96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB0600

 

Introduced 2/6/2009, by Sen. Chris Lauzen

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/7-8   from Ch. 46, par. 7-8

    Amends the Election Code. With respect to political parties that select their State central committee using the "Alternative A" method, provides for election of committeemen by congressional district. Removes the option of election of State central committeemen by ward, township, and precinct committeemen. Requires each State central committee, within 30 days after the bill's effective date, to certify to the State Board of Elections its choice of alternative method of member selection. Makes other changes.


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A BILL FOR

 

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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 96th 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 general primary in 2010, and at the
17 general primary every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector
18 may vote for one candidate of his or her party for member of
19 the State central committee for the congressional district in
20 which he or she resides. The State central committee of the
21 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

 

 

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1 of no other person or persons whomever. The members of the
2 State central committee shall, within 30 days after their
3 election, meet in the city of Springfield and organize by
4 electing from among their own number a chairman, and may at
5 such time elect such officers from among their own number (or
6 otherwise), as they may deem necessary or expedient. The
7 outgoing chairman of the State central committee of the party
8 shall, within 10 days before the meeting, notify each member of
9 the State central committee elected at the primary of the time
10 and place of such meeting. In the organization and proceedings
11 of the State central committee, each State central committeeman
12 shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his or her
13 congressional district by the primary electors of his or her
14 party at the primary at which he or she was elected. Whenever a
15 vacancy occurs in the State central committee of the political
16 party, the vacancy may be filled by appointment by the
17 congressional committee of the political party in the
18 congressional district from which the appointee's predecessor
19 was elected, and the member so selected to fill the vacancy
20 shall be a resident of that congressional district. At the
21 primary in 1970 and at the general primary election held every
22 4 years thereafter, each primary elector may vote for one
23 candidate of his party for member of the State central
24 committee for the congressional district in which he resides.
25 The candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be
26 declared elected State central committeeman from the district.

 

 

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1 A political party may, in lieu of the foregoing, by a majority
2 vote of delegates at any State convention of such party,
3 determine to thereafter elect the State central committeemen in
4 the manner following:
5     At the county convention held by such political party State
6 central committeemen shall be elected in the same manner as
7 provided in this Article for the election of officers of the
8 county central committee, and such election shall follow the
9 election of officers of the county central committee. Each
10 elected ward, township or precinct committeeman shall cast as
11 his vote one vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township,
12 part of a township or precinct in the last preceding primary
13 election of his political party. In the case of a county lying
14 partially within one congressional district and partially
15 within another congressional district, each ward, township or
16 precinct committeeman shall vote only with respect to the
17 congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a
18 township or precinct is located. In the case of a congressional
19 district which encompasses more than one county, each ward,
20 township or precinct committeeman residing within the
21 congressional district shall cast as his vote one vote for each
22 ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a township or
23 precinct in the last preceding primary election of his
24 political party for one candidate of his party for member of
25 the State central committee for the congressional district in
26 which he resides and the Chairman of the county central

 

 

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

 

 

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1 receiving the highest number of votes of the party's male
2 candidates for State central committeeman, and the female
3 candidate receiving the highest number of votes of the party's
4 female candidates for State central committeewoman, shall be
5 declared elected State central committeeman and State central
6 committeewoman from the district. At the general primary
7 election held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, if all a
8 party's candidates for State central committeemen or State
9 central committeewomen from a congressional district are of the
10 same sex, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes
11 shall be declared elected a State central committeeman or State
12 central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a
13 failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a
14 vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the second
15 member of the State central committee from the district. This
16 vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the congressional
17 committee of the political party, and the person appointed to
18 fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the congressional
19 district and of the sex opposite that of the committeeman or
20 committeewoman elected at the general primary election. Each
21 congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting
22 on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section.
23     The Chairman of a State central committee composed as
24 provided in this Alternative B must be selected from the
25 committee's members.
26     The Except as provided for in Alternative A with respect to

 

 

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1 the selection of the Chairman of the State central committee,
2 under both of the foregoing alternatives, the State central
3 committee of the each political party under Alternative B shall
4 be composed of members elected or appointed from the several
5 congressional districts of the State, and of no other person or
6 persons whomsoever. The members of the State central committee
7 shall, within 41 days after each quadrennial election of the
8 full committee, meet in the city of Springfield and organize by
9 electing a chairman, and may at such time elect such officers
10 from among their own number (or otherwise), as they may deem
11 necessary or expedient. The outgoing chairman of the State
12 central committee of the party shall, 10 days before the
13 meeting, notify each member of the State central committee
14 elected at the primary of the time and place of such meeting.
15 In the organization and proceedings of the State central
16 committee, each State central committeeman and State central
17 committeewoman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
18 or her congressional district by the primary electors of his or
19 her party at the primary election immediately preceding the
20 meeting of the State central committee. Whenever a vacancy
21 occurs in the State central committee of the any political
22 party, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the
23 chairmen of the county central committees of the political
24 party of the counties located within the congressional district
25 in which the vacancy occurs and, if applicable, the ward and
26 township committeemen of the political party in counties of

