98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB5551

 

Introduced , by Rep. Brad E. Halbrook

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/21-1  from Ch. 46, par. 21-1

    Amends the Election Code. Provides that electors for the President and Vice-President of the United States shall be nominated by congressional district, with the remaining electors being selected by the political party whose candidates won the State-wide vote. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB5551LRB098 18992 MGM 54141 b

1    AN ACT concerning elections.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section
521-1 as follows:
 
6    (10 ILCS 5/21-1)  (from Ch. 46, par. 21-1)
7    Sec. 21-1. Choosing and election of electors of President
8and Vice-President of the United States shall be in the
9following manner:
10    (a) In each year in which a President and Vice-President of
11the United States are chosen, each political party or group in
12this State shall choose by its State Convention electors of
13President and Vice-President of the United States and such
14State Convention of such party or group shall also choose
15electors at large, if any are to be appointed for this State
16and such State Convention of such party or group shall by its
17chairman and secretary certify the total list of such electors
18together with electors at large so chosen to the State Board of
19Elections.
20    The filing of such certificate with the Board, of such
21choosing of electors shall be deemed and taken to be the
22choosing and selection of the electors of this State, if such
23party or group is successful at the polls as herein provided in

 

 

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1choosing their candidates for President and Vice-President of
2the United States.
3    (b) The names of the candidates of the several political
4parties or groups for electors of President and Vice-President
5shall not be printed on the official ballot to be voted in the
6election to be held on the day in this Act above named. In lieu
7of the names of the candidates for such electors of President
8and Vice-President, immediately under the appellation of party
9name of a party or group in the column of its candidates on the
10official ballot, to be voted at said election first above named
11in subsection (1) of Section 2A-1.2 and Section 2A-2, there
12shall be printed within a bracket the name of the candidate for
13President and the name of the candidate for Vice-President of
14such party or group with a square to the left of such bracket.
15Each voter in this State from the several lists or sets of
16electors so chosen and selected by the said respective
17political parties or groups, may choose and elect one of such
18lists or sets of electors by placing a cross in the square to
19the left of the bracket aforesaid of one of such parties or
20groups. Placing a cross within the square before the bracket
21enclosing the names of President and Vice-President shall not
22be deemed and taken as a direct vote for such candidates for
23President and Vice-President, or either of them, but shall only
24be deemed and taken to be a vote for the elector for that
25congressional district entire list or set of electors chosen by
26that political party or group so certified to the State Board

 

 

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1of Elections as herein provided, and each congressional
2district shall nominate its elector independent of the votes
3cast within other congressional districts. Voting by means of
4placing a cross in the appropriate place preceding the
5appellation or title of the particular political party or
6group, shall not be deemed or taken as a direct vote for the
7candidates for President and Vice-President, or either of them,
8but instead to the Presidential vote, as a vote for the elector
9for that district entire list or set of electors chosen by that
10political party or group so certified to the State Board of
11Elections as herein provided, and each congressional district
12shall nominate its elector independent of the votes cast within
13other congressional districts. After the electors for every
14congressional district have been nominated, the remaining
15electors shall be chosen by that political party or group so
16certified to the State Board of Elections whose candidates for
17President and Vice-President received the most overall votes
18within the State.
19    (c) Such certification by the respective political parties
20or groups in this State of electors of President and
21Vice-President shall be made to the State Board of Elections
22within 2 days after such State convention.
23    (d) Should more than one certificate of choice and
24selection of electors of the same political party or group be
25filed by contesting conventions or contesting groups, it shall
26be the duty of the State Board of Elections within 10 days

 

 

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1after the adjournment of the last of such conventions to meet
2and determine which set of nominees for electors of such party
3or group were was chosen and selected by the authorized
4convention of such party or group. The Board, after notice to
5the chairman and secretaries or managers of the conventions or
6groups and after a hearing shall determine which set of
7electors were was so chosen by the authorized convention and
8shall so announce and publish the fact, and such decision shall
9be final and the set of electors so determined upon by the
10electoral board to be so chosen shall be the list or set of
11electors to be deemed elected if that party shall be successful
12at the polls, as herein provided.
13    (e) Should a vacancy occur in the choice of an elector in a
14congressional district, such vacancy may be filled by the
15executive committee of the party or group for such
16congressional district, to be certified by such committee to
17the State Board of Elections. Should a vacancy occur in the
18office of elector at large, such vacancy shall be filled by the
19State committee of such political party or group, and certified
20by it to the State Board of Elections.
21(Source: P.A. 84-861.)
 
22    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23becoming law.