60 ILCS 1/ Township Code.

(60 ILCS 1/50-15)

Sec. 50-15. Time of entering upon duties.

(a) In all counties, the township collectors elected at the township election shall enter upon their duties on January 1 next following their election and qualification.

(b) In all counties, township supervisors and township clerks shall enter upon their duties on the third Monday of May following their election.

(c) Beginning with elections in 1981 in all counties, the township and multi-township assessors shall enter upon their duties on January 1 next following their election.

(Source: P.A. 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)

(60 ILCS 1/50-20)

Sec. 50-20. Counties with no township collector.

(a) No collector in counties under 100,000. In counties under township organization, having a population of less than 100,000, there shall be no township collector elected. The county collector shall be ex-officio township collector, and all the duties of the township collector shall devolve upon and be performed by the county collector.

(b) No collector in counties over 2,000,000. In counties having a population of more than 2,000,000 inhabitants there shall be no township collector elected on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly. Upon the completion of the terms of office of township collectors holding office on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, the township assessor shall be the ex-officio township collector, and all the duties of the township collector shall devolve upon and be performed by the township assessor.

(Source: P.A. 97-857, eff. 7-27-12.)

(60 ILCS 1/50-25)

Sec. 50-25. Referendum to elect township collector.

(a) In counties under township organization having a population of more than 100,000 as determined by the last preceding federal census (except Cook County) in which no township collectors were elected in the year 1937, no township collectors shall be elected unless the proposition to elect those officers has first been submitted to the electors of the county and approved in the manner provided in this Section.

(b) Whenever a petition for referendum, signed by at least 10% of the total number of voters voting at the last general election at which any county officer was elected, is filed with the county clerk not less than 78 days before a regular election, the county clerk shall certify for submission the proposition of electing township collectors in townships in counties described in subsection (a) in accordance with the general election law. The proposition shall be in substantially the following form:

Shall township collectors be elected for the several townships of (name of county) under Section 50-25 of the Township Code?

The votes shall be recorded as "Yes" or "No".

(c) If a majority of the voters voting on the proposition vote in favor of it, there shall be elected in each township in the county at the next regular election for township offices one township collector. The collector shall hold office until the date of the expiration of the term of office of township collectors in Cook County as provided in Section 50-10, and until a successor is elected and qualified. Successors shall hold office for a term of 4 years and until their successors are elected and qualified.

(Source: P.A. 82-783; 88-62.)

(60 ILCS 1/50-30)

Sec. 50-30. Referendum to discontinue office of township collector.

(a) Each county under township organization having a population of more than 100,000 according to the last preceding federal census (except Cook County) in which township collectors were elected for the townships of the county in the year 1937, and counties under township government that have by referendum under Section 50-25 provided for the election of township collectors, may at a regular election submit to a further referendum the question of discontinuing the office of township collector in the county in the manner provided in this Section.

(b) Whenever a petition, signed by at least 10% of the total number of voters at the last general election at which any county officer was elected and requesting submission to the voters of the county of the proposition of discontinuing the office of the township collector in the county, is filed with the county clerk not less than 78 days before a regular election, the county clerk shall submit the proposition in accordance with the general election law. The proposition shall be in substantially the following form:

Shall the office of township collector be discontinued in (name of county) under Section 50-30 of the Township Code?

The votes shall be recorded as "Yes" or "No".

(c) If a majority of the voters voting on the proposition vote in favor of the discontinuance of the office of township collector, no township collectors shall thereafter be elected in the county unless there has again been submitted to the voters of the county and approved by them a proposition to establish the office of township collector.

(Source: P.A. 82-783; 88-62.)

(60 ILCS 1/50-32)

Sec. 50-32. Sangamon County township collectors.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, the offices of township collector in Sangamon County are discontinued on January 1, 2022. On January 1, 2022, the Sangamon County Treasurer assumes the duties of each township collector in Sangamon County.

(b) If a township collector's office becomes vacant in Sangamon County before January 1, 2022, the vacancy may not be filled and the Sangamon County Treasurer shall assume the duties of that township collector.

