Public Act 90-0627 of the 90th General Assembly
Public Act 90-0627
SB1702 Enrolled LRB9011386MWpc
AN ACT to amend the Election Code by changing Sections
7-8 and 7-9.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing
Sections 7-8 and 7-9 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/7-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-8)
Sec. 7-8. The State central committee shall be composed
of one or two members from each congressional district in the
State and shall be elected as follows:
State Central Committee
(a) Within 30 days after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of 1983 the State central committee of each
political party shall certify to the State Board of Elections
which of the following alternatives it wishes to apply to the
State central committee of that party.
Alternative A. At the primary held on the third Tuesday
in March 1970, and at the primary held every 4 years
thereafter, each primary elector may vote for one candidate
of his party for member of the State central committee for
the congressional district in which he resides. The
candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be
declared elected State central committeeman from the
district. A political party may, in lieu of the foregoing, by
a majority vote of delegates at any State convention of such
party, determine to thereafter elect the State central
committeemen in the manner following:
At the county convention held by such political party
State central committeemen shall be elected in the same
manner as provided in this Article for the election of
officers of the county central committee, and such election
shall follow the election of officers of the county central
committee. Each elected ward, township or precinct
committeeman shall cast as his vote one vote for each ballot
voted in his ward, township, part of a township or precinct
in the last preceding primary election of his political
party. In the case of a county lying partially within one
congressional district and partially within another
congressional district, each ward, township or precinct
committeeman shall vote only with respect to the
congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a
township or precinct is located. In the case of a
congressional district which encompasses more than one
county, each ward, township or precinct committeeman residing
within the congressional district shall cast as his vote one
vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a
township or precinct in the last preceding primary election
of his political party for one candidate of his party for
member of the State central committee for the congressional
district in which he resides and the Chairman of the county
central committee shall report the results of the election to
the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections
shall certify the candidate receiving the highest number of
votes elected State central committeeman for that
congressional district.
The State central committee shall adopt rules to provide
for and govern the procedures to be followed in the election
of members of the State central committee.
Alternative B. Each congressional committee shall,
within 30 days after the adoption of this alternative,
appoint a person of the sex opposite that of the incumbent
member for that congressional district to serve as an
additional member of the State central committee until his or
her successor is elected at the general primary election in
1986. Each congressional committee shall make this
appointment by voting on the basis set forth in paragraph (e)
of this Section. In each congressional district at the
general primary election held in 1986 and every 4 years
thereafter, the male candidate receiving the highest number
of votes of the party's male candidates for State central
committeeman, and the female candidate receiving the highest
number of votes of the party's female candidates for State
central committeewoman, shall be declared elected State
central committeeman and State central committeewoman from
the district. At the general primary election held in 1986
and every 4 years thereafter, if all a party's candidates for
State central committeemen or State central committeewomen
from a congressional district are of the same sex, the
candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be
declared elected a State central committeeman or State
central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a
failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a
vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the
second member of the State central committee from the
district. This vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the
congressional committee of the political party, and the
person appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of
the congressional district and of the sex opposite that of
the committeeman or committeewoman elected at the general
primary election. Each congressional committee shall make
this appointment by voting on the basis set forth in
paragraph (e) of this Section.
Under both of the foregoing alternatives, the State
central committee of each political party shall be composed
of members elected or appointed from the several
congressional districts of the State, and of no other person
or persons whomsoever. The members of the State central
committee shall, within 30 days after each quadrennial
election of the full committee, meet in the city of
Springfield and organize by electing from among their own
number a chairman, and may at such time elect such officers
from among their own number (or otherwise), as they may deem
necessary or expedient. The outgoing chairman of the State
central committee of the party shall, 10 days before the
meeting, notify each member of the State central committee
elected at the primary of the time and place of such meeting.
In the organization and proceedings of the State central
committee, each State central committeeman and State central
committeewoman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
his or her congressional district by the primary electors of
his or her party at the primary election immediately
preceding the meeting of the State central committee.
Whenever a vacancy occurs in the State central committee of
any political party, the vacancy may shall be filled by
appointment of the chairmen of the county central committees
of the political party of the counties located within the
congressional district in which the vacancy occurs and, if
applicable, the ward and township committeemen of the
political party in counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants
located within the congressional district. If the
congressional district in which the vacancy occurs lies
wholly within a county of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the
ward and township committeemen of the political party in that
congressional district shall vote to fill the vacancy. In
voting to fill the vacancy, each chairman of a county central
committee and each ward and township committeeman in counties
of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants shall have one vote for each
ballot voted in each precinct of the congressional district
in which the vacancy exists of his or her county, township,
or ward cast by the primary electors of his or her party at
the primary election immediately preceding the meeting to
fill the vacancy in the State central committee. The person
appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the
congressional district in which the vacancy occurs, shall be
a qualified voter, and, in a committee composed as provided
in Alternative B, shall be of the same sex as his or her
predecessor. by the congressional committee of that political
party in the congressional district from which the
appointee's predecessor was elected, and the member so
appointed to fill the vacancy shall be a resident of that
congressional district and, in a committee composed as
provided in alternative B, shall be of the same sex as the
appointee's predecessor. A political party may, by a majority
vote of the delegates of any State convention of such party,
determine to return to the election of State central
committeeman and State central committeewoman by the vote of
primary electors. Any action taken by a political party at a
State convention in accordance with this Section shall be
reported to the State Board of Elections by the chairman and
secretary of such convention within 10 days after such
action.
Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen
(b) At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
1972, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
cities having a population of 200,000 or over may vote for
one candidate of his party in his ward for ward committeeman.
Each candidate for ward committeeman must be a resident of
and in the ward where he seeks to be elected ward
committeeman. The one having the highest number of votes
shall be such ward committeeman of such party for such ward.
At the primary election held on the third Tuesday in March,
1970, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or more,
outside of cities containing a population of 200,000 or more,
may vote for one candidate of his party for township
committeeman. Each candidate for township committeeman must
be a resident of and in the township or part of a township
(which lies outside of a city having a population of 200,000
or more, in counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or
more), and in which township or part of a township he seeks
to be elected township committeeman. The one having the
highest number of votes shall be such township committeeman
of such party for such township or part of a township. At the
primary held on the third Tuesday in March, 1970 and every 2
years thereafter, each primary elector, except in counties
having a population of 2,000,000 or over, may vote for one
candidate of his party in his precinct for precinct
committeeman. Each candidate for precinct committeeman must
be a bona fide resident of the precinct where he seeks to be
elected precinct committeeman. The one having the highest
number of votes shall be such precinct committeeman of such
party for such precinct. The official returns of the primary
shall show the name of the committeeman of each political
party.
Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected
under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such
committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the
second year after their election. Except as otherwise
provided in this Section for certain State central
committeemen who have 2 year terms, all State central
committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen
shall continue as such committeemen until the date of primary
to be held in the fourth year after their election. However,
a vacancy exists in the office of precinct committeeman when
a precinct committeeman ceases to reside in the precinct in
which he was elected and such precinct committeeman shall
thereafter neither have nor exercise any rights, powers or
duties as committeeman in that precinct, even if a successor
has not been elected or appointed.
(c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist
of the precinct committeemen of such party, in the
multi-township assessing district formed pursuant to Section
2-10 of the Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the
purposes set forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In
the organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township
Central Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one
vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary
electors of his party at the primary at which he was elected.
County Central Committee
(d) The county central committee of each political party
in each county shall consist of the various township
committeemen, precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if
any, of such party in the county. In the organization and
proceedings of the county central committee, each precinct
committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
precinct by the primary electors of his party at the primary
at which he was elected; each township committeeman shall
have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part
of a township as the case may be by the primary electors of
his party at the primary election for the nomination of
candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately
preceding the meeting of the county central committee; and in
the organization and proceedings of the county central
committee, each ward committeeman shall have one vote for
each ballot voted in his ward by the primary electors of his
party at the primary election for the nomination of
candidates for election to the General Assembly immediately
preceding the meeting of the county central committee.
Congressional Committee
(e) The congressional committee of each party in each
congressional district shall be composed of the chairmen of
the county central committees of the counties composing the
congressional district, except that in congressional
districts wholly within the territorial limits of one county,
or partly within 2 or more counties, but not coterminous with
the county lines of all of such counties, the precinct
committeemen, township committeemen and ward committeemen, if
any, of the party representing the precincts within the
limits of the congressional district, shall compose the
congressional committee. A State central committeeman in each
district shall be a member and the chairman or, when a
district has 2 State central committeemen, a co-chairman of
the congressional committee, but shall not have the right to
vote except in case of a tie.
In the organization and proceedings of congressional
committees composed of precinct committeemen or township
committeemen or ward committeemen, or any combination
thereof, each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of
his party at the primary at which he was elected, each
township committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot
voted in his township or part of a township as the case may
be by the primary electors of his party at the primary
election immediately preceding the meeting of the
congressional committee, and each ward committeeman shall
have one vote for each ballot voted in each precinct of his
ward located in such congressional district by the primary
electors of his party at the primary election immediately
preceding the meeting of the congressional committee; and in
the organization and proceedings of congressional committees
composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of
the counties within such district, each chairman of such
county central committee shall have one vote for each ballot
voted in his county by the primary electors of his party at
the primary election immediately preceding the meeting of the
congressional committee.
