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1     AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section
5 7-8 as follows:
 
6     (10 ILCS 5/7-8)  (from Ch. 46, par. 7-8)
7     Sec. 7-8. The State central committee shall be composed of
8 one or two members from each congressional district in the
9 State and shall be elected as follows:
10
State Central Committee
11     (a) Within 30 days after the effective date of this
12 amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly 1983 the State
13 central committee of each political party shall certify to the
14 State Board of Elections which of the following alternatives it
15 wishes to apply to the State central committee of that party.
16     Alternative A. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in
17 March 2006, and at the primary held every 4 years thereafter,
18 each primary elector may vote for one candidate of his party
19 for member of the State central committee for the congressional
20 district in which he resides. The State central committee of
21 the political party under Alternative A shall be composed of
22 members elected from the several congressional districts of the
23 State, or appointed to fill a vacancy, as herein provided, and
24 of no other person or persons whomever. The members of the
25 State central committee shall, within 30 days after their
26 election, meet in the city of Springfield and organize by
27 electing from among their own number a chairman, and may at
28 such time elect such officers from among their own number (or
29 otherwise), as they may deem necessary or expedient. The
30 outgoing chairman of the State central committee of the party
31 shall, within 10 days before the meeting, notify each member of
32 the State central committee elected at the primary of the time

 

 

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1 and place of such meeting. In the organization and proceedings
2 of the State central committee, each State central committeeman
3 shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his congressional
4 district by the primary electors of his party at the primary at
5 which he was elected. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the State
6 central committee of the political party, the vacancy may be
7 filled by appointment by the congressional committee of the
8 political party in the congressional district from which the
9 appointee's predecessor was elected, and the member so selected
10 to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of that congressional
11 district. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March
12 1970, and at the primary held every 4 years thereafter, each
13 primary elector may vote for one candidate of his party for
14 member of the State central committee for the congressional
15 district in which he resides. The candidate receiving the
16 highest number of votes shall be declared elected State central
17 committeeman from the district. A political party may, in lieu
18 of the foregoing, by a majority vote of delegates at any State
19 convention of such party, determine to thereafter elect the
20 State central committeemen in the manner following:
21     At the county convention held by such political party State
22 central committeemen shall be elected in the same manner as
23 provided in this Article for the election of officers of the
24 county central committee, and such election shall follow the
25 election of officers of the county central committee. Each
26 elected ward, township or precinct committeeman shall cast as
27 his vote one vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township,
28 part of a township or precinct in the last preceding primary
29 election of his political party. In the case of a county lying
30 partially within one congressional district and partially
31 within another congressional district, each ward, township or
32 precinct committeeman shall vote only with respect to the
33 congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a
34 township or precinct is located. In the case of a congressional
35 district which encompasses more than one county, each ward,
36 township or precinct committeeman residing within the

 

 

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1 congressional district shall cast as his vote one vote for each
2 ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a township or
3 precinct in the last preceding primary election of his
4 political party for one candidate of his party for member of
5 the State central committee for the congressional district in
6 which he resides and the Chairman of the county central
7 committee shall report the results of the election to the State
8 Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections shall certify
9 the candidate receiving the highest number of votes elected
10 State central committeeman for that congressional district.
11     The State central committee shall adopt rules to provide
12 for and govern the procedures to be followed in the election of
13 members of the State central committee.
14     After the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st
15 General Assembly, whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of
16 Chairman of a State central committee, or at the end of the
17 term of office of Chairman, the State central committee of each
18 political party that has selected Alternative A shall elect a
19 Chairman who shall not be required to be a member of the State
20 Central Committee. The Chairman shall be a registered voter in
21 this State and of the same political party as the State central
22 committee.
23     Alternative B. Each congressional committee shall, within
24 30 days after the adoption of this alternative, appoint a
25 person of the sex opposite that of the incumbent member for
26 that congressional district to serve as an additional member of
27 the State central committee until his or her successor is
28 elected at the general primary election in 1986. Each
29 congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting
30 on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section. In
31 each congressional district at the general primary election
32 held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, the male candidate
33 receiving the highest number of votes of the party's male
34 candidates for State central committeeman, and the female
35 candidate receiving the highest number of votes of the party's
36 female candidates for State central committeewoman, shall be

 

 

