10 ILCS 5/ Election Code.

(10 ILCS 5/8-11) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-11)

Sec. 8-11. The county clerk of each county or the board of election commissioners, as the case may be, shall prepare and cause to be printed the primary ballot of each political party for each precinct in his respective county, and the names of all candidates provided in this Article 8, which are certified to the office of the county clerk by the electoral board, shall be placed on the same ballot as candidates for other offices for nominations to be voted for at the same primary election, properly arranged, however, under the name of each office.

(Source: P.A. 82-750.)

(10 ILCS 5/8-12) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-12)

Sec. 8-12. The State Board of Elections shall, in its certificate to the county clerk, certify to the county clerk the position which the names of candidates for legislative offices shall occupy upon the primary ballot with reference to the position of candidates for other offices; provided that, where the candidates on the primary ballot are listed in two or more columns, legislative offices shall be the first offices listed in the second column.

(Source: P.A. 82-750.)

(10 ILCS 5/8-15) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-15)

Sec. 8-15. Except as in this article otherwise expressly provided, all of the provisions of Article 7 of this Act and acts hereafter passed amendatory thereof, shall, so far as the same may be applicable, apply to and govern primary elections and contests thereof held under the provisions of this Article 8. The returns of such primary shall be made to the county clerk or board of election commissioners, as the case may be, and shall be canvassed and certified as other returns made to the county clerk or board of election commissioners as the case may be.

Tabulated statements of the returns of the primary for the nomination of candidates for legislative offices shall be made to the State Board of Elections, canvassed by the Board, proclamation of the result thereof made, and certificates of nomination issued, as in the case of other tabulated statements of returns made to the State Board of Elections, and the election of any person nominated may be contested by filing with the clerk of the circuit court a petition in writing and filing notice in writing with the proper canvassing boards as required by Article 7 hereof.

(Source: P.A. 82-750.)

(10 ILCS 5/8-16) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-16)

Sec. 8-16. Nothing in this article contained shall be construed to prevent the nomination of independent candidates by petition, as is now or may hereafter be provided by this act.

(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)

(10 ILCS 5/8-17) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-17)

Sec. 8-17. The death of any candidate prior to, or on, the date of the primary shall not affect the canvass of the ballots. If the result of such canvass discloses that such candidate, if he had lived, would have been nominated, such candidate shall be declared nominated.

In the event that a candidate of a party who has been nominated under the provisions of this Article shall die before election (whether death occurs prior to, or on, or after, the date of the primary), decline the nomination, or withdraw the candidate's name from the ballot prior to the general election, the legislative or representative committee of such party for such district shall nominate a candidate of such party to fill such vacancy. However, if there was no candidate for the nomination of the party in the primary, no candidate of that party for that office may be listed on the ballot at the general election. In proceedings to fill the vacancy in nomination, the voting strength of the members of the legislative or representative committee shall be as provided in Section 8-6 or as provided in Section 25-6, as applicable.

(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 103-586, eff. 5-3-24.)

(10 ILCS 5/8-17.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-17.1)

Sec. 8-17.1. Whenever a vacancy in the office of State Senator is to be filled by election pursuant to Article IV, Section 2(d) of the Constitution and Section 25-6 of this Code, nominations shall be made and any vacancy in nomination shall be filled pursuant to this Section:

(1) If the vacancy in office occurs before the first date provided in Section 8-9 for filing nomination papers for the primary in the next even-numbered year following the commencement of the term, the nominations for the election for filling such vacancy shall be made as otherwise provided in Article 8.

(2) If the vacancy in office occurs during the time provided in Section 8-9 for filing nomination papers for the office of State Senator for the primary in the next even-numbered year following commencement of the term of office in which such vacancy occurs, the time for filing nomination papers for such office for the primary shall be not more than 105 days and not less than 99 days prior to the date of the primary election.

(3) If the vacancy in office occurs after the last day provided in Section 8-9 for filing nomination papers for the office of State Senator, a vacancy in nomination shall be deemed to have occurred and the legislative committee of each established political party shall nominate, by resolution, a candidate to fill such vacancy in nomination for the election to such office at such general election. In the proceedings to fill the vacancy in nomination the voting strength of the members of the legislative committee shall be as provided in Section 8-6. The name of the candidate so nominated shall not appear on the ballot at the general primary election. Such vacancy in nomination shall be filled prior to the date of certification of candidates for the general election.

(4) The resolution to fill the vacancy shall be duly acknowledged before an officer qualified to take acknowledgments of deeds and shall include, upon its face, the following information:

(a) the names of the original nominee and the office vacated;

(b) the date on which the vacancy occurred;

(c) the name and address of the nominee selected to fill the vacancy and the date of selection.

The resolution to fill the vacancy shall be accompanied by a Statement of Candidacy, as prescribed in Section 7-10, completed by the selected nominee and a receipt indicating that such nominee has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.

The provisions of Sections 10-8 through 10-10.1 relating to objections to nomination papers, hearings on objections and judicial review, shall also apply to and govern objections to nomination papers and resolutions for filling vacancies in nomination filed pursuant to this Section.