Judicial District Committee
(f) The judicial district committee of each political
party in each judicial district shall be composed of the
chairman of the county central committees of the counties
composing the judicial district.
In the organization and proceedings of judicial district
committees composed of the chairmen of the county central
committees of the counties within such district, each
chairman of such county central committee shall have one vote
for each ballot voted in his county by the primary electors
of his party at the primary election immediately preceding
the meeting of the judicial district committee.
Circuit Court Committee
(g) The circuit court committee of each political party
in each judicial circuit outside Cook County shall be
composed of the chairmen of the county central committees of
the counties composing the judicial circuit.
In the organization and proceedings of circuit court
committees, each chairman of a county central committee shall
have one vote for each ballot voted in his county by the
primary electors of his party at the primary election
immediately preceding the meeting of the circuit court
committee.
Judicial Subcircuit Committee
(g-1) The judicial subcircuit committee of each
political party in each judicial subcircuit in Cook County
shall be composed of the ward and township committeemen of
the townships and wards composing the judicial subcircuit.
In the organization and proceedings of each judicial
subcircuit committee, each township committeeman shall have
one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a
township, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by
the primary electors of his party at the primary election
immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit
committee; and each ward committeeman shall have one vote for
each ballot voted in his ward or part of a ward, as the case
may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors of
his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee.
Municipal Central Committee
(h) The municipal central committee of each political
party shall be composed of the precinct, township or ward
committeemen, as the case may be, of such party representing
the precincts or wards, embraced in such city, incorporated
town or village. The voting strength of each precinct,
township or ward committeeman on the municipal central
committee shall be the same as his voting strength on the
county central committee.
For political parties, other than a statewide political
party, established only within a municipality or township,
the municipal or township managing committee shall be
composed of the party officers of the local established
party. The party officers of a local established party shall
be as follows: the chairman and secretary of the caucus for
those municipalities and townships authorized by statute to
nominate candidates by caucus shall serve as party officers
for the purpose of filling vacancies in nomination under
Section 7-61; for municipalities and townships authorized by
statute or ordinance to nominate candidates by petition and
primary election, the party officers shall be the party's
candidates who are nominated at the primary. If no party
primary was held because of the provisions of Section 7-5,
vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the party's
remaining candidates who shall serve as the party's officers.
Powers
(i) Each committee and its officers shall have the
powers usually exercised by such committees and by the
officers thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of
this Article. The several committees herein provided for
shall not have power to delegate any of their powers, or
functions to any other person, officer or committee, but this
shall not be construed to prevent a committee from appointing
from its own membership proper and necessary subcommittees.
(j) The State central committee of a political party
which elects it members by Alternative B under paragraph (a)
of this Section shall adopt a plan to give effect to the
delegate selection rules of the national political party and
file a copy of such plan with the State Board of Elections
when approved by a national political party.
(k) For the purpose of the designation of a proxy by a
Congressional Committee to vote in place of an absent State
central committeeman or committeewoman at meetings of the
State central committee of a political party which elects its
members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section,
the proxy shall be appointed by the vote of the ward and
township committeemen, if any, of the wards and townships
which lie entirely or partially within the Congressional
District from which the absent State central committeeman or
committeewoman was elected and the vote of the chairmen of
the county central committees of those counties which lie
entirely or partially within that Congressional District and
in which there are no ward or township committeemen. When
voting for such proxy the county chairman, ward committeeman
or township committeeman, as the case may be shall have one
vote for each ballot voted in his county, ward or township,
or portion thereof within the Congressional District, by the
primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was
elected. However, the absent State central committeeman or
committeewoman may designate a proxy when permitted by the
rules of a political party which elects its members by
Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this Section.
(Source: P.A. 87-1052; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)
(10 ILCS 5/7-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 7-9)
Sec. 7-9. County central committee; county and State
conventions.
(a) On the second Monday next succeeding the primary at
which committeemen are elected, the county central committee
of each political party shall meet at the county seat of the
proper county and proceed to organize by electing from its
own number a chairman and either from its own number, or
otherwise, such other officers as such committee may deem
necessary or expedient. Such meeting of the county central
committee shall be known as the county convention.
The chairman of each county committee shall within 10
days after the organization, forward to the State Board of
Elections, the names and post office addresses of the
officers, precinct committeemen and representative
committeemen elected by his political party.
The county convention of each political party shall
choose delegates to the State convention of its party; but in
any county having within its limits any city having a
population of 200,000, or over the delegates from such city
shall be chosen by wards, the ward committeemen from the
respective wards choosing the number of delegates to which
such ward is entitled on the basis prescribed in paragraph
(e) of this Section such delegates to be members of the
delegation to the State convention from such county. In all
counties containing a population of 2,000,000 or more outside
of cities having a population of 200,000 or more, the
delegates from each of the townships or parts of townships as
the case may be shall be chosen by townships or parts of
townships as the case may be, the township committeemen from
the respective townships or parts of townships as the case
may be choosing the number of delegates to which such
townships or parts of townships as the case may be are
entitled, on the basis prescribed in paragraph (e) of this
Section such delegates to be members of the delegation to the
State convention from such county.
