(65 ILCS 5/5-2-18.7) (from Ch. 24, par. 5-2-18.7)
Sec. 5-2-18.7. In any city which has adopted this Article, and is electing the city
council at large or has elected to choose alderpersons from wards, a
proposition to elect part of the city council at large and part from
districts with staggered four year terms and biennial elections for
councilmen shall be submitted to the electors upon initiation in the manner
herein provided.
Electors of such city, equal in number to not less than 10% of the
total vote cast for all candidates for mayor in the last preceding
municipal election for such office, may petition for submission, or, in
the alternative, the city council may by
ordinance without a petition cause to be submitted, to a vote of the
electors of that city the proposition whether part of the city council
shall be elected at large and part from districts with staggered four
year terms and biennial elections for councilmen. The petition shall be
in the same form as prescribed in Section 5-1-6, except that the
petition shall be modified as to the wording of the proposition to be
voted upon, to conform to the wording of the proposition as hereinafter
set forth, and shall be filed with the city clerk in accordance with the
general election law. The city clerk shall certify the proposition to the
proper election authorities who shall submit the proposition at an election
in accordance with the general election law.
However, such proposition shall not be submitted at
the general primary election for the municipality.
The proposition shall be substantially in the
following form:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shall the city of....elect part of the councilmen at large YESand part of the councilmen from ----------------------------------------------------------------------districts with staggered four year NOterms and biennial elections?---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If a majority of those voting on the proposition vote "yes", then at
the next general municipal election at which a mayor is to be elected, a
mayor and councilmen shall be elected as hereinafter provided.
In cities of less than 50,000 population, the council shall consist
of the mayor and 6 councilmen, 2 councilmen being elected at large and 4
councilmen being elected from districts. In cities of 50,000 and not
more than 500,000 population, the council shall consist of the mayor and
8 councilmen, 3 councilmen being elected at large and 5 councilmen being
elected from districts.
The city council shall divide the city, whenever necessary
thereafter, into districts which shall be of as compact and contiguous
territory as practicable and of approximately equal population. The
number of such districts shall be the same as the number of councilmen
to be elected from districts.
One councilman who is an actual resident of the district, shall be
elected from each district. Only the electors of a district shall elect
a councilman from that district. The rest of the number of councilmen
authorized shall be elected at large.
The term of office of the Mayor and Councilmen shall be 4 years,
provided that at the first election the Councilmen elected at large
shall serve for 2 years only. Thereafter the election of Councilmen
shall be biennial, and after the first election the Mayor and all
Councilmen shall be elected for 4 year terms to fill expiring terms of
incumbents.
The Mayor and Councilmen shall hold their respective offices for the
term of 4 years as herein provided, and until their successors are
elected and qualified. Upon the election and qualification of the
Councilmen, the terms of all sitting alderpersons or councilmen elected at
large pursuant to the provisions of Section 5-2-12 shall expire.
For the first primary election a distinct ballot shall be printed for each
district. At the top of the ballot shall be the following:
CANDIDATES FOR NOMINATION FOR MAYOR (when Mayor is to be elected) AND
COUNCILMEN OF THE CITY OF.... AT THE PRIMARY ELECTION. Under the
subtitle of FOR MAYOR (when applicable) shall be placed the following:
(VOTE FOR ONE). There shall be placed below the names of the candidates
for Mayor, if any, another subtitle as follows: FOR COUNCILMEN AT
LARGE. Following this subtitle there shall be an instruction in this
form, to be altered, however, to conform to the facts: (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN....)
(Insert number of Councilmen being elected). Following the names of the
candidates for councilmen at large, there shall be another subtitle in
the following form: FOR DISTRICT COUNCILMAN. Following this subtitle
there shall be the following direction: (VOTE FOR ONE). In other
respects the ballots shall conform to the applicable provisions of
Sections 4-3-10 and 5-2-13.
