94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB5861

 

Introduced 11/16/2006, by Rep. Tom Cross - William B. Black - Jim Durkin - JoAnn D. Osmond - Brent Hassert

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
10 ILCS 5/7-8   from Ch. 46, par. 7-8

    Amends the Election Code. With respect to the State central committee of a political party organized under Alternative A, provides that each member of the national party committee, appointed pursuant to the bylaws of the State central committee, serves at the pleasure of the State central committee. Provides that if a member of the national party committee is determined removed by a majority weighted vote of the State central committee, the member of the national party committee is deemed disqualified to hold office and there is a vacancy in office. Effective immediately.


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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 1983 the State central committee of each
13 political party shall certify to the State Board of Elections
14 which of the following alternatives it wishes to apply to the
15 State central committee of that party.
16     Alternative A. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in
17 March 1970, 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 candidate receiving the
21 highest number of votes shall be declared elected State central
22 committeeman from the district. A political party may, in lieu
23 of the foregoing, by a majority vote of delegates at any State
24 convention of such party, determine to thereafter elect the
25 State central committeemen in the manner following:
26     At the county convention held by such political party State
27 central committeemen shall be elected in the same manner as
28 provided in this Article for the election of officers of the
29 county central committee, and such election shall follow the
30 election of officers of the county central committee. Each
31 elected ward, township or precinct committeeman shall cast as
32 his vote one vote for each ballot voted in his ward, township,

 

 

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1 part of a township or precinct in the last preceding primary
2 election of his political party. In the case of a county lying
3 partially within one congressional district and partially
4 within another congressional district, each ward, township or
5 precinct committeeman shall vote only with respect to the
6 congressional district in which his ward, township, part of a
7 township or precinct is located. In the case of a congressional
8 district which encompasses more than one county, each ward,
9 township or precinct committeeman residing within the
10 congressional district shall cast as his vote one vote for each
11 ballot voted in his ward, township, part of a township or
12 precinct in the last preceding primary election of his
13 political party for one candidate of his party for member of
14 the State central committee for the congressional district in
15 which he resides and the Chairman of the county central
16 committee shall report the results of the election to the State
17 Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections shall certify
18 the candidate receiving the highest number of votes elected
19 State central committeeman for that congressional district.
20     The State central committee shall adopt rules to provide
21 for and govern the procedures to be followed in the election of
22 members of the State central committee.
23     After the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st
24 General Assembly, whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of
25 Chairman of a State central committee, or at the end of the
26 term of office of Chairman, the State central committee of each
27 political party that has selected Alternative A shall elect a
28 Chairman who shall not be required to be a member of the State
29 Central Committee. The Chairman shall be a registered voter in
30 this State and of the same political party as the State central
31 committee.
32     Each member of the national party committee shall serve at
33 the pleasure of the State central committee. If the State
34 central committee, by a majority weighted vote, determines to
35 remove a member of the national party committee, then that
36 person is deemed disqualified to hold such office and a vacancy

 

 

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1 exists.
2     Alternative B. Each congressional committee shall, within
3 30 days after the adoption of this alternative, appoint a
4 person of the sex opposite that of the incumbent member for
5 that congressional district to serve as an additional member of
6 the State central committee until his or her successor is
7 elected at the general primary election in 1986. Each
8 congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting
9 on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section. In
10 each congressional district at the general primary election
11 held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, the male candidate
12 receiving the highest number of votes of the party's male
13 candidates for State central committeeman, and the female
14 candidate receiving the highest number of votes of the party's
15 female candidates for State central committeewoman, shall be
16 declared elected State central committeeman and State central
17 committeewoman from the district. At the general primary
18 election held in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter, if all a
19 party's candidates for State central committeemen or State
20 central committeewomen from a congressional district are of the
21 same sex, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes
22 shall be declared elected a State central committeeman or State
23 central committeewoman from the district, and, because of a
24 failure to elect one male and one female to the committee, a
25 vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the second
26 member of the State central committee from the district. This
27 vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the congressional
28 committee of the political party, and the person appointed to
29 fill the vacancy shall be a resident of the congressional
30 district and of the sex opposite that of the committeeman or
31 committeewoman elected at the general primary election. Each
32 congressional committee shall make this appointment by voting
33 on the basis set forth in paragraph (e) of this Section.
34     The Chairman of a State central committee composed as
35 provided in this Alternative B must be selected from the
36 committee's members.

