Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB0600
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Full Text of SB0600  96th General Assembly

SB0600sam003 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sen. Chris Lauzen

Filed: 3/16/2009

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 600

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 600, AS AMENDED, by
3 replacing everything after the enacting clause with the
4 following:
 
5     "Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
6 Section 7-8 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 of
9 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.

 

 

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1     Alternative A. In each congressional district at the
2 general primary election held in 2010 and every 4 years
3 thereafter, the male candidate receiving the highest number of
4 votes of the party's male candidates for State central
5 committeeman, and the female candidate receiving the highest
6 number of votes of the party's female candidates for State
7 central committeewoman, shall be declared elected State
8 central committeeman and State central committeewoman from the
9 district. At the general primary election held in 2010 and
10 every 4 years thereafter, if all a party's candidates for State
11 central committeemen or State central committeewomen from a
12 congressional district are of the same sex, the candidate
13 receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected
14 a State central committeeman or State central committeewoman
15 from the district, and, because of a failure to elect one male
16 and one female to the committee, a vacancy shall be declared to
17 exist in the office of the second member of the State central
18 committee from the district. This vacancy shall be filled by
19 appointment by the congressional committee of the political
20 party, and the person appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a
21 resident of the congressional district and of the sex opposite
22 that of the committeeman or committeewoman elected at the
23 general primary election. Each congressional committee shall
24 make this appointment by voting on the basis set forth in
25 paragraph (e) of this Section.
26     To qualify as a candidate for election or appointment as a

 

 

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1 State central committeeman or committeewoman, a person must
2 have voted in 3 of the 4 most recent primary elections of the
3 political party operating under this Alternative A.
4     Whenever At the primary in 1970 and at the general primary
5 election held every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector
6 may vote for one candidate of his party for member of the State
7 central committee for the congressional district in which he
8 resides. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes
9 shall be declared elected State central committeeman from the
10 district. A political party may, in lieu of the foregoing, by a
11 majority vote of delegates at any State convention of such
12 party, determine to thereafter elect the State central
13 committeemen in the manner following:
14     At the county convention held by such political party State
15 central committeemen shall be elected in the same manner as
16 provided in this Article for the election of officers of the
17 county central committee, and such election shall follow the
18 election of officers of the county central committee. Each
19 elected ward, township or precinct committeeman shall cast as
20 his vote one vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township,
21 part of a township or precinct in the last preceding primary
22 election of his political party. In the case of a county lying
23 partially within one congressional district and partially
24 within another congressional district, each ward, township or
25 precinct committeeman shall vote only with respect to the
26 congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a

 

 

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1 township or precinct is located. In the case of a congressional
2 district which encompasses more than one county, each ward,
3 township or precinct committeeman residing within the
4 congressional district shall cast as his vote one vote for each
5 ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a township or
6 precinct in the last preceding primary election of his
7 political party for one candidate of his party for member of
8 the State central committee for the congressional district in
9 which he resides and the Chairman of the county central
10 committee shall report the results of the election to the State
11 Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections shall certify
12 the candidate receiving the highest number of votes elected
13 State central committeeman for that congressional district.
14     The State central committee shall adopt rules to provide
15 for and govern the procedures to be followed in the election of
16 members of the State central committee.
17     After the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st
18 General Assembly, whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of
19 Chairman of a State central committee, or at the end of the
20 term of office of Chairman, the State central committee of each
21 political party that has selected Alternative A shall elect a
22 Chairman who shall not be required to be a member of the State
23 Central Committee. The Chairman shall be a registered voter in
24 this State and of the same political party as the State central
25 committee.
26     Alternative B. Each congressional committee shall, within

 

 

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1 30 days after the adoption of this alternative, appoint a
2 person of the sex opposite that of the incumbent member for
3 that congressional district to serve as an additional member of
4 the State central committee until his or her successor is
5 elected at the general primary election in 1986. Each
6 congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting
7 on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section. In
8 each congressional district at the general primary election
9 held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, the male candidate
10 receiving the highest number of votes of the party's male
11 candidates for State central committeeman, and the female
12 candidate receiving the highest number of votes of the party's
13 female candidates for State central committeewoman, shall be
14 declared elected State central committeeman and State central
15 committeewoman from the district. At the general primary
16 election held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, if all a
17 party's candidates for State central committeemen or State
18 central committeewomen from a congressional district are of the
19 same sex, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes
20 shall be declared elected a State central committeeman or State
21 central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a
22 failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a
23 vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the second
24 member of the State central committee from the district. This
25 vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the congressional
26 committee of the political party, and the person appointed to