To determine the number of nominees who shall be placed on the ballot
under each subtitle at the general municipal election, the number of
officers who will be chosen under each subtitle shall be multiplied by
2. Only those candidates at the primary election shall be nominees under
each subtitle at the general municipal election and, where but one
officer is to be elected, the 2 candidates receiving the highest number
of votes shall be placed upon the ballot for the next succeeding general
municipal election. Where 2 councilmen are to be elected, the 4
candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon
the ballot. Where 3 councilmen are to be elected, the names of the 6
candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon
the ballot.
The ballots for the election of officers at the first general
municipal election shall be prepared in compliance with Section 4-3-16,
with the following changes:
(1) Following the names of the candidates for Mayor (when
applicable) there shall be printed a subtitle: FOR COUNCILMAN AT LARGE:
following this subtitle shall be an instruction in this form: (VOTE FOR
NOT MORE THAN ....) (Insert number of councilmen to be elected). The names of the
nominees for councilmen at large shall follow the instruction.
(2) Following the names of the nominees for councilmen at large
shall be printed another subtitle: FOR DISTRICT COUNCILMAN. Following
this subtitle shall be an instruction in this form: (VOTE FOR ONE) and
following this instruction shall be printed the names of the 2 nominees.
Thereafter, the ballots for the biennial election shall be prepared
as hereinafter provided.
For the primary election at which Councilmen at large are to be
elected the form of the ballot shall be as follows:
At the top of the ballot shall be the following: CANDIDATES FOR
NOMINATION FOR MAYOR (when Mayor is to be elected) AND COUNCILMEN OF THE
CITY OF.... AT THE PRIMARY ELECTION. Under the subtitle of FOR MAYOR
(when applicable) shall be placed the following: (VOTE FOR ONE). There
shall be placed below the names of the candidates for Mayor, if any,
another subtitle as follows: FOR COUNCILMEN AT LARGE. Following this
subtitle there shall be an instruction in this form, to be altered,
however, to conform to the facts: (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN....) (Insert number of
Councilmen being elected).
For the primary election at which District Councilmen are to be
elected, a distinct ballot shall be printed for each District. There
shall be placed below the names of the candidates for Mayor (when
applicable) another subtitle as follows: FOR DISTRICT COUNCILMAN.
Following this subtitle there shall be an instruction in this form:
VOTE FOR ONE. In all other respects the ballot shall conform to the
applicable provisions of Sections 4-3-10 and 5-2-13.
To determine the number of nominees who shall be placed on the ballot
under each subtitle at the general municipal election, the number of
officers who will be chosen under each subtitle shall be multiplied by
2. Only those candidates at the primary election shall be nominees under
each subtitle at the general municipal election and, where but one
officer is to be elected, the 2 candidates receiving the highest number
of votes shall be placed upon the ballot for the next succeeding general
municipal election. Where 2 councilmen are to be elected, the 4
candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon
the ballot. Where 3 councilmen are to be elected, the names of the 6
candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon
the ballot.
The ballots for the election of officers at the general municipal
election shall be prepared in compliance with Section 4-3-16, with the
following changes:
(1) For elections where candidates for Councilmen at large are being
elected, following the names of candidates for Mayor (when applicable)
there shall be printed a subtitle as follows: FOR COUNCILMEN AT LARGE.
Following this subtitle there shall be an instruction in this form:
(VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN....) (Insert number of Councilmen to be elected). The names
of the nominees for Councilmen at large shall follow the instruction.
(2) For elections where district Councilmen are to be elected, a
distinct ballot shall be printed for each district, and following the
names of the candidates for Mayor (when applicable) there shall be
printed a subtitle as follows: FOR DISTRICT COUNCILMAN. Following this
subtitle there shall be an instruction in this form: (VOTE FOR ONE) and
following this instruction shall be printed the names of the 2 nominees
for district Councilman.
Vacancies shall be filled as prescribed in Section 5-2-12, provided
that a vacancy in the office of a District Councilman shall be filled by
a person who is an actual resident of the district in which the vacancy
occurs.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)
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