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90_SB1525
10 ILCS 5/7-8 from Ch. 46, par. 7-8
Amends the Election Code to require that a vacancy on the
State central committee shall be filled by the weighted vote
of the county chairmen of the political party of the counties
in the congressional district from which the State central
committeeman was chosen, except that in a county of 2,000,000
or more inhabitants in which the State central committeeman
is chosen from a congressional district that is located
entirely within that county, the vacancy shall be filled by
the weighted vote of the ward and township committeemen from
that congressional district. Effective immediately.
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LRB9011142MWpc
1 AN ACT to amend the Election Code by changing Section
2 7-8.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
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
9 of 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.
17 Alternative A. At the primary held on the third Tuesday
18 in March 1970, and at the primary held every 4 years
19 thereafter, each primary elector may vote for one candidate
20 of his party for member of the State central committee for
21 the congressional district in which he resides. The
22 candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be
23 declared elected State central committeeman from the
24 district. A political party may, in lieu of the foregoing, by
25 a majority vote of delegates at any State convention of such
26 party, determine to thereafter elect the State central
27 committeemen in the manner following:
28 At the county convention held by such political party
29 State central committeemen shall be elected in the same
30 manner as provided in this Article for the election of
31 officers of the county central committee, and such election
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1 shall follow the election of officers of the county central
2 committee. Each elected ward, township or precinct
3 committeeman shall cast as his vote one vote for each ballot
4 voted in his ward, township, part of a township or precinct
5 in the last preceding primary election of his political
6 party. In the case of a county lying partially within one
7 congressional district and partially within another
8 congressional district, each ward, township or precinct
9 committeeman shall vote only with respect to the
10 congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a
11 township or precinct is located. In the case of a
12 congressional district which encompasses more than one
13 county, each ward, township or precinct committeeman residing
14 within the congressional district shall cast as his vote one
15 vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a
16 township or precinct in the last preceding primary election
17 of his political party for one candidate of his party for
18 member of the State central committee for the congressional
19 district in which he resides and the Chairman of the county
20 central committee shall report the results of the election to
21 the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections
22 shall certify the candidate receiving the highest number of
23 votes elected State central committeeman for that
24 congressional district.
25 The State central committee shall adopt rules to provide
26 for and govern the procedures to be followed in the election
27 of members of the State central committee.
28 Alternative B. Each congressional committee shall,
29 within 30 days after the adoption of this alternative,
30 appoint a person of the sex opposite that of the incumbent
31 member for that congressional district to serve as an
32 additional member of the State central committee until his or
33 her successor is elected at the general primary election in
34 1986. Each congressional committee shall make this
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1 appointment by voting on the basis set forth in paragraph (e)
2 of this Section. In each congressional district at the
3 general primary election held in 1986 and every 4 years
4 thereafter, the male candidate receiving the highest number
5 of votes of the party's male candidates for State central
6 committeeman, and the female candidate receiving the highest
7 number of votes of the party's female candidates for State
8 central committeewoman, shall be declared elected State
9 central committeeman and State central committeewoman from
10 the district. At the general primary election held in 1986
11 and every 4 years thereafter, if all a party's candidates for
12 State central committeemen or State central committeewomen
13 from a congressional district are of the same sex, the
14 candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be
15 declared elected a State central committeeman or State
16 central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a
17 failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a
18 vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the
19 second member of the State central committee from the
20 district. This vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the
21 chairmen of the county central committees of the political
22 party of the counties within the congressional district if
23 the vacancy occurred in the office of a State central
24 committee member from a congressional district any part of
25 which contains a county of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants
26 and the vacancy shall be filled by the ward and township
27 committeemen of the political party if the vacancy occurred
28 in the office of a State central committeeman from a
29 congressional district located wholly in a county of
30 2,000,000 or more inhabitants congressional committee of the
31 political party, and the person appointed to fill the vacancy
32 shall be a resident of the congressional district and of the
33 sex opposite that of the committeeman or committeewoman
34 elected at the general primary election. The chairmen of the
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1 county central committees of the political party of the
2 counties within the congressional district, or the ward and
3 township committeemen if the vacancy occurs in the office of
4 a State central committee member from a congressional
5 district located wholly in a county of 2,000,000 or more
6 inhabitants, Each congressional committee shall make this
7 appointment by voting on the basis set forth in paragraph (e)
8 of this Section.
