The State Board of Elections is an independent state agency that was provided for by the 1970 Illinois Constitution to supervise the registration of voters and the administration of elections throughout the state. Created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1973, the Board's purpose is to serve as the central authority for all Illinois election law, information and procedures in Illinois. The Board is an 8-member, bipartisan panel consisting of four Republicans and four Democrats, two of each party from Cook County and two of each party from Downstate. The Governor appoints four members from his own political party and selects four from a list of nominees submitted to him by the highest ranking official of the opposite political party.
Board members serve staggered, four-year terms.
They elect a Chairman and a Vice Chairman of opposite political parties. The Chairman and Vice Chairman serve two-year terms on a party rotation basis. Recommendations for new laws, new interpretations, different procedures, forms, etc., come to the Board from its own staff, election authorities, and a wide variety of other sources. All of these recommendations are thoroughly researched, discussed, and considered for action at open, public meetings. Five members of the Board are necessary to constitute a quorum and five votes are necessary for any action of the Board to become effective.