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1 declared elected State central committeeman and State central
2 committeewoman from the district. At the general primary
3 election held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, if all a
4 party's candidates for State central committeemen or State
5 central committeewomen from a congressional district are of the
6 same sex, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes
7 shall be declared elected a State central committeeman or State
8 central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a
9 failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a
10 vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the second
11 member of the State central committee from the district. This
12 vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the congressional
13 committee of the political party, and the person appointed to
14 fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the congressional
15 district and of the sex opposite that of the committeeman or
16 committeewoman elected at the general primary election. Each
17 congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting
18 on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section.
19     The Chairman of a State central committee composed as
20 provided in this Alternative B must be selected from the
21 committee's members.
22     The Except as provided for in Alternative A with respect to
23 the selection of the Chairman of the State central committee,
24 under both of the foregoing alternatives, the State central
25 committee of the each political party under Alternative B shall
26 be composed of members elected or appointed from the several
27 congressional districts of the State, and of no other person or
28 persons whomsoever. The members of the State central committee
29 shall, within 30 days after each quadrennial election of the
30 full committee, meet in the city of Springfield and organize by
31 electing a chairman, and may at such time elect such officers
32 from among their own number (or otherwise), as they may deem
33 necessary or expedient. The outgoing chairman of the State
34 central committee of the party shall, 10 days before the
35 meeting, notify each member of the State central committee
36 elected at the primary of the time and place of such meeting.

 

 

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1 In the organization and proceedings of the State central
2 committee, each State central committeeman and State central
3 committeewoman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
4 or her congressional district by the primary electors of his or
5 her party at the primary election immediately preceding the
6 meeting of the State central committee. Whenever a vacancy
7 occurs in the State central committee of the any political
8 party, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the
9 chairmen of the county central committees of the political
10 party of the counties located within the congressional district
11 in which the vacancy occurs and, if applicable, the ward and
12 township committeemen of the political party in counties of
13 2,000,000 or more inhabitants located within the congressional
14 district. If the congressional district in which the vacancy
15 occurs lies wholly within a county of 2,000,000 or more
16 inhabitants, the ward and township committeemen of the
17 political party in that congressional district shall vote to
18 fill the vacancy. In voting to fill the vacancy, each chairman
19 of a county central committee and each ward and township
20 committeeman in counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants shall
21 have one vote for each ballot voted in each precinct of the
22 congressional district in which the vacancy exists of his or
23 her county, township, or ward cast by the primary electors of
24 his or her party at the primary election immediately preceding
25 the meeting to fill the vacancy in the State central committee.
26 The person appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of
27 the congressional district in which the vacancy occurs, shall
28 be a qualified voter, and, in a committee composed as provided
29 in Alternative B, shall be of the same sex as his or her
30 predecessor.
31     A political party under Alternative A may, by a majority
32 vote of the delegates at their of any State convention of such
33 party, select a different Alternative under this subsection
34 than selected by the State central committee determine to
35 return to the election of State central committeeman and State
36 central committeewoman by the vote of primary electors. Any

 

 

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1 action taken by a political party at a State convention in
2 accordance with this Section shall be reported to the State
3 Board of Elections by the chairman and secretary of such
4 convention within 10 days after such action.
5
Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen
6     (b) At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
7 1972, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
8 cities having a population of 200,000 or over may vote for one
9 candidate of his party in his ward for ward committeeman. Each
10 candidate for ward committeeman must be a resident of and in
11 the ward where he seeks to be elected ward committeeman. The
12 one having the highest number of votes shall be such ward
13 committeeman of such party for such ward. At the primary
14 election held on the third Tuesday in March, 1970, and every 4
15 years thereafter, each primary elector in counties containing a
16 population of 2,000,000 or more, outside of cities containing a
17 population of 200,000 or more, may vote for one candidate of
18 his party for township committeeman. Each candidate for
19 township committeeman must be a resident of and in the township
20 or part of a township (which lies outside of a city having a
21 population of 200,000 or more, in counties containing a
22 population of 2,000,000 or more), and in which township or part
23 of a township he seeks to be elected township committeeman. The
24 one having the highest number of votes shall be such township
25 committeeman of such party for such township or part of a
26 township. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
27 1970 and every 2 years thereafter, each primary elector, except
28 in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or over, may vote
29 for one candidate of his party in his precinct for precinct
30 committeeman. Each candidate for precinct committeeman must be
31 a bona fide resident of the precinct where he seeks to be
32 elected precinct committeeman. The one having the highest
33 number of votes shall be such precinct committeeman of such
34 party for such precinct. The official returns of the primary
35 shall show the name of the committeeman of each political
36 party.