9 Under both of the foregoing alternatives, the State
10 central committee of each political party shall be composed
11 of members elected or appointed from the several
12 congressional districts of the State, and of no other person
13 or persons whomsoever. The members of the State central
14 committee shall, within 30 days after each quadrennial
15 election of the full committee, meet in the city of
16 Springfield and organize by electing from among their own
17 number a chairman, and may at such time elect such officers
18 from among their own number (or otherwise), as they may deem
19 necessary or expedient. The outgoing chairman of the State
20 central committee of the party shall, 10 days before the
21 meeting, notify each member of the State central committee
22 elected at the primary of the time and place of such meeting.
23 In the organization and proceedings of the State central
24 committee, each State central committeeman and State central
25 committeewoman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
26 his or her congressional district by the primary electors of
27 his or her party at the primary election immediately
28 preceding the meeting of the State central committee.
29 Whenever a vacancy occurs in the State central committee of
30 any political party, the vacancy shall may be filled by
31 appointment by the chairmen of the county central committees
32 congressional committee of that political party of the
33 counties in the congressional district from which the
34 appointee's predecessor was elected if the vacancy occurred
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1 in the office of a State central committee member from a
2 congressional district located entirely or partly in a county
3 of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, and by the ward and
4 township committeemen of that political party if the vacancy
5 occurred in the office of a State central committee member
6 from a congressional district located wholly in a county of
7 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, and the member so appointed to
8 fill the vacancy shall be a resident of that congressional
9 district and, in a committee composed as provided in
10 alternative B, shall be of the same sex as the appointee's
11 predecessor. A political party may, by a majority vote of the
12 delegates of any State convention of such party, determine to
13 return to the election of State central committeeman and
14 State central committeewoman by the vote of primary electors.
15 Any action taken by a political party at a State convention
16 in accordance with this Section shall be reported to the
17 State Board of Elections by the chairman and secretary of
18 such convention within 10 days after such action.
19 Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen
20 (b) At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
21 1972, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
22 cities having a population of 200,000 or over may vote for
23 one candidate of his party in his ward for ward committeeman.
24 Each candidate for ward committeeman must be a resident of
25 and in the ward where he seeks to be elected ward
26 committeeman. The one having the highest number of votes
27 shall be such ward committeeman of such party for such ward.
28 At the primary election held on the third Tuesday in March,
29 1970, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
30 counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or more,
31 outside of cities containing a population of 200,000 or more,
32 may vote for one candidate of his party for township
33 committeeman. Each candidate for township committeeman must
34 be a resident of and in the township or part of a township
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1 (which lies outside of a city having a population of 200,000
2 or more, in counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or
3 more), and in which township or part of a township he seeks
4 to be elected township committeeman. The one having the
5 highest number of votes shall be such township committeeman
6 of such party for such township or part of a township. At the
7 primary held on the third Tuesday in March, 1970 and every 2
8 years thereafter, each primary elector, except in counties
9 having a population of 2,000,000 or over, may vote for one
10 candidate of his party in his precinct for precinct
11 committeeman. Each candidate for precinct committeeman must
12 be a bona fide resident of the precinct where he seeks to be
13 elected precinct committeeman. The one having the highest
14 number of votes shall be such precinct committeeman of such
15 party for such precinct. The official returns of the primary
16 shall show the name of the committeeman of each political
17 party.
