2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 10 - ELECTIONS › 10 ILCS 5/ - Election Code. › Article 8 - Nominations of Members of the General Assembly

(10 ILCS 5/Art. 8 heading)
ARTICLE 8.  
		NOMINATIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(10 ILCS 5/8-1) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-1)
Sec. 8-1. 
		
		The nomination of all candidates for members of the General Assembly by
all political parties as defined in Section 8-2 of this article shall be
made in the manner provided in this article 8 and not otherwise.
The name of no person, nominated by a party required hereunder to make
nominations of candidates for members of the General Assembly shall be
placed upon the official ballot to be voted at the general election
as a candidate unless such person shall have
been nominated for such office under the provisions of this article 8.
(Source: P.A. 82-750.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-2) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-2)
Sec. 8-2. 
		
		The term "political party" as used in this article shall mean a
political party which, at the next preceding election for governor, polled
at least five per cent of the entire vote cast in the State; Provided, that
no political organization or group shall be qualified as a political party
hereunder, or given a place on a ballot, which organization or group is
associated, directly or indirectly, with Communist, Fascist, Nazi or other
un-American principles and engages in activities or propaganda designed to
teach subservience to the political principles and ideals of foreign
nations or the overthrow by violence of the established constitutional form
of government of the United States and the State of Illinois.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-3) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-3)
Sec. 8-3. 
		
		The following words and phrases in this article
shall, unless the same be inconsistent with the context, be construed as follows:
(1) The terms "legislative office",
"legislative officer" or "legislator" shall mean a State Senator
or Representative in the General Assembly.
(2) The term "legislative district" shall mean the territorial area
from which a State Senator  is to be elected.
(3) The term "representative district" shall mean the territorial area
from which a Representative in the General Assembly is to be elected.
(Source: P.A. 82-750.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-4) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-4)
Sec. 8-4. The nomination of candidates for
legislative offices shall be made at the general primary election.
(Source: P.A. 95-6, eff. 6-20-07.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-5)
Sec. 8-5. Legislative committees; representative committees. There shall be constituted one legislative committee for each
political party in each legislative district and one representative committee
for each political party in each representative district. Legislative and
representative committees shall be composed as follows:
In legislative or representative districts within or including a portion
of any county containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the legislative
or representative committee of a
political party shall consist of the committeepersons of such party
representing each township or ward of such county any portion of which
township or ward is included within such legislative or representative
district and the chair
 of each county central committee of such party of any county
containing less than 2,000,000 inhabitants any portion of which county
is included within such legislative or representative district.
In the remainder of the State, the legislative or representative committee
of a political
party shall consist of the chair of each county central committee of
such party, any portion of which county is included within such
legislative or representative district; but if a legislative or representative
district comprises only one
county, or part of a county, its legislative or representative committee
shall consist of
the chair of the county central committee and 2 members of the county
central committee appointed by the chair of the county central committee.
Within 180 days after the primary of the even-numbered year immediately
following the decennial redistricting required by Section 3 of Article IV
of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, the ward committeepersons, township committeepersons
 or chairmen of county central committees within each of the
redistricted legislative and representative districts shall meet and
proceed to organize by electing from among their own number a chair and,
either from among their own number or otherwise, such other officers as
they may deem necessary or expedient.  The ward committeepersons, township committeepersons
 or chairmen of county central committees shall determine the
time and place (which shall be in the limits of such district) of such
meeting.  Immediately upon completion of organization, the chair shall
forward to the State Board of Elections the names and addresses of the chair
 and secretary of the committee.  A vacancy shall occur when a
member dies, resigns or ceases to reside in the county, township or ward
which he represented.