 

 

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

 

 

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1 secretary of such convention within 10 days after such action.
2
Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen
3     (b) At the primary in 1972 and at the general primary
4 election every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
5 cities having a population of 200,000 or over may vote for one
6 candidate of his party in his ward for ward committeeman. Each
7 candidate for ward committeeman must be a resident of and in
8 the ward where he seeks to be elected ward committeeman. The
9 one having the highest number of votes shall be such ward
10 committeeman of such party for such ward. At the primary
11 election in 1970 and at the general primary election every 4
12 years thereafter, each primary elector in counties containing a
13 population of 2,000,000 or more, outside of cities containing a
14 population of 200,000 or more, may vote for one candidate of
15 his party for township committeeman. Each candidate for
16 township committeeman must be a resident of and in the township
17 or part of a township (which lies outside of a city having a
18 population of 200,000 or more, in counties containing a
19 population of 2,000,000 or more), and in which township or part
20 of a township he seeks to be elected township committeeman. The
21 one having the highest number of votes shall be such township
22 committeeman of such party for such township or part of a
23 township. At the primary in 1970 and at the general primary
24 election every 2 years thereafter, each primary elector, except
25 in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or over, may vote
26 for one candidate of his party in his precinct for precinct

 

 

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1 committeeman. Each candidate for precinct committeeman must be
2 a bona fide resident of the precinct where he seeks to be
3 elected precinct committeeman. The one having the highest
4 number of votes shall be such precinct committeeman of such
5 party for such precinct. The official returns of the primary
6 shall show the name of the committeeman of each political
7 party.
8     Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected
9 under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such
10 committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the
11 second year after their election. Except as otherwise provided
12 in this Section for certain State central committeemen who have
13 2 year terms, all State central committeemen, township
14 committeemen and ward committeemen shall continue as such
15 committeemen until the date of primary to be held in the fourth
16 year after their election. However, a vacancy exists in the
17 office of precinct committeeman when a precinct committeeman
18 ceases to reside in the precinct in which he was elected and
19 such precinct committeeman shall thereafter neither have nor
20 exercise any rights, powers or duties as committeeman in that
21 precinct, even if a successor has not been elected or
22 appointed.
23     (c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist of
24 the precinct committeemen of such party, in the multi-township
25 assessing district formed pursuant to Section 2-10 of the
26 Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the purposes set

 

 

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1 forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In the
2 organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township Central
3 Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
4 each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of
5 his party at the primary at which he was elected.
6
County Central Committee
7     (d) The county central committee of each political party in
8 each county shall consist of the various township committeemen,
9 precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of such
10 party in the county. In the organization and proceedings of the
11 county central committee, each precinct committeeman shall
12 have one vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the
13 primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was
14 elected; each township committeeman shall have one vote for
15 each ballot voted in his township or part of a township as the
16 case may be by the primary electors of his party at the primary
17 election for the nomination of candidates for election to the
18 General Assembly immediately preceding the meeting of the
19 county central committee; and in the organization and
20 proceedings of the county central committee, each ward
21 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
22 ward by the primary electors of his party at the primary
23 election for the nomination of candidates for election to the
24 General Assembly immediately preceding the meeting of the
25 county central committee.
26
Cook County Board of Review Election District Committee

 

 

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1     (d-1) Each board of review election district committee of
2 each political party in Cook County shall consist of the
3 various township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of
4 that party in the portions of the county composing the board of
5 review election district. In the organization and proceedings
6 of each of the 3 election district committees, each township
7 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
8 or her township or part of a township, as the case may be, by
9 the primary electors of his or her party at the primary
10 election immediately preceding the meeting of the board of
11 review election district committee; and in the organization and
12 proceedings of each of the 3 election district committees, each
13 ward committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
14 his or her ward or part of that ward, as the case may be, by the
15 primary electors of his or her party at the primary election
16 immediately preceding the meeting of the board of review
17 election district committee.
18
Congressional Committee
19     (e) The congressional committee of each party in each
20 congressional district shall be composed of the chairmen of the
21 county central committees of the counties composing the
22 congressional district, except that in congressional districts
23 wholly within the territorial limits of one county, the
24 precinct committeemen, township committeemen and ward
25 committeemen, if any, of the party representing the precincts
26 within the limits of the congressional district, shall compose

 

 

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

 

 