18 Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected
19 under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such
20 committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the
21 second year after their election. Except as otherwise
22 provided in this Section for certain State central
23 committeemen who have 2 year terms, all State central
24 committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen
25 shall continue as such committeemen until the date of primary
26 to be held in the fourth year after their election. However,
27 a vacancy exists in the office of precinct committeeman when
28 a precinct committeeman ceases to reside in the precinct in
29 which he was elected and such precinct committeeman shall
30 thereafter neither have nor exercise any rights, powers or
31 duties as committeeman in that precinct, even if a successor
32 has not been elected or appointed.
33 (c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist
34 of the precinct committeemen of such party, in the
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1 multi-township assessing district formed pursuant to Section
2 2-10 of the Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the
3 purposes set forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In
4 the organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township
5 Central Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one
6 vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary
7 electors of his party at the primary at which he was elected.
8 County Central Committee
9 (d) The county central committee of each political party
10 in each county shall consist of the various township
11 committeemen, precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if
12 any, of such party in the county. In the organization and
13 proceedings of the county central committee, each precinct
14 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
15 precinct by the primary electors of his party at the primary
16 at which he was elected; each township committeeman shall
17 have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part
18 of a township as the case may be by the primary electors of
19 his party at the primary election for the nomination of
20 candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately
21 preceding the meeting of the county central committee; and in
22 the organization and proceedings of the county central
23 committee, each ward committeeman shall have one vote for
24 each ballot voted in his ward by the primary electors of his
25 party at the primary election for the nomination of
26 candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately
27 preceding the meeting of the county central committee.
28 Congressional Committee
29 (e) The congressional committee of each party in each
30 congressional district shall be composed of the chairmen of
31 the county central committees of the counties composing the
32 congressional district, except that in congressional
33 districts wholly within the territorial limits of one county,
34 or partly within 2 or more counties, but not coterminous with
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1 the county lines of all of such counties, the precinct
2 committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen, if
3 any, of the party representing the precincts within the
4 limits of the congressional district, shall compose the
5 congressional committee. A State central committeeman in each
6 district shall be a member and the chairman or, when a
7 district has 2 State central committeemen, a co-chairman of
8 the congressional committee, but shall not have the right to
9 vote except in case of a tie.
10 In the organization and proceedings of congressional
11 committees composed of precinct committeemen or township
12 committeemen or ward committeemen, or any combination
13 thereof, each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
14 each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of
15 his party at the primary at which he was elected, each
16 township committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot
17 voted in his township or part of a township as the case may
18 be by the primary electors of his party at the primary
19 election immediately preceding the meeting of the
20 congressional committee, and each ward committeeman shall
21 have one vote for each ballot voted in each precinct of his
22 ward located in such congressional district by the primary
23 electors of his party at the primary election immediately
24 preceding the meeting of the congressional committee; and in
25 the organization and proceedings of congressional committees
26 composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of
27 the counties within the such district, and in proceedings to
28 fill a vacancy in the State central committee of any
29 political party if the vacancy occurs in the office of a
30 member of the State central committee chosen from a
31 congressional district located entirely or partly in a county
32 of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, each chairman of the such
33 county central committee shall have one vote for each ballot
34 voted in his or her county by the primary electors of his or
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1 her party at the primary election immediately preceding the
2 meeting of the congressional committee or the meeting to fill
3 the vacancy in the State central committee. In proceedings to
4 fill a vacancy in the office of a member of the State central
5 committee from a congressional district located wholly in a
6 county of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, 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 to fill the
11 vacancy in the State central committee, and each ward
12 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
13 each precinct of his or her ward located in the congressional
14 district by the primary electors of his or her party at the
15 primary election immediately preceding the meeting to fill
16 the vacancy in the State central committee.
17 Judicial District Committee
18 (f) The judicial district committee of each political
19 party in each judicial district shall be composed of the
20 chairman of the county central committees of the counties
21 composing the judicial district.