Within 180 days after the primary of each other even-numbered year, each
legislative committee and representative committee shall meet and proceed
to organize by electing from among its own number a chair, and either
from its own number or otherwise, such other officers as each committee
may deem necessary or expedient. Immediately upon completion of
organization, the chair shall forward to the State Board of
Elections, the names and addresses of the chair and secretary of the
committee. The outgoing chair of such committee shall notify the
members of the time and place (which shall be in the limits of such
district) of such meeting. A vacancy shall occur when a member dies,
resigns, or ceases to reside in the county, township or ward, which he
represented.
If any change is made in the boundaries of any precinct, township or
ward, the committeeperson previously elected therefrom shall continue to
serve, as if no boundary change had occurred, for the purpose of acting
as a member of a legislative or representative committee until his successor
is elected or appointed.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-6)
Sec. 8-6. 
In legislative or representative districts wholly contained
within counties having 2,000,000
or more inhabitants each member of each legislative or representative
committee shall in its
organization and proceedings be entitled to
one vote for each ballot voted in that portion of his township or ward in
the legislative or representative district by the primary electors of
his party at the last
primary at which members of the General Assembly were nominated. If a portion
of the legislative or representative district is within a county containing
2,000,000 or more inhabitants then each legislative or representative
committee member shall be entitled to vote as follows:  (a) in the portion
of the district lying within a county of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants,
each committeeperson shall be entitled to one vote for each ballot voted in
that portion of his township or ward in the legislative or representative
district by primary electors of his party at the last primary at which
township or ward committeepersons were elected; (b)  in the portion of the
district lying outside a county of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, each chair
 of a county central committee shall be entitled to one vote for
each ballot voted in that portion of his county in the legislative or
representative district by the primary electors of his party at the last
primary at which members of the General Assembly were nominated. In the
remainder of the State, each member shall be entitled to cast one vote for
each ballot voted in that portion of his county in the legislative or
representative district by the primary electors of his party at the last
primary at which members of the General Assembly were nominated. However,
in counties under 2,000,000 population, if the legislative or
representative district comprises only one county, or part of a county,
each legislative or representative committee member shall be entitled to cast one vote.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-7)
Sec. 8-7. 
The various political party committees now in existence are
hereby recognized and shall exercise the powers and perform the duties
herein prescribed until committeepersons are chosen, in accordance with the
provisions of this Article.
(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-8) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-8)
Sec. 8-8. Form of petition for nomination. The name of no candidate for nomination shall be printed
upon the primary ballot unless a petition for nomination shall have been
filed in his behalf as provided for in this Section.  Each such petition
shall include as a part thereof the oath required by Section 7-10.1 of
this Code and a statement of candidacy by the candidate filing or in
whose behalf the petition is filed.  This statement shall set out the
address of such candidate and the office for which he is a candidate; shall
state that the candidate is a qualified primary voter of the party to
which the petition relates, is qualified for the office specified, and
has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois
Governmental Ethics Act; shall request that the candidate's name be
placed upon the official ballot; and shall be subscribed and sworn by
such candidate before some officer authorized to take acknowledgment of
deeds in this State and may be in substantially the following form:
State of Illinois)
) ss.
County ..........)
I, ...., being first duly sworn, say that I reside at .... street in
the city (or village of) .... in the county of .... State of Illinois;
that I am a qualified voter therein and am a qualified primary voter of
.... party; that I am a candidate for nomination to the office of ....
to be voted upon at the primary election to be held on (insert date);
that I am legally qualified to hold such office and
that I have filed a statement of economic interests as required by the
Illinois Governmental Ethics Act and I hereby request that my name be
printed upon the official primary ballot for nomination for such office.
Signed ....................
Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ...., who is to me
personally known, on (insert date).
Signed .... (Official Character)
(Seal if officer has one.)
The receipt issued by the Secretary of State indicating that the candidate has filed the statement of economic interests required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act must be filed with the petitions for nomination as provided in subsection (8) of Section 7-12 of this Code.
Except as otherwise provided in this Code, all petitions for nomination for the office of State Senator shall be signed
by at least 1,000 but not more than 3,000  of the qualified primary electors of
the candidate's party in his legislative district.