Each member of the State Central Committee of a political
party which elects its members by Alternative B under
paragraph (a) of Section 7-8 shall be a delegate to the State
Convention, ex officio.
Each member of the State Central Committee of a political
party which elects its members by Alternative B under
paragraph (a) of Section 7-8 may appoint 2 delegates to the
State Convention who must be residents of the member's
Congressional District.
(b)All State conventions shall be held within 180 days
after the general primary in the year 2000 and every 4 years
thereafter on the first Friday after the second Monday next
succeeding the primary at which committeemen are elected. In
the year 1998, and every 4 years thereafter, the chairman of
a State central committee may issue a call for a State
convention within 180 days after the general primary.
The State convention of each political party has power to
make nominations of candidates of its political party for the
electors of President and Vice President of the United
States, and to adopt any party platform, and, to the extent
determined by the State central committee as provided in
Section 7-14, to choose and select delegates and alternate
delegates at large to national nominating conventions. The
State Central Committee may adopt rules to provide for and
govern the procedures of the State convention.
(c) The chairman and secretary of each State convention
shall, within 2 days thereafter, transmit to the State Board
of Elections of this State a certificate setting forth the
names and addresses of all persons nominated by such State
convention for electors of President and Vice President of
the United States, and of any persons selected by the State
convention for delegates and alternate delegates at large to
national nominating conventions; and the names of such
candidates so chosen by such State convention for electors of
President and Vice President of the United States, shall be
caused by the State Board of Elections to be printed upon the
official ballot at the general election, in the manner
required by law, and shall be certified to the various county
clerks of the proper counties in the manner as provided in
Section 7-60 of this Article 7 for the certifying of the
names of persons nominated by any party for State offices. If
and as long as this Act prescribes that the names of such
electors be not printed on the ballot, then the names of such
electors shall be certified in such manner as may be
prescribed by the parts of this Act applicable thereto.
(d) Each convention may perform all other functions
inherent to such political organization and not inconsistent
with this Article.
(e) At least 33 days before the date of a State
convention primary at which committeemen are elected, the
chairman of the State central committee of each political
party shall file in the principal office of the State Board
of Elections county clerk in each county of the State a call
for the State convention. Such call shall state, among other
things, the time and place (designating the building or hall)
for holding the State convention. Such call shall be signed
by the chairman and attested by the secretary of the
committee. In such convention each county shall be entitled
to one delegate for each 500 ballots voted by the primary
electors of the party in such county at the primary to be
held next after the issuance of such call; and if in such
county, less than 500 ballots are so voted or if the number
of ballots so voted is not exactly a multiple of 500, there
shall be one delegate for such group which is less than 500,
or for such group representing the number of votes over the
multiple of 500, which delegate shall have 1/500 of one vote
for each primary vote so represented by him. The call for
such convention shall set forth this paragraph (e) of Section
7-9 in full and shall direct that the number of delegates to
be chosen be calculated in compliance herewith and that such
number of delegates be chosen.
(f) All precinct, township and ward committeemen when
elected as provided in this Section shall serve as though
elected at large irrespective of any changes that may be made
in precinct, township or ward boundaries and the voting
strength of each committeeman shall remain as provided in
this Section for the entire time for which he is elected.
(g) The officers elected at any convention provided for
in this Section shall serve until their successors are
elected as provided in this Act.
(h) A special meeting of any central committee may be
called by the chairman, or by not less than 25% of the
members of such committee, by giving 5 days notice to members
of such committee in writing designating the time and place
at which such special meeting is to be held and the business
which it is proposed to present at such special meeting.
(i) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, whenever a
vacancy exists in the office of precinct committeeman because
no one was elected to that office or because the precinct
committeeman ceases to reside in the precinct or for any
other reason, the chairman of the county central committee of
the appropriate political party may fill the vacancy in such
office by appointment of a qualified resident of the county
and the appointed precinct committeeman shall serve as though
elected; however, no such appointment may be made between the
general primary election and the 14th day after the general
primary election.
(j) If the number of Congressional Districts in the
State of Illinois is reduced as a result of reapportionment
of Congressional Districts following a federal decennial
census, the State Central Committeemen and Committeewomen of
a political party which elects its State Central Committee by
either Alternative A or by Alternative B under paragraph (a)
of Section 7-8 who were previously elected shall continue to
serve as if no reapportionment had occurred until the
expiration of their terms.
(Source: P.A. 89-5, eff. 1-1-96.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.