 

 

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1     Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected
2 under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such
3 committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the
4 second year after their election. Except as otherwise provided
5 in this Section for certain State central committeemen who have
6 2 year terms, all State central committeemen, township
7 committeemen and ward committeemen shall continue as such
8 committeemen until the date of primary to be held in the fourth
9 year after their election. However, a vacancy exists in the
10 office of precinct committeeman when a precinct committeeman
11 ceases to reside in the precinct in which he was elected and
12 such precinct committeeman shall thereafter neither have nor
13 exercise any rights, powers or duties as committeeman in that
14 precinct, even if a successor has not been elected or
15 appointed.
16     (c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist of
17 the precinct committeemen of such party, in the multi-township
18 assessing district formed pursuant to Section 2-10 of the
19 Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the purposes set
20 forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In the
21 organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township Central
22 Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
23 each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of
24 his party at the primary at which he was elected.
25
County Central Committee
26     (d) The county central committee of each political party in
27 each county shall consist of the various township committeemen,
28 precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of such
29 party in the county. In the organization and proceedings of the
30 county central committee, each precinct committeeman shall
31 have one vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the
32 primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was
33 elected; each township committeeman shall have one vote for
34 each ballot voted in his township or part of a township as the
35 case may be by the primary electors of his party at the primary
36 election for the nomination of candidates for election to the

 

 

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1 General Assembly immediately preceding the meeting of the
2 county central committee; and in the organization and
3 proceedings of the county central committee, each ward
4 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
5 ward by the primary electors of his party at the primary
6 election for the nomination of candidates for election to the
7 General Assembly immediately preceding the meeting of the
8 county central committee.
9
Cook County Board of Review Election District Committee
10     (d-1) Each board of review election district committee of
11 each political party in Cook County shall consist of the
12 various township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of
13 that party in the portions of the county composing the board of
14 review election district. In the organization and proceedings
15 of each of the 3 election district committees, each township
16 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
17 or her township or part of a township, as the case may be, by
18 the primary electors of his or her party at the primary
19 election immediately preceding the meeting of the board of
20 review election district committee; and in the organization and
21 proceedings of each of the 3 election district committees, each
22 ward committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
23 his or her ward or part of that ward, as the case may be, by the
24 primary electors of his or her party at the primary election
25 immediately preceding the meeting of the board of review
26 election district committee.
27
Congressional Committee
28     (e) The congressional committee of each party in each
29 congressional district shall be composed of the chairmen of the
30 county central committees of the counties composing the
31 congressional district, except that in congressional districts
32 wholly within the territorial limits of one county, or partly
33 within 2 or more counties, but not coterminous with the county
34 lines of all of such counties, the precinct committeemen,
35 township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of the
36 party representing the precincts within the limits of the

 

 

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1 congressional district, shall compose the congressional
2 committee. A State central committeeman in each district shall
3 be a member and the chairman or, when a district has 2 State
4 central committeemen, a co-chairman of the congressional
5 committee, but shall not have the right to vote except in case
6 of a tie.
7     In the organization and proceedings of congressional
8 committees composed of precinct committeemen or township
9 committeemen or ward committeemen, or any combination thereof,
10 each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot
11 voted in his precinct by the primary electors of his party at
12 the primary at which he was elected, each township committeeman
13 shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or
14 part of a township as the case may be by the primary electors
15 of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
16 meeting of the congressional committee, and each ward
17 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in each
18 precinct of his ward located in such congressional district by
19 the primary electors of his party at the primary election
20 immediately preceding the meeting of the congressional
21 committee; and in the organization and proceedings of
22 congressional committees composed of the chairmen of the county
23 central committees of the counties within such district, each
24 chairman of such county central committee shall have one vote
25 for each ballot voted in his county by the primary electors of
26 his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
27 meeting of the congressional committee.
28
Judicial District Committee
29     (f) The judicial district committee of each political party
30 in each judicial district shall be composed of the chairman of
31 the county central committees of the counties composing the
32 judicial district.
33     In the organization and proceedings of judicial district
34 committees composed of the chairmen of the county central
35 committees of the counties within such district, each chairman
36 of such county central committee shall have one vote for each