Except as otherwise provided in this Code, all petitions for nomination for the office of Representative in the General
Assembly shall be signed by at least 500 but not more than 1,500  of
the qualified primary electors of the candidate's party in his or her
representative district.
Opposite the signature of each qualified primary elector who signs a
petition for nomination for the office of State Representative or State
Senator such elector's residence address shall be written or printed.  The
residence address required to be written or printed opposite each qualified
primary elector's name shall include the street address or rural route
number of the signer, as the case may be, as well as the signer's county
and city, village, or town.
For the purposes of this Section, the number of primary electors shall
be determined by taking the total vote cast, in the applicable district,
for the candidate for such political party who received the highest number
of votes, state-wide, at the last general election in the State at which
electors for President of the United States were elected.
A "qualified primary elector" of a party may not sign petitions for or be a
candidate in the primary of more than one party.
In the affidavit at the bottom of each sheet, the petition circulator,
who shall be a person 18 years of age or older who is a citizen of the United
States, shall state his or her street address or rural route
number, as the
case may be, as well as his or her county, city, village or
town, and state; and
shall certify that the signatures on that sheet of the petition were signed in
his or her presence; and shall certify that the signatures are genuine; and
shall certify
that, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, the persons so signing were
at the time of signing the petition qualified primary voters for which the
nomination is sought.
In the affidavit at the bottom of each petition sheet, the petition
circulator shall (1) indicate the dates on which he or she
circulated that sheet, or (2) indicate the first and last dates on which
the sheet was circulated, or (3) for elections where the petition circulation period is 90 days, certify that none of the signatures on the
sheet were signed more than 90 days preceding the last day for the filing
of the petition, or (4) for the 2022 general primary election only, certify that the signatures on the sheet were signed during the period of January 13, 2022 through March 14, 2022 or certify that the signatures on the sheet were signed during the period of January 13, 2022 through the date on which this statement was sworn or affirmed to.  No petition sheet shall be circulated more than 90 days
preceding the last day provided in Section 8-9 for the filing of such petition.
All petition sheets which are filed with the State Board of Elections shall
be the original sheets which have been signed by the voters and by the
circulator, and not photocopies or duplicates of such sheets.
The person circulating the petition, or the candidate on whose behalf
the petition is circulated, may strike any signature from the petition,
provided that:
(1) the person striking the signature shall initial     the petition at the place where the signature is struck; and
(2) the person striking the signature shall sign a     certification listing the page number and line number of each signature struck from the petition.  Such certification shall be filed as a part of the petition.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-692, eff. 1-7-22; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-8.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-8.1)
Sec. 8-8.1. In the designation of the name of a candidate on a petition for
nomination, the candidate's given name or names, initial or initials, a
nickname by which the candidate is commonly known, or a combination
thereof, may be used in addition to the candidate's surname. If a candidate has changed his or her name, whether by a statutory or common law procedure in Illinois or any other jurisdiction, within 3 years before the last day for filing the petition for that office, then (i) the candidate's name on the petition must be followed by "formerly known as (list all prior names during the 3-year period) until name changed on (list date of each such name change)" and (ii) the petition must be accompanied by the candidate's affidavit stating the candidate's previous names during the period specified in (i) and the date or dates each of those names was changed; failure to meet these requirements shall be grounds for denying certification of the candidate's name for the ballot or removing the candidate's name from the ballot, as appropriate, but these requirements do not apply to name changes resulting from adoption to assume an adoptive parent's or parents' surname, marriage or civil union to assume a spouse's surname, or dissolution of marriage or civil union or declaration of invalidity of marriage or civil union to assume a former surname or a name change that conforms the candidate's name to his or her gender identity. No other
designation such as a political slogan, title, or degree, or nickname
suggesting or implying
possession of a title, degree or professional status, or similar information
may be used
in connection with the candidate's surname.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-9)
Sec. 8-9. 