 

 

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1 fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the congressional
2 district and of the sex opposite that of the committeeman or
3 committeewoman elected at the general primary election. Each
4 congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting
5 on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section.
6     The Chairman of a State central committee composed as
7 provided in this Alternative B must be selected from the
8 committee's members.
9     Except as provided for in Alternative A with respect to the
10 selection of the Chairman of the State central committee, under
11 both of the foregoing alternatives, the State central committee
12 of each political party shall be composed of members elected or
13 appointed from the several congressional districts of the
14 State, and of no other person or persons whomsoever. The
15 members of the State central committee shall, within 41 days
16 after each quadrennial election of the full committee, meet in
17 the city of Springfield and organize by electing a chairman,
18 and may at such time elect such officers from among their own
19 number (or otherwise), as they may deem necessary or expedient.
20 The outgoing chairman of the State central committee of the
21 party shall, 10 days before the meeting, notify each member of
22 the State central committee elected at the primary of the time
23 and place of such meeting. In the organization and proceedings
24 of the State central committee, each State central committeeman
25 and State central committeewoman shall have one vote for each
26 ballot voted in his or her congressional district by the

 

 

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1 primary electors of his or her party at the primary election
2 immediately preceding the meeting of the State central
3 committee. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the State central
4 committee of any political party, the vacancy shall be filled
5 by appointment of the chairmen of the county central committees
6 of the political party of the counties located within the
7 congressional district in which the vacancy occurs and, if
8 applicable, the ward and township committeemen of the political
9 party in counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants located
10 within the congressional district. If the congressional
11 district in which the vacancy occurs lies wholly within a
12 county of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the ward and township
13 committeemen of the political party in that congressional
14 district shall vote to fill the vacancy. In voting to fill the
15 vacancy, each chairman of a county central committee and each
16 ward and township committeeman in counties of 2,000,000 or more
17 inhabitants shall have one vote for each ballot voted in each
18 precinct of the congressional district in which the vacancy
19 exists of his or her county, township, or ward cast by the
20 primary electors of his or her party at the primary election
21 immediately preceding the meeting to fill the vacancy in the
22 State central committee. The person appointed to fill the
23 vacancy shall be a resident of the congressional district in
24 which the vacancy occurs, shall be a qualified voter, and, in a
25 committee composed as provided in Alternative B, shall be of
26 the same sex as his or her predecessor. A political party may,

 

 

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1 by a majority vote of the delegates of any State convention of
2 such party, determine to return to the election of State
3 central committeeman and State central committeewoman by the
4 vote of primary electors. Any action taken by a political party
5 at a State convention in accordance with this Section shall be
6 reported to the State Board of Elections by the chairman and
7 secretary of such convention within 10 days after such action.
8     The changes made to this subsection (a) by this amendatory
9 Act of the 96th General Assembly apply to State central
10 committees elected at or after the 2010 general primary.
11
Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen
12     (b) At the primary in 1972 and at the general primary
13 election every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
14 cities having a population of 200,000 or over may vote for one
15 candidate of his party in his ward for ward committeeman. Each
16 candidate for ward committeeman must be a resident of and in
17 the ward where he seeks to be elected ward committeeman. The
18 one having the highest number of votes shall be such ward
19 committeeman of such party for such ward. At the primary
20 election in 1970 and at the general primary election every 4
21 years thereafter, each primary elector in counties containing a
22 population of 2,000,000 or more, outside of cities containing a
23 population of 200,000 or more, may vote for one candidate of
24 his party for township committeeman. Each candidate for
25 township committeeman must be a resident of and in the township
26 or part of a township (which lies outside of a city having a

 

 

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1 population of 200,000 or more, in counties containing a
2 population of 2,000,000 or more), and in which township or part
3 of a township he seeks to be elected township committeeman. The
4 one having the highest number of votes shall be such township
5 committeeman of such party for such township or part of a
6 township. At the primary in 1970 and at the general primary
7 election every 2 years thereafter, each primary elector, except
8 in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or over, may vote
9 for one candidate of his party in his precinct for precinct
10 committeeman. Each candidate for precinct committeeman must be
11 a bona fide resident of the precinct where he seeks to be
12 elected precinct committeeman. The one having the highest
13 number of votes shall be such precinct committeeman of such
14 party for such precinct. The official returns of the primary
15 shall show the name of the committeeman of each political
16 party.
17     Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected
18 under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such
19 committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the
20 second year after their election. Except as otherwise provided
21 in this Section for certain State central committeemen who have
22 2 year terms, all State central committeemen, township
23 committeemen and ward committeemen shall continue as such
24 committeemen until the date of primary to be held in the fourth
25 year after their election. However, a vacancy exists in the
26 office of precinct committeeman when a precinct committeeman