 

 

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1 ballot voted in his county by the primary electors of his party
2 at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of
3 the judicial district committee.
4
Circuit Court Committee
5     (g) The circuit court committee of each political party in
6 each judicial circuit outside Cook County shall be composed of
7 the chairmen of the county central committees of the counties
8 composing the judicial circuit.
9     In the organization and proceedings of circuit court
10 committees, each chairman of a county central committee shall
11 have one vote for each ballot voted in his county by the
12 primary electors of his party at the primary election
13 immediately preceding the meeting of the circuit court
14 committee.
15
Judicial Subcircuit Committee
16     (g-1) The judicial subcircuit committee of each political
17 party in each judicial subcircuit in a judicial circuit divided
18 into subcircuits shall be composed of (i) the ward and township
19 committeemen of the townships and wards composing the judicial
20 subcircuit in Cook County and (ii) the precinct committeemen of
21 the precincts composing the judicial subcircuit in any county
22 other than Cook County.
23     In the organization and proceedings of each judicial
24 subcircuit committee, each township committeeman shall have
25 one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a
26 township, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the
27 primary electors of his party at the primary election
28 immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit
29 committee; each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
30 each ballot voted in his precinct or part of a precinct, as the
31 case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors
32 of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
33 meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee; and each ward
34 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
35 ward or part of a ward, as the case may be, in the judicial
36 subcircuit by the primary electors of his party at the primary

 

 

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1 election immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial
2 subcircuit committee.
3
Municipal Central Committee
4     (h) The municipal central committee of each political party
5 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, township
9 or ward committeeman on the municipal central committee shall
10 be the same as his voting strength on the county central
11 committee.
12     For political parties, other than a statewide political
13 party, established only within a municipality or township, the
14 municipal or township managing committee shall be composed of
15 the party officers of the local established party. The party
16 officers of a local established party shall be as follows: the
17 chairman and secretary of the caucus for those municipalities
18 and townships authorized by statute to nominate candidates by
19 caucus shall serve as party officers for the purpose of filling
20 vacancies in nomination under Section 7-61; for municipalities
21 and townships authorized by statute or ordinance to nominate
22 candidates by petition and primary election, the party officers
23 shall be the party's candidates who are nominated at the
24 primary. If no party primary was held because of the provisions
25 of Section 7-5, vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the
26 party's remaining candidates who shall serve as the party's
27 officers.
28
Powers
29     (i) Each committee and its officers shall have the powers
30 usually exercised by such committees and by the officers
31 thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article.
32 The several committees herein provided for shall not have power
33 to delegate any of their powers, or functions to any other
34 person, officer or committee, but this shall not be construed
35 to prevent a committee from appointing from its own membership
36 proper and necessary subcommittees.

 

 

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1     (j) The State central committee of a political party which
2 elects it members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
3 Section shall adopt a plan to give effect to the delegate
4 selection rules of the national political party and file a copy
5 of such plan with the State Board of Elections when approved by
6 a national political party.
7     (k) For the purpose of the designation of a proxy by a
8 Congressional Committee to vote in place of an absent State
9 central committeeman or committeewoman at meetings of the State
10 central committee of a political party which elects its members
11 by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section, the proxy
12 shall be appointed by the vote of the ward and township
13 committeemen, if any, of the wards and townships which lie
14 entirely or partially within the Congressional District from
15 which the absent State central committeeman or committeewoman
16 was elected and the vote of the chairmen of the county central
17 committees of those counties which lie entirely or partially
18 within that Congressional District and in which there are no
19 ward or township committeemen. When voting for such proxy the
20 county chairman, ward committeeman or township committeeman,
21 as the case may be shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
22 his county, ward or township, or portion thereof within the
23 Congressional District, by the primary electors of his party at
24 the primary at which he was elected. However, the absent State
25 central committeeman or committeewoman may designate a proxy
26 when permitted by the rules of a political party which elects
27 its members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
28 Section.
29     Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person is
30 ineligible to hold the position of committeeperson in any
31 committee established pursuant to this Section if he or she is
32 statutorily ineligible to vote in a general election because of
33 conviction of a felony. When a committeeperson is convicted of
34 a felony, the position occupied by that committeeperson shall
35 automatically become vacant.
36 (Source: P.A. 93-541, eff. 8-18-03; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03;

 

 

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1 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)