All petitions for nomination shall be filed by mail or in
person as follows:
(1) Where the nomination is made for a legislative     office, such petition for nomination shall be filed in the principal office of the State Board of Elections not more than 113 and not less than 106 days prior to the date of the primary.
(2) The State Board of Elections shall, upon receipt     of each petition, endorse thereon the day and hour on which it was filed. Petitions filed by mail and received after midnight on the first day for filing and in the first mail delivery or pickup of that day, shall be deemed as filed as of 8:00 a.m. of that day or as of the normal opening hour of such day as the case may be, and all petitions received thereafter shall be deemed as filed in the order of actual receipt.  However, 2 or more petitions filed within the last hour of the filing deadline shall be deemed to have been filed simultaneously. Where 2 or more petitions are received simultaneously, the State Board of Elections shall break ties and determine the order of filing, by means of a lottery as provided in Section 7-12 of this Code.
(3) Any person for whom a petition for nomination has     been filed, may cause his name to be withdrawn by a request in writing, signed by him, duly acknowledged before an officer qualified to take acknowledgments of deeds, and filed in the principal or permanent branch office of the State Board of Elections not later than the date of certification of candidates for the general primary ballot, and no names so withdrawn shall be certified by the State Board of Elections to the county clerk, or printed on the primary ballot.  If petitions for nomination have been filed for the same person with respect to more than one political party, his name shall not be certified nor printed on the primary ballot of any party.  If petitions for nomination have been filed for the same person for 2 or more offices which are incompatible so that the same person could not serve in more than one of such offices if elected, that person must withdraw as a candidate for all but one of such offices within the 5 business days following the last day for petition filing.  If he fails to withdraw as a candidate for all but one of such offices within such time, his name shall not be certified, nor printed on the primary ballot, for any office.  For the purpose of the foregoing provisions, an office in a political party is not incompatible with any other office.
(4) If multiple sets of nomination papers are filed     for a candidate to the same office, the State Board of Elections shall within 2 business days notify the candidate of his or her multiple petition filings and that the candidate has 3 business days after receipt of the notice to notify the State Board of Elections that he or she may cancel prior sets of petitions.  If the candidate notifies the State Board of Elections the last set of petitions filed shall be the only petitions to be considered valid by the State Board of Elections.  If the candidate fails to notify the State Board then only the first set of petitions filed shall be valid and all subsequent petitions shall be void.
(Source: P.A. 98-115, eff. 7-29-13.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-9.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-9.1)
Sec. 8-9.1. 
		
		The provisions of Sections 10-8 through 10-10.1 relating to
objections to certificates of nomination and nomination papers, hearings on
objections, and judicial review, shall also apply to and govern objections
to petitions for nomination filed under this Article.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 597.)
(10 ILCS 5/8-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 8-10)
Sec. 8-10. 
Except as otherwise provided in this  Code, not less than 68 days prior to the date of the primary, the State Board
of Elections shall certify to the county clerk for each county, the names
of all candidates for legislative offices, as specified
in the petitions for
nominations on file in its office, which are to be voted for in such
county, stating in such certificates the political affiliation of each
candidate for nomination, as specified in the petitions. The State Board
of Elections shall, in its
certificate to the county clerk, certify to the county clerk the names of
the candidates in the order in which the names shall appear upon the
primary ballot, the names to appear in the order in which petitions have
been filed.
Not less than 62 days prior to the date of the primary, the county clerk
shall certify to the board of election commissioners if there be any such
board in his county, the names of all candidates so certified to him by the
State Board of Elections in the districts wholly or partly within the
jurisdiction of said board and in the order in which such names are
certified to him.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)
(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) or decline
the nomination or should the nomination for any other reason become
vacant, 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, except as otherwise provided in this Code,
no candidate of that party for that
office may be listed on the ballot at the general election, unless the
legislative or representative committee of the party nominates a candidate
to fill the vacancy in nomination within 75 days after the date of the
general primary election.
Vacancies in
nomination occurring under this Article shall