Unless otherwise specified herein, the nomination and election provided for in this Section shall be governed by this Code.

(Source: P.A. 96-1008, eff. 7-6-10; 97-333, eff. 8-12-11.)

(10 ILCS 5/Art. 8A heading) ARTICLE 8A. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVESIN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM THE STATE AT LARGE(Repealed)

(10 ILCS 5/Art. 9 heading) ARTICLE 9. DISCLOSURE AND REGULATION OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES (Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1)

Sec. 9-1. As used in this Article, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms defined in Sections 9-1.1 through 9-1.13, have the respective meanings as defined in those Sections.

(Source: P.A. 86-873.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.1)

Sec. 9-1.1. "Board" means the State Board of Elections.

(Source: P.A. 78-1183.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.3) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.3)

Sec. 9-1.3. "Candidate" means any person who seeks nomination for election, election to or retention in public office, or any person who seeks election as ward or township committeeperson in counties of 3,000,000 or more population, whether or not such person is elected. A person seeks nomination for election, election or retention if he (1) takes the action necessary under the laws of this State to attempt to qualify for nomination for election, election to or retention in public office or election as ward or township committeeperson in counties of 3,000,000 or more population, or (2) receives contributions or makes expenditures, or gives consent for any other person to receive contributions or make expenditures with a view to bringing about his nomination for election or election to or retention in public office, or his or her election as ward or township committeeperson in counties of 3,000,000 or more population.

(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.4) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.4)

Sec. 9-1.4. Contribution.

(A) "Contribution" means:

(1) a gift, subscription, donation, dues, loan, advance, deposit of money, or anything of value, knowingly received in connection with the nomination for election, election, or retention of any candidate or person to or in public office or in connection with any question of public policy;

(1.5) a gift, subscription, donation, dues, loan, advance, deposit of money, or anything of value that constitutes an electioneering communication made in concert or cooperation with or at the request, suggestion, or knowledge of a candidate, a political committee, or any of their agents;

(2) the purchase of tickets for fund-raising events, including but not limited to dinners, luncheons, cocktail parties, and rallies made in connection with the nomination for election, election, or retention of any person in or to public office, or in connection with any question of public policy;

(3) a transfer of funds received by a political committee from another political committee;

(4) the services of an employee donated by an employer, in which case the contribution shall be listed in the name of the employer, except that any individual services provided voluntarily and without promise or expectation of compensation from any source shall not be deemed a contribution; and

(5) an expenditure by a political committee made in cooperation, consultation, or concert with another political committee.

(B) "Contribution" does not include:

(a) the use of real or personal property and the cost of invitations, food, and beverages, voluntarily provided by an individual in rendering voluntary personal services on the individual's residential premises for candidate-related activities; provided the value of the service provided does not exceed an aggregate of $150 in a reporting period;

(b) the sale of any food or beverage by a vendor for use in a candidate's campaign at a charge less than the normal comparable charge, if such charge for use in a candidate's campaign is at least equal to the cost of such food or beverage to the vendor;

(c) communications by a corporation to its stockholders and executive or administrative personnel or their families;

(d) communications by an association to its members and executive or administrative personnel or their families;

(e) voter registration or other campaigns encouraging voting that make no mention of any clearly identified candidate, public question, political party, group, or combination thereof;

(f) a loan of money by a national or State bank or credit union made in accordance with the applicable banking laws and regulations and in the ordinary course of business, but the loan shall be listed on disclosure reports required by this Article; however, the use, ownership, or control of any security for such a loan, if provided by a person other than the candidate or his or her committee, qualifies as a contribution; or

(g) an independent expenditure.

(C) Interest or other investment income, earnings or proceeds, and refunds or returns of all or part of a committee's previous expenditures shall not be considered contributions but shall be listed on disclosure reports required by this Article.

(Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.5) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.5)

Sec. 9-1.5. Expenditure.

(A) "Expenditure" means:

(1) a payment, distribution, purchase, loan, advance, deposit, gift of money, or anything of value, in connection with the nomination for election, election, or retention of any person to or in public office or in connection with any question of public policy;

(2) a payment, distribution, purchase, loan, advance, deposit, gift of money, or anything of value that constitutes an electioneering communication made in concert or cooperation with or at the request, suggestion, or knowledge of a candidate, a political committee, or any of their agents; or

(3) a transfer of funds by a political committee to another political committee.

(B) "Expenditure" does not include:

(a) the use of real or personal property and the cost of invitations, food, and beverages, voluntarily provided by an individual in rendering voluntary personal services on the individual's residential premises for candidate-related activities; provided the value of the service provided does not exceed an aggregate of $150 in a reporting period; or

(b) the sale of any food or beverage by a vendor for use in a candidate's campaign at a charge less than the normal comparable charge, if such charge for use in a candidate's campaign is at least equal to the cost of such food or beverage to the vendor.

(Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.6) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.6)

Sec. 9-1.6. Person. "Person" or "whoever" means a natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or any other organization or group of persons.

(Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.7) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.7)

Sec. 9-1.7. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 95-963, eff. 1-1-09. Repealed by P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.8) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.8)

Sec. 9-1.8. Political committees.

(a) "Political committee" includes a candidate political committee, a political party committee, a political action committee, a ballot initiative committee, and an independent expenditure committee.

(b) "Candidate political committee" means the candidate himself or herself or any natural person, trust, partnership, corporation, or other organization or group of persons designated by the candidate that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 on behalf of the candidate.

(c) "Political party committee" means the State central committee of a political party, a county central committee of a political party, a legislative caucus committee, or a committee formed by a ward or township committeeperson of a political party. For purposes of this Article, a "legislative caucus committee" means a committee established for the purpose of electing candidates to the General Assembly by the person elected President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, or a committee established by 5 or more members of the same caucus of the Senate or 10 or more members of the same caucus of the House of Representatives.

(d) "Political action committee" means any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons, other than a candidate, political party, candidate political committee, or political party committee, that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate or candidates for public office. "Political action committee" includes any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons, other than a candidate, political party, candidate political committee, or political party committee, that makes electioneering communications during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 related to any candidate or candidates for public office.

(e) "Ballot initiative committee" means any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 in support of or in opposition to any question of public policy to be submitted to the electors. "Ballot initiative committee" includes any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that makes electioneering communications during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 related to any question of public policy to be submitted to the voters. The $5,000 threshold applies to any contributions or expenditures received or made with the purpose of securing a place on the ballot for, advocating the defeat or passage of, or engaging in electioneering communication regarding the question of public policy, regardless of the method of initiation of the question of public policy and regardless of whether petitions have been circulated or filed with the appropriate office or whether the question has been adopted and certified by the governing body.

(f) "Independent expenditure committee" means any trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons formed for the exclusive purpose of making independent expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 in support of or in opposition to (i) the nomination for election, election, retention, or defeat of any public official or candidate or (ii) any question of public policy to be submitted to the electors. "Independent expenditure committee" also includes any trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that makes electioneering communications that are not made in connection, consultation, or concert with or at the request or suggestion of a public official or candidate, a public official's or candidate's designated political committee or campaign, or an agent or agents of the public official, candidate, or political committee or campaign during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 related to (i) the nomination for election, election, retention, or defeat of any public official or candidate or (ii) any question of public policy to be submitted to the voters.

(g) "Limited activity committee" means a political committee for which a person who is nominated to a position that is subject to confirmation by the Senate, including a member of the State Board of Elections, is either an officer or a candidate the committee has designated to support.

(Source: P.A. 102-664, eff. 1-1-22.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.9) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.9)

Sec. 9-1.9. Election cycle. "Election cycle" means any of the following:

(1) For a candidate political committee organized to support a candidate to be elected at a general primary election or general election, (i) the period beginning January 1 following the general election for the office to which a candidate seeks nomination or election and ending on the day of the general primary election for that office or (ii) the period beginning the day after a general primary election for the office to which the candidate seeks nomination or election and through December 31 following the general election.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), for a candidate political committee organized to support a candidate for the General Assembly, (i) the period beginning January 1 following a general election and ending on the day of the next general primary election or (ii) the period beginning the day after the general primary election and ending on December 31 following a general election.

(3) For a candidate political committee organized to support a candidate for a retention election, (i) the period beginning January 1 following the general election at which the candidate was elected through the day the candidate files a declaration of intent to seek retention or (ii) the period beginning the day after the candidate files a declaration of intent to seek retention through December 31 following the retention election.

(4) For a candidate political committee organized to support a candidate to be elected at a consolidated primary election or consolidated election, (i) the period beginning July 1 following a consolidated election and ending on the day of the consolidated primary election or (ii) the period beginning the day after the consolidated primary election and ending on June 30 following a consolidated election.

(5) For a political party committee, political action committee, ballot initiative committee, or independent expenditure committee, the period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31 of each calendar year.

(Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11; 97-766, eff. 7-6-12.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.10) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.10)

Sec. 9-1.10. Public Office. "Public office" means any elective office or judicial office subject to retention.

(Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.10b)

Sec. 9-1.10b. Severability. The provisions of this amendatory Act of 1995 are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.

(Source: P.A. 89-405, eff. 11-8-95.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.11) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.11)

Sec. 9-1.11. "Public official" means any person who is elected or appointed to public office.

(Source: P.A. 78-1183.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.12) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.12)

Sec. 9-1.12. Anything of value. "Anything of value" means any item, thing, service, or good, regardless of whether it may be valued in monetary terms according to ascertainable market value. Anything of value which does not have an ascertainable market value must be reported by describing the item, thing, service, or good contributed and by using the contributor's certified market value required under Section 9-6.

(Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.13) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.13)

Sec. 9-1.13. Transfer of funds. "Transfer of funds" means any conveyance of money from one political committee to another political committee.

(Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)