95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB0600

 

Introduced 2/8/2007, 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 95th 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 primary held on the third Tuesday in
17 March 2010, and at the primary held every 4 years thereafter,
18 each primary elector may vote for one candidate of his party
19 for member of the State central committee for the congressional
20 district in which he resides. The State central committee of
21 the 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 congressional
13 district by the primary electors of his party at the primary at
14 which he was elected. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the State
15 central committee of the political party, the vacancy may be
16 filled by appointment by the congressional committee of the
17 political party in the congressional district from which the
18 appointee's predecessor was elected, and the member so selected
19 to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of that congressional
20 district. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March
21 1970, and at the primary held every 4 years thereafter, each
22 primary elector may vote for one candidate of his party for
23 member of the State central committee for the congressional
24 district in which he resides. The candidate receiving the
25 highest number of votes shall be declared elected State central
26 committeeman from the district. A political party may, in lieu

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1 under both of the foregoing alternatives, the State central
2 committee of the each political party under Alternative B shall
3 be composed of members elected or appointed from the several
4 congressional districts of the State, and of no other person or
5 persons whomsoever. The members of the State central committee
6 shall, within 41 days after each quadrennial election of the
7 full committee, meet in the city of Springfield and organize by
8 electing a chairman, and may at such time elect such officers
9 from among their own number (or otherwise), as they may deem
10 necessary or expedient. The outgoing chairman of the State
11 central committee of the party shall, 10 days before the
12 meeting, notify each member of the State central committee
13 elected at the primary of the time and place of such meeting.
14 In the organization and proceedings of the State central
15 committee, each State central committeeman and State central
16 committeewoman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
17 or her congressional district by the primary electors of his or
18 her party at the primary election immediately preceding the
19 meeting of the State central committee. Whenever a vacancy
20 occurs in the State central committee of the any political
21 party, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the
22 chairmen of the county central committees of the political
23 party of the counties located within the congressional district
24 in which the vacancy occurs and, if applicable, the ward and
25 township committeemen of the political party in counties of
26 2,000,000 or more inhabitants located within the congressional

 

 

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

 

 

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1 convention within 10 days after such action.
2
Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen
3     (b) At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
4 1972, and 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 held on the third Tuesday in March, 1970, and 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 held on the third Tuesday in March,
24 1970 and 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, or partly
24 within 2 or more counties, but not coterminous with the county
25 lines of all of such counties, the precinct committeemen,
26 township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of the

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1 his county, ward or township, or portion thereof within the
2 Congressional District, by the primary electors of his party at
3 the primary at which he was elected. However, the absent State
4 central committeeman or committeewoman may designate a proxy
5 when permitted by the rules of a political party which elects
6 its members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
7 Section.
8     Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person is
9 ineligible to hold the position of committeeperson in any
10 committee established pursuant to this Section if he or she is
11 statutorily ineligible to vote in a general election because of
12 conviction of a felony. When a committeeperson is convicted of
13 a felony, the position occupied by that committeeperson shall
14 automatically become vacant.
15 (Source: P.A. 93-541, eff. 8-18-03; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03;
16 93-847, eff. 7-30-04; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)