 

 

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1 ceases to reside in the precinct in which he was elected and
2 such precinct committeeman shall thereafter neither have nor
3 exercise any rights, powers or duties as committeeman in that
4 precinct, even if a successor has not been elected or
5 appointed.
6     (c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist of
7 the precinct committeemen of such party, in the multi-township
8 assessing district formed pursuant to Section 2-10 of the
9 Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the purposes set
10 forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In the
11 organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township Central
12 Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
13 each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of
14 his party at the primary at which he was elected.
15
County Central Committee
16     (d) The county central committee of each political party in
17 each county shall consist of the various township committeemen,
18 precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of such
19 party in the county. In the organization and proceedings of the
20 county central committee, each precinct committeeman shall
21 have one vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the
22 primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was
23 elected; each township committeeman shall have one vote for
24 each ballot voted in his township or part of a township as the
25 case may be by the primary electors of his party at the primary
26 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.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
2 ward or part of a ward, as the case may be, in the judicial
3 subcircuit by the primary electors of his party at the primary
4 election immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial
5 subcircuit committee.
6
Municipal Central Committee
7     (h) The municipal central committee of each political party
8 shall be composed of the precinct, township or ward
9 committeemen, as the case may be, of such party representing
10 the precincts or wards, embraced in such city, incorporated
11 town or village. The voting strength of each precinct, township
12 or ward committeeman on the municipal central committee shall
13 be the same as his voting strength on the county central
14 committee.
15     For political parties, other than a statewide political
16 party, established only within a municipality or township, the
17 municipal or township managing committee shall be composed of
18 the party officers of the local established party. The party
19 officers of a local established party shall be as follows: the
20 chairman and secretary of the caucus for those municipalities
21 and townships authorized by statute to nominate candidates by
22 caucus shall serve as party officers for the purpose of filling
23 vacancies in nomination under Section 7-61; for municipalities
24 and townships authorized by statute or ordinance to nominate
25 candidates by petition and primary election, the party officers
26 shall be the party's candidates who are nominated at the

 

 

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1 primary. If no party primary was held because of the provisions
2 of Section 7-5, vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the
3 party's remaining candidates who shall serve as the party's
4 officers.
5
Powers
6     (i) Each committee and its officers shall have the powers
7 usually exercised by such committees and by the officers
8 thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article.
9 The several committees herein provided for shall not have power
10 to delegate any of their powers, or functions to any other
11 person, officer or committee, but this shall not be construed
12 to prevent a committee from appointing from its own membership
13 proper and necessary subcommittees.
14     (j) The State central committee of a political party which
15 elects it members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
16 Section shall adopt a plan to give effect to the delegate
17 selection rules of the national political party and file a copy
18 of such plan with the State Board of Elections when approved by
19 a national political party.
20     (k) For the purpose of the designation of a proxy by a
21 Congressional Committee to vote in place of an absent State
22 central committeeman or committeewoman at meetings of the State
23 central committee of a political party which elects its members
24 by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section, the proxy
25 shall be appointed by the vote of the ward and township
26 committeemen, if any, of the wards and townships which lie

 

 

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1 entirely or partially within the Congressional District from
2 which the absent State central committeeman or committeewoman
3 was elected and the vote of the chairmen of the county central
4 committees of those counties which lie entirely or partially
5 within that Congressional District and in which there are no
6 ward or township committeemen. When voting for such proxy the
7 county chairman, ward committeeman or township committeeman,
8 as the case may be shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
9 his county, ward or township, or portion thereof within the
10 Congressional District, by the primary electors of his party at
11 the primary at which he was elected. However, the absent State
12 central committeeman or committeewoman may designate a proxy
13 when permitted by the rules of a political party which elects
14 its members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
15 Section.
16     Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person is
17 ineligible to hold the position of committeeperson in any
18 committee established pursuant to this Section if he or she is
19 statutorily ineligible to vote in a general election because of
20 conviction of a felony. When a committeeperson is convicted of
21 a felony, the position occupied by that committeeperson shall
22 automatically become vacant.
23 (Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05; 95-6, eff. 6-20-07; 95-699,
24 eff. 11-9-07.)
 
25     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon

 

 

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1 becoming law.".