22 In the organization and proceedings of judicial district
23 committees composed of the chairmen of the county central
24 committees of the counties within such district, each
25 chairman of such county central committee shall have one vote
26 for each ballot voted in his county by the primary electors
27 of his party at the primary election immediately preceding
28 the meeting of the judicial district committee.
29 Circuit Court Committee
30 (g) The circuit court committee of each political party
31 in each judicial circuit outside Cook County shall be
32 composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of
33 the counties composing the judicial circuit.
34 In the organization and proceedings of circuit court
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1 committees, each chairman of a county central committee shall
2 have one vote for each ballot voted in his county by the
3 primary electors of his party at the primary election
4 immediately preceding the meeting of the circuit court
5 committee.
6 Judicial Subcircuit Committee
7 (g-1) The judicial subcircuit committee of each
8 political party in each judicial subcircuit in Cook County
9 shall be composed of the ward and township committeemen of
10 the townships and wards composing the judicial subcircuit.
11 In the organization and proceedings of each judicial
12 subcircuit committee, each township committeeman shall have
13 one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a
14 township, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by
15 the primary electors of his party at the primary election
16 immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit
17 committee; and each ward committeeman shall have one vote for
18 each ballot voted in his ward or part of a ward, as the case
19 may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors of
20 his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
21 meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee.
22 Municipal Central Committee
23 (h) The municipal central committee of each political
24 party 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
27 town or village. The voting strength of each precinct,
28 township or ward committeeman on the municipal central
29 committee shall be the same as his voting strength on the
30 county central committee.
31 For political parties, other than a statewide political
32 party, established only within a municipality or township,
33 the municipal or township managing committee shall be
34 composed of the party officers of the local established
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1 party. The party officers of a local established party shall
2 be as follows: the chairman and secretary of the caucus for
3 those municipalities and townships authorized by statute to
4 nominate candidates by caucus shall serve as party officers
5 for the purpose of filling vacancies in nomination under
6 Section 7-61; for municipalities and townships authorized by
7 statute or ordinance to nominate candidates by petition and
8 primary election, the party officers shall be the party's
9 candidates who are nominated at the primary. If no party
10 primary was held because of the provisions of Section 7-5,
11 vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the party's
12 remaining candidates who shall serve as the party's officers.
13 Powers
14 (i) Each committee and its officers shall have the
15 powers usually exercised by such committees and by the
16 officers thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of
17 this Article. The several committees herein provided for
18 shall not have power to delegate any of their powers, or
19 functions to any other person, officer or committee, but this
20 shall not be construed to prevent a committee from appointing
21 from its own membership proper and necessary subcommittees.
22 (j) The State central committee of a political party
23 which elects it members by Alternative B under paragraph (a)
24 of this Section shall adopt a plan to give effect to the
25 delegate selection rules of the national political party and
26 file a copy of such plan with the State Board of Elections
27 when approved by a national political party.
28 (k) For the purpose of the designation of a proxy by a
29 Congressional Committee to vote in place of an absent State
30 central committeeman or committeewoman at meetings of the
31 State central committee of a political party which elects its
32 members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section,
33 the proxy shall be appointed by the vote of the ward and
34 township committeemen, if any, of the wards and townships
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1 which lie entirely or partially within the Congressional
2 District from which the absent State central committeeman or
3 committeewoman was elected and the vote of the chairmen of
4 the county central committees of those counties which lie
5 entirely or partially within that Congressional District and
6 in which there are no ward or township committeemen. When
7 voting for such proxy the county chairman, ward committeeman
8 or township committeeman, as the case may be shall have one
9 vote for each ballot voted in his county, ward or township,
10 or portion thereof within the Congressional District, by the
11 primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was
12 elected. However, the absent State central committeeman or
13 committeewoman may designate a proxy when permitted by the
14 rules of a political party which elects its members by
15 Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section.
16 (Source: P.A. 87-1052; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)
17 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
18 becoming law.