 

 

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

 

 

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1 exists of his or her county, township, or ward cast by the
2 primary electors of his or her party at the primary election
3 immediately preceding the meeting to fill the vacancy in the
4 State central committee. The person appointed to fill the
5 vacancy shall be a resident of the congressional district in
6 which the vacancy occurs, shall be a qualified voter, and, in a
7 committee composed as provided in Alternative B, shall be of
8 the same sex as his or her predecessor. A political party may,
9 by a majority vote of the delegates of any State convention of
10 such party, determine to return to the election of State
11 central committeeman and State central committeewoman by the
12 vote of primary electors. Any action taken by a political party
13 at a State convention in accordance with this Section shall be
14 reported to the State Board of Elections by the chairman and
15 secretary of such convention within 10 days after such action.
16
Ward, Township and Precinct Committeemen
17     (b) At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
18 1972, and every 4 years thereafter, each primary elector in
19 cities having a population of 200,000 or over may vote for one
20 candidate of his party in his ward for ward committeeman. Each
21 candidate for ward committeeman must be a resident of and in
22 the ward where he seeks to be elected ward committeeman. The
23 one having the highest number of votes shall be such ward
24 committeeman of such party for such ward. At the primary
25 election held on the third Tuesday in March, 1970, and every 4
26 years thereafter, each primary elector in counties containing a
27 population of 2,000,000 or more, outside of cities containing a
28 population of 200,000 or more, may vote for one candidate of
29 his party for township committeeman. Each candidate for
30 township committeeman must be a resident of and in the township
31 or part of a township (which lies outside of a city having a
32 population of 200,000 or more, in counties containing a
33 population of 2,000,000 or more), and in which township or part
34 of a township he seeks to be elected township committeeman. The
35 one having the highest number of votes shall be such township
36 committeeman of such party for such township or part of a

 

 

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1 township. At the primary held on the third Tuesday in March,
2 1970 and every 2 years thereafter, each primary elector, except
3 in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or over, may vote
4 for one candidate of his party in his precinct for precinct
5 committeeman. Each candidate for precinct committeeman must be
6 a bona fide resident of the precinct where he seeks to be
7 elected precinct committeeman. The one having the highest
8 number of votes shall be such precinct committeeman of such
9 party for such precinct. The official returns of the primary
10 shall show the name of the committeeman of each political
11 party.
12     Terms of Committeemen. All precinct committeemen elected
13 under the provisions of this Article shall continue as such
14 committeemen until the date of the primary to be held in the
15 second year after their election. Except as otherwise provided
16 in this Section for certain State central committeemen who have
17 2 year terms, all State central committeemen, township
18 committeemen and ward committeemen shall continue as such
19 committeemen until the date of primary to be held in the fourth
20 year after their election. However, a vacancy exists in the
21 office of precinct committeeman when a precinct committeeman
22 ceases to reside in the precinct in which he was elected and
23 such precinct committeeman shall thereafter neither have nor
24 exercise any rights, powers or duties as committeeman in that
25 precinct, even if a successor has not been elected or
26 appointed.
27     (c) The Multi-Township Central Committee shall consist of
28 the precinct committeemen of such party, in the multi-township
29 assessing district formed pursuant to Section 2-10 of the
30 Property Tax Code and shall be organized for the purposes set
31 forth in Section 45-25 of the Township Code. In the
32 organization and proceedings of the Multi-Township Central
33 Committee each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
34 each ballot voted in his precinct by the primary electors of
35 his party at the primary at which he was elected.
36
County Central Committee

 

 

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1     (d) The county central committee of each political party in
2 each county shall consist of the various township committeemen,
3 precinct committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of such
4 party in the county. In the organization and proceedings of the
5 county central committee, each precinct committeeman shall
6 have one vote for each ballot voted in his precinct by the
7 primary electors of his party at the primary at which he was
8 elected; each township committeeman shall have one vote for
9 each ballot voted in his township or part of a township as the
10 case may be by the primary electors of his party at the primary
11 election for the nomination of candidates for election to the
12 General Assembly immediately preceding the meeting of the
13 county central committee; and in the organization and
14 proceedings of the county central committee, each ward
15 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
16 ward 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.
20
Cook County Board of Review Election District Committee
21     (d-1) Each board of review election district committee of
22 each political party in Cook County shall consist of the
23 various township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of
24 that party in the portions of the county composing the board of
25 review election district. In the organization and proceedings
26 of each of the 3 election district committees, each township
27 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
28 or her township or part of a township, as the case may be, by
29 the primary electors of his or her party at the primary
30 election immediately preceding the meeting of the board of
31 review election district committee; and in the organization and
32 proceedings of each of the 3 election district committees, each
33 ward committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in
34 his or her ward or part of that ward, as the case may be, by the
35 primary electors of his or her party at the primary election
36 immediately preceding the meeting of the board of review

