by law, and shall be certified to the various county
5 clerks of the proper counties in the manner as provided in
6 Section 7-60 of this Article 7 for the certifying of the
7 names of persons nominated by any party for State offices. If
8 and as long as this Act prescribes that the names of such
9 electors be not printed on the ballot, then the names of such
10 electors shall be certified in such manner as may be
11 prescribed by the parts of this Act applicable thereto.
12 (d) Each convention may perform all other functions
13 inherent to such political organization and not inconsistent
14 with this Article.
15 (e) At least 33 days before the date of a State
16 convention primary at which committeemen are elected, the
17 chairman of the State central committee of each political
18 party shall file in the principal office of the State Board
19 of Elections county clerk in each county of the State a call
20 for the State convention. Such call shall state, among other
21 things, the time and place (designating the building or hall)
22 for holding the State convention. Such call shall be signed
23 by the chairman and attested by the secretary of the
24 committee. In such convention each county shall be entitled
25 to one delegate for each 500 ballots voted by the primary
26 electors of the party in such county at the primary to be
27 held next after the issuance of such call; and if in such
28 county, less than 500 ballots are so voted or if the number
29 of ballots so voted is not exactly a multiple of 500, there
30 shall be one delegate for such group which is less than 500,
31 or for such group representing the number of votes over the
32 multiple of 500, which delegate shall have 1/500 of one vote
33 for each primary vote so represented by him. The call for
34 such convention shall set forth this paragraph (e) of Section
SB1702 Enrolled -15- LRB9011386MWpc
1 7-9 in full and shall direct that the number of delegates to
2 be chosen be calculated in compliance herewith and that such
3 number of delegates be chosen.
4 (f) All precinct, township and ward committeemen when
5 elected as provided in this Section shall serve as though
6 elected at large irrespective of any changes that may be made
7 in precinct, township or ward boundaries and the voting
8 strength of each committeeman shall remain as provided in
9 this Section for the entire time for which he is elected.
10 (g) The officers elected at any convention provided for
11 in this Section shall serve until their successors are
12 elected as provided in this Act.
13 (h) A special meeting of any central committee may be
14 called by the chairman, or by not less than 25% of the
15 members of such committee, by giving 5 days notice to members
16 of such committee in writing designating the time and place
17 at which such special meeting is to be held and the business
18 which it is proposed to present at such special meeting.
19 (i) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, whenever a
20 vacancy exists in the office of precinct committeeman because
21 no one was elected to that office or because the precinct
22 committeeman ceases to reside in the precinct or for any
23 other reason, the chairman of the county central committee of
24 the appropriate political party may fill the vacancy in such
25 office by appointment of a qualified resident of the county
26 and the appointed precinct committeeman shall serve as though
27 elected; however, no such appointment may be made between the
28 general primary election and the 14th day after the general
29 primary election.
30 (j) If the number of Congressional Districts in the
31 State of Illinois is reduced as a result of reapportionment
32 of Congressional Districts following a federal decennial
33 census, the State Central Committeemen and Committeewomen of
34 a political party which elects its State Central Committee by
SB1702 Enrolled -16- LRB9011386MWpc
1 either Alternative A or by Alternative B under paragraph (a)
2 of Section 7-8 who were previously elected shall continue to
3 serve as if no reapportionment had occurred until the
4 expiration of their terms.
5 (Source: P.A. 89-5, eff. 1-1-96.)
6 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
7 becoming law.
[ Top ]