(Source: P.A. 100-187, eff. 8-18-17.)

(60 ILCS 1/50-35)

Sec. 50-35. Further submission of proposition. The result of any vote on any referendum under Section 50-25 or 50-30 shall not be deemed a bar to the further submission of any proposition authorized in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 88-62.)

(60 ILCS 1/50-40)

Sec. 50-40. Township trustees; time of election and terms. Except in townships organized under Article 15, at the regular township election provided in the general election law there shall be elected 4 members to serve on the township board. They shall be known as township trustees and shall hold their office for a term of 4 years beginning the third Monday of May following their election and until their successors are elected and qualified.

(Source: P.A. 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)

(60 ILCS 1/50-45)

Sec. 50-45. General election law; definitions.

(a) The general election law applies to the conduct of all township elections and referenda except those held at an annual or special township meeting, which shall be under the jurisdiction of the township clerk and rules covering the annual township meeting or a special township meeting.

(b) As used in this Code in connection with elections of township officers and referenda, the following election definitions apply:

(1) "Voter" or "legal voter" or "elector" means a person qualified and registered to vote under the general election law.

(2) "Certify" and "certification", when used in connection with elections of officers or referenda, refer to the certification, in accordance with the general election law, of offices, candidates, or propositions to county clerks and boards of election commissioners for inclusion on one ballot at an election.

(3) "Submit" and "submission", when used in connection with a referendum on a proposition or question, refer to the submission to the voters, in accordance with the general election law, of the proposition or question by county clerks and boards of election commissioners.

(Source: P.A. 87-738; 88-62.)

(60 ILCS 1/Art. 55 heading) ARTICLE 55. QUALIFICATION AND TENURE OF TOWNSHIP OFFICERS

(60 ILCS 1/55-5)

Sec. 55-5. Legal voter and resident. No person is eligible to hold any office unless he or she is a legal voter and has been a resident of the township for one year.

(Source: P.A. 82-783; 88-62.)

(60 ILCS 1/55-6)

Sec. 55-6. Criminal conviction. A person is not eligible to hold any office if that person, at the time required for taking the oath of office, has been convicted in any court located in the United States of any infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony.

(Source: P.A. 99-546, eff. 7-15-16.)

(60 ILCS 1/55-10)

Sec. 55-10. Oath or affirmation. Every person elected or appointed to the office of supervisor, township clerk, assessor, trustee, commissioner of highways, township enforcement officer, or collector, before entering upon the duties of that office, shall take and subscribe, before any person authorized to administer an oath of office, the oath or affirmation of office prescribed by the Constitution. Within 8 days after the oath or affirmation is taken and subscribed, it shall be filed in the office of the township clerk or the clerk of the multi-township board, as the case may be, and the county clerk.

(Source: P.A. 86-769; 88-62.)

(60 ILCS 1/55-15)

Sec. 55-15. Neglect to take oath or affirmation. If any person elected or appointed to any of the offices specified in Section 55-10 neglects to take and subscribe the oath or affirmation and cause the certificate to be filed as required in Section 55-10, the neglect shall be deemed a refusal to serve.

(Source: P.A. 82-783; 88-62.)

(60 ILCS 1/55-20)

Sec. 55-20. Pound master; acceptance of office. Every person appointed to the office of pound master, before he or she enters on the duties of the office and within 10 days after being notified of his or her election or appointment, shall cause to be filed in the office of the township clerk a notice signifying his or her acceptance of the office. A neglect to cause the notice to be filed shall be deemed a refusal to serve.

(Source: P.A. 82-783; 88-62.)

(60 ILCS 1/55-25)

Sec. 55-25. Collector; bond; oath. Every person elected to the office of collector, before he or she enters upon the duties of the office, shall give the bond required by law. If any person elected to the office of collector does not give the security and take the oath or affirmation required under Section 55-10 within the time limited for that purpose, the neglect shall be deemed a refusal to serve.

(Source: P.A. 82-783; 88-62.)