94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB2033

 

Introduced 2/25/2005, 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 94th 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 2006, 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
24 of no other person or persons whomever. The members of the
25 State central committee shall, within 30 days after their
26 election, meet in the city of Springfield and organize by
27 electing from among their own number a chairman, and may at
28 such time elect such officers from among their own number (or
29 otherwise), as they may deem necessary or expedient. The
30 outgoing chairman of the State central committee of the party
31 shall, within 10 days before the meeting, notify each member of
32 the State central committee elected at the primary of the time

 

 

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1 and place of such meeting. In the organization and proceedings
2 of the State central committee, each State central committeeman
3 shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his congressional
4 district by the primary electors of his party at the primary at
5 which he was elected. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the State
6 central committee of the political party, the vacancy may be
7 filled by appointment by the congressional committee of the
8 political party in the congressional district from which the
9 appointee's predecessor was elected, and the member so selected
10 to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of that congressional
11 district. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March
12 1970, and at the primary held every 4 years thereafter, each
13 primary elector may vote for one candidate of his party for
14 member of the State central committee for the congressional
15 district in which he resides. The candidate receiving the
16 highest number of votes shall be declared elected State central
17 committeeman from the district. A political party may, in lieu
18 of the foregoing, by a majority vote of delegates at any State
19 convention of such party, determine to thereafter elect the
20 State central committeemen in the manner following:
21     At the county convention held by such political party State
22 central committeemen shall be elected in the same manner as
23 provided in this Article for the election of officers of the
24 county central committee, and such election shall follow the
25 election of officers of the county central committee. Each
26 elected ward, township or precinct committeeman shall cast as
27 his vote one vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township,
28 part of a township or precinct in the last preceding primary
29 election of his political party. In the case of a county lying
30 partially within one congressional district and partially
31 within another congressional district, each ward, township or
32 precinct committeeman shall vote only with respect to the
33 congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a
34 township or precinct is located. In the case of a congressional
35 district which encompasses more than one county, each ward,
36 township or precinct committeeman residing within the

 

 

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

 

 

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1 declared elected State central committeeman and State central
2 committeewoman from the district. At the general primary
3 election held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, if all a
4 party's candidates for State central committeemen or State
5 central committeewomen from a congressional district are of the
6 same sex, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes
7 shall be declared elected a State central committeeman or State
8 central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a
9 failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a
10 vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the second
11 member of the State central committee from the district. This
12 vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the congressional
13 committee of the political party, and the person appointed to
14 fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the congressional
15 district and of the sex opposite that of the committeeman or
16 committeewoman elected at the general primary election. Each
17 congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting
18 on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section.
19     The Chairman of a State central committee composed as
20 provided in this Alternative B must be selected from the
21 committee's members.
22     The Except as provided for in Alternative A with respect to
23 the selection of the Chairman of the State central committee,
24 under both of the foregoing alternatives, the State central
25 committee of the each political party under Alternative B shall
26 be composed of members elected or appointed from the several
27 congressional districts of the State, and of no other person or
28 persons whomsoever. The members of the State central committee
29 shall, within 30 days after each quadrennial election of the
30 full committee, meet in the city of Springfield and organize by
31 electing a chairman, and may at such time elect such officers
32 from among their own number (or otherwise), as they may deem
33 necessary or expedient. The outgoing chairman of the State
34 central committee of the party shall, 10 days before the
35 meeting, notify each member of the State central committee
36 elected at the primary of the time and place of such meeting.

 

 

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

 

 