 

 

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1 election district committee.
2
Congressional Committee
3     (e) The congressional committee of each party in each
4 congressional district shall be composed of the chairmen of the
5 county central committees of the counties composing the
6 congressional district, except that in congressional districts
7 wholly within the territorial limits of one county, or partly
8 within 2 or more counties, but not coterminous with the county
9 lines of all of such counties, the precinct committeemen,
10 township committeemen and ward committeemen, if any, of the
11 party representing the precincts within the limits of the
12 congressional district, shall compose the congressional
13 committee. A State central committeeman in each district shall
14 be a member and the chairman or, when a district has 2 State
15 central committeemen, a co-chairman of the congressional
16 committee, but shall not have the right to vote except in case
17 of a tie.
18     In the organization and proceedings of congressional
19 committees composed of precinct committeemen or township
20 committeemen or ward committeemen, or any combination thereof,
21 each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot
22 voted in his precinct by the primary electors of his party at
23 the primary at which he was elected, each township committeeman
24 shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his township or
25 part of a township as the case may be by the primary electors
26 of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
27 meeting of the congressional committee, and each ward
28 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in each
29 precinct of his ward located in such congressional district by
30 the primary electors of his party at the primary election
31 immediately preceding the meeting of the congressional
32 committee; and in the organization and proceedings of
33 congressional committees composed of the chairmen of the county
34 central committees of the counties within such district, each
35 chairman of such county central committee shall have one vote
36 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
27     (g-1) The judicial subcircuit committee of each political
28 party in each judicial subcircuit in a judicial circuit divided
29 into subcircuits shall be composed of (i) the ward and township
30 committeemen of the townships and wards composing the judicial
31 subcircuit in Cook County and (ii) the precinct committeemen of
32 the precincts composing the judicial subcircuit in any county
33 other than Cook County.
34     In the organization and proceedings of each judicial
35 subcircuit committee, each township committeeman shall have
36 one vote for each ballot voted in his township or part of a

 

 

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1 township, as the case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the
2 primary electors of his party at the primary election
3 immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial subcircuit
4 committee; each precinct committeeman shall have one vote for
5 each ballot voted in his precinct or part of a precinct, as the
6 case may be, in the judicial subcircuit by the primary electors
7 of his party at the primary election immediately preceding the
8 meeting of the judicial subcircuit committee; and each ward
9 committeeman shall have one vote for each ballot voted in his
10 ward or part of a ward, as the case may be, in the judicial
11 subcircuit by the primary electors of his party at the primary
12 election immediately preceding the meeting of the judicial
13 subcircuit committee.
14
Municipal Central Committee
15     (h) The municipal central committee of each political party
16 shall be composed of the precinct, township or ward
17 committeemen, as the case may be, of such party representing
18 the precincts or wards, embraced in such city, incorporated
19 town or village. The voting strength of each precinct, township
20 or ward committeeman on the municipal central committee shall
21 be the same as his voting strength on the county central
22 committee.
23     For political parties, other than a statewide political
24 party, established only within a municipality or township, the
25 municipal or township managing committee shall be composed of
26 the party officers of the local established party. The party
27 officers of a local established party shall be as follows: the
28 chairman and secretary of the caucus for those municipalities
29 and townships authorized by statute to nominate candidates by
30 caucus shall serve as party officers for the purpose of filling
31 vacancies in nomination under Section 7-61; for municipalities
32 and townships authorized by statute or ordinance to nominate
33 candidates by petition and primary election, the party officers
34 shall be the party's candidates who are nominated at the
35 primary. If no party primary was held because of the provisions
36 of Section 7-5, vacancies in nomination shall be filled by the

 

 

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

 

 

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1 when permitted by the rules of a political party which elects
2 its members by Alternative B under paragraph (a) of this
3 Section.
4     Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person is
5 ineligible to hold the position of committeeperson in any
6 committee established pursuant to this Section if he or she is
7 statutorily ineligible to vote in a general election because of
8 conviction of a felony. When a committeeperson is convicted of
9 a felony, the position occupied by that committeeperson shall
10 automatically become vacant.
11 (Source: P.A. 93-541, eff. 8-18-03; 93-574, eff. 8-21-03;
12 93-847, eff. 7-30-04; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)
 
13     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
14 becoming law.