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1
Judicial District Committee
2     (f) The judicial district committee of each political party
3 in each judicial district shall be composed of the chairman of
4 the county central committees of the counties composing the
5 judicial district.
6     In the organization and proceedings of judicial district
7 committees composed of the chairmen of the county central
8 committees of the counties within such district, each chairman
9 of such county central committee shall have one vote for each
10 ballot voted in his county by the primary electors of his party
11 at the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of
12 the judicial district committee.
13
Circuit Court Committee
14     (g) The circuit court committee of each political party in
15 each judicial circuit outside Cook County shall be composed of
16 the chairmen of the county central committees of the counties
17 composing the judicial circuit.
18     In the organization and proceedings of circuit court
19 committees, each chairman of a county central committee shall
20 have one vote for each ballot voted in his county by the
21 primary electors of his party at the primary election
22 immediately preceding the meeting of the circuit court
23 committee.
24
Judicial Subcircuit Committee
25     (g-1) The judicial subcircuit committee of each political
26 party in each judicial subcircuit in a judicial circuit divided

 

 

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1 into subcircuits shall be composed of (i) the ward and township
2 committeemen of the townships and wards composing the judicial
3 subcircuit in Cook County and (ii) the precinct committeemen of
4 the precincts composing the judicial subcircuit in any county
5 other than Cook County.
6     In the organization and proceedings of each judicial
7 subcircuit committee, each township committeeman shall have
8 one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a
9 township, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the
10 primary electors of his party at the primary election
11 immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit
12 committee; each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
13 each ballot voted in his precinct or part of a precinct, as the
14 case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors
15 of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
16 meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee; and each ward
17 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
18 ward or part of a ward, as the case may be, in the judicial
19 subcircuit by the primary electors of his party at the primary
20 election immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial
21 subcircuit committee.
22
Municipal Central Committee
23     (h) The municipal central committee of each political party
24 shall be composed of the precinct, township or ward
25 committeemen, as the case may be, of such party representing
26 the precincts or wards, embraced in such city, incorporated

 

 

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1 town or village. The voting strength of each precinct, township
2 or ward committeeman on the municipal central committee shall
3 be the same as his voting strength on the county central
4 committee.
5     For political parties, other than a statewide political
6 party, established only within a municipality or township, the
7 municipal or township managing committee shall be composed of
8 the party officers of the local established party. The party
9 officers of a local established party shall be as follows: the
10 chairman and secretary of the caucus for those municipalities
11 and townships authorized by statute to nominate candidates by
12 caucus shall serve as party officers for the purpose of filling
13 vacancies in nomination under Section 7-61; for municipalities
14 and townships authorized by statute or ordinance to nominate
15 candidates by petition and primary election, the party officers
16 shall be the party's candidates who are nominated at the
17 primary. If no party primary was held because of the provisions
18 of Section 7-5, vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the
19 party's remaining candidates who shall serve as the party's
20 officers.
21
Powers
22     (i) Each committee and its officers shall have the powers
23 usually exercised by such committees and by the officers
24 thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article.
25 The several committees herein provided for shall not have power
26 to delegate any of their powers, or functions to any other

 

 

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1 person, officer or committee, but this shall not be construed
2 to prevent a committee from appointing from its own membership
3 proper and necessary subcommittees.
4     (j) The State central committee of a political party which
5 elects it members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
6 Section shall adopt a plan to give effect to the delegate
7 selection rules of the national political party and file a copy
8 of such plan with the State Board of Elections when approved by
9 a national political party.
10     (k) For the purpose of the designation of a proxy by a
11 Congressional Committee to vote in place of an absent State
12 central committeeman or committeewoman at meetings of the State
13 central committee of a political party which elects its members
14 by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section, the proxy
15 shall be appointed by the vote of the ward and township
16 committeemen, if any, of the wards and townships which lie
17 entirely or partially within the Congressional District from
18 which the absent State central committeeman or committeewoman
19 was elected and the vote of the chairmen of the county central
20 committees of those counties which lie entirely or partially
21 within that Congressional District and in which there are no
22 ward or township committeemen. When voting for such proxy the
23 county chairman, ward committeeman or township committeeman,
24 as the case may be shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
25 his county, ward or township, or portion thereof within the
26 Congressional District, by the primary electors of his party at

 

 

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1 the primary at which he was elected. However, the absent State
2 central committeeman or committeewoman may designate a proxy
3 when permitted by the rules of a political party which elects
4 its members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
5 Section.
6     Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person is
7 ineligible to hold the position of committeeperson in any
8 committee established pursuant to this Section if he or she is
9 statutorily ineligible to vote in a general election because of
10 conviction of a felony. When a committeeperson is convicted of
11 a felony, the position occupied by that committeeperson shall
12 automatically become vacant.
13 (Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05; 95-6, eff. 6-20-07; 95-699,
14 eff. 11-9-07.)