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1 at a State convention in accordance with this Section shall be
2 reported to the State Board of Elections by the chairman and
3 secretary of such convention within 10 days after such action.
4
Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen
5     (b) At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
6 1972, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
7 cities having a population of 200,000 or over may vote for one
8 candidate of his party in his ward for ward committeeman. Each
9 candidate for ward committeeman must be a resident of and in
10 the ward where he seeks to be elected ward committeeman. The
11 one having the highest number of votes shall be such ward
12 committeeman of such party for such ward. At the primary
13 election held on the third Tuesday in March, 1970, and every 4
14 years thereafter, each primary elector in counties containing a
15 population of 2,000,000 or more, outside of cities containing a
16 population of 200,000 or more, may vote for one candidate of
17 his party for township committeeman. Each candidate for
18 township committeeman must be a resident of and in the township
19 or part of a township (which lies outside of a city having a
20 population of 200,000 or more, in counties containing a
21 population of 2,000,000 or more), and in which township or part
22 of a township he seeks to be elected township committeeman. The
23 one having the highest number of votes shall be such township
24 committeeman of such party for such township or part of a
25 township. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
26 1970 and every 2 years thereafter, each primary elector, except
27 in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or over, may vote
28 for one candidate of his party in his precinct for precinct
29 committeeman. Each candidate for precinct committeeman must be
30 a bona fide resident of the precinct where he seeks to be
31 elected precinct committeeman. The one having the highest
32 number of votes shall be such precinct committeeman of such
33 party for such precinct. The official returns of the primary
34 shall show the name of the committeeman of each political
35 party.
36     Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected

 

 

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1 under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such
2 committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the
3 second year after their election. Except as otherwise provided
4 in this Section for certain State central committeemen who have
5 2 year terms, all State central committeemen, township
6 committeemen and ward committeemen shall continue as such
7 committeemen until the date of primary to be held in the fourth
8 year after their election. However, a vacancy exists in the
9 office of precinct committeeman when a precinct committeeman
10 ceases to reside in the precinct in which he was elected and
11 such precinct committeeman shall thereafter neither have nor
12 exercise any rights, powers or duties as committeeman in that
13 precinct, even if a successor has not been elected or
14 appointed.
15     (c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist of
16 the precinct committeemen of such party, in the multi-township
17 assessing district formed pursuant to Section 2-10 of the
18 Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the purposes set
19 forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In the
20 organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township Central
21 Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
22 each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of
23 his party at the primary at which he was elected.
24
County Central Committee
25     (d) The county central committee of each political party in
26 each county shall consist of the various township committeemen,
27 precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of such
28 party in the county. In the organization and proceedings of the
29 county central committee, each precinct committeeman shall
30 have one vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the
31 primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was
32 elected; each township committeeman shall have one vote for
33 each ballot voted in his township or part of a township as the
34 case may be by the primary electors of his party at the primary
35 election for the nomination of candidates for election to the
36 General Assembly immediately preceding the meeting of the

 

 

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1 county central committee; and in the organization and
2 proceedings of the county central committee, each ward
3 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
4 ward by the primary electors of his party at the primary
5 election for the nomination of candidates for election to the
6 General Assembly immediately preceding the meeting of the
7 county central committee.
8
Cook County Board of Review Election District Committee
9     (d-1) Each board of review election district committee of
10 each political party in Cook County shall consist of the
11 various township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of
12 that party in the portions of the county composing the board of
13 review election district. In the organization and proceedings
14 of each of the 3 election district committees, each township
15 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
16 or her township or part of a township, as the case may be, by
17 the primary electors of his or her party at the primary
18 election immediately preceding the meeting of the board of
19 review election district committee; and in the organization and
20 proceedings of each of the 3 election district committees, each
21 ward committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
22 his or her ward or part of that ward, as the case may be, by the
23 primary electors of his or her party at the primary election
24 immediately preceding the meeting of the board of review
25 election district committee.
26
Congressional Committee
27     (e) The congressional committee of each party in each
28 congressional district shall be composed of the chairmen of the
29 county central committees of the counties composing the
30 congressional district, except that in congressional districts
31 wholly within the territorial limits of one county, or partly
32 within 2 or more counties, but not coterminous with the county
33 lines of all of such counties, the precinct committeemen,
34 township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of the
35 party representing the precincts within the limits of the
36 congressional district, shall compose the congressional

 

 

