Section 125.320  Initiation of Hearing

a)         Hearings conducted pursuant to Subpart C shall be initiated once the Board has determined that a complaint alleging a violation of Article 9 has been filed upon justifiable grounds and further determines that a hearing is necessary under Section 125.262(a).

b)         Hearings may also be initiated when, in the exercise of its discretion, the Board determines there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of any other election law may have occurred.

c)         The Board may determine that any adjudicative hearing shall be held before the Board.  In the absence of that determination, an adjudicative hearing shall be conducted by a Hearing Officer.

d)         Any hearing before the Board shall be conducted in the same manner as provided for the calling and conduct of hearings by a Hearing Officer, except that, after the conclusion of a hearing, the Board shall issue its final order without the necessity of written comment from the General Counsel.

(Source:  Amended at 35 Ill. Reg. 2351, effective February 4, 2011)