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1 committee. A State central committeeman in each district shall
2 be a member and the chairman or, when a district has 2 State
3 central committeemen, a co-chairman of the congressional
4 committee, but shall not have the right to vote except in case
5 of a tie.
6     In the organization and proceedings of congressional
7 committees composed of precinct committeemen or township
8 committeemen or ward committeemen, or any combination thereof,
9 each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot
10 voted in his precinct by the primary electors of his party at
11 the primary at which he was elected, each township committeeman
12 shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or
13 part of a township as the case may be by the primary electors
14 of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
15 meeting of the congressional committee, and each ward
16 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in each
17 precinct of his ward located in such congressional district by
18 the primary electors of his party at the primary election
19 immediately preceding the meeting of the congressional
20 committee; and in the organization and proceedings of
21 congressional committees composed of the chairmen of the county
22 central committees of the counties within such district, each
23 chairman of such county central committee shall have one vote
24 for each ballot voted in his county by the primary electors of
25 his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
26 meeting of the congressional committee.
27
Judicial District Committee
28     (f) The judicial district committee of each political party
29 in each judicial district shall be composed of the chairman of
30 the county central committees of the counties composing the
31 judicial district.
32     In the organization and proceedings of judicial district
33 committees composed of the chairmen of the county central
34 committees of the counties within such district, each chairman
35 of such county central committee shall have one vote for each
36 ballot voted in his county by the primary electors of his party

 

 

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

 

 

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1 subcircuit committee.
2
Municipal Central Committee
3     (h) The municipal central committee of each political party
4 shall be composed of the precinct, township or ward
5 committeemen, as the case may be, of such party representing
6 the precincts or wards, embraced in such city, incorporated
7 town or village. The voting strength of each precinct, township
8 or ward committeeman on the municipal central committee shall
9 be the same as his voting strength on the county central
10 committee.
11     For political parties, other than a statewide political
12 party, established only within a municipality or township, the
13 municipal or township managing committee shall be composed of
14 the party officers of the local established party. The party
15 officers of a local established party shall be as follows: the
16 chairman and secretary of the caucus for those municipalities
17 and townships authorized by statute to nominate candidates by
18 caucus shall serve as party officers for the purpose of filling
19 vacancies in nomination under Section 7-61; for municipalities
20 and townships authorized by statute or ordinance to nominate
21 candidates by petition and primary election, the party officers
22 shall be the party's candidates who are nominated at the
23 primary. If no party primary was held because of the provisions
24 of Section 7-5, vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the
25 party's remaining candidates who shall serve as the party's
26 officers.
27
Powers
28     (i) Each committee and its officers shall have the powers
29 usually exercised by such committees and by the officers
30 thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article.
31 The several committees herein provided for shall not have power
32 to delegate any of their powers, or functions to any other
33 person, officer or committee, but this shall not be construed
34 to prevent a committee from appointing from its own membership
35 proper and necessary subcommittees.
36     (j) The State central committee of a political party which

 

 

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1 elects it members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
2 Section shall adopt a plan to give effect to the delegate
3 selection rules of the national political party and file a copy
4 of such plan with the State Board of Elections when approved by
5 a national political party.
6     (k) For the purpose of the designation of a proxy by a
7 Congressional Committee to vote in place of an absent State
8 central committeeman or committeewoman at meetings of the State
9 central committee of a political party which elects its members
10 by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section, the proxy
11 shall be appointed by the vote of the ward and township
12 committeemen, if any, of the wards and townships which lie
13 entirely or partially within the Congressional District from
14 which the absent State central committeeman or committeewoman
15 was elected and the vote of the chairmen of the county central
16 committees of those counties which lie entirely or partially
17 within that Congressional District and in which there are no
18 ward or township committeemen. When voting for such proxy the
19 county chairman, ward committeeman or township committeeman,
20 as the case may be shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
21 his county, ward or township, or portion thereof within the
22 Congressional District, by the primary electors of his party at
23 the primary at which he was elected. However, the absent State
24 central committeeman or committeewoman may designate a proxy
25 when permitted by the rules of a political party which elects
26 its members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
27 Section.
28     Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person is
29 ineligible to hold the position of committeeperson in any
30 committee established pursuant to this Section if he or she is
31 statutorily ineligible to vote in a general election because of
32 conviction of a felony. When a committeeperson is convicted of
33 a felony, the position occupied by that committeeperson shall
34 automatically become vacant.
35 (Source: P.A. 93-541, eff. 8-18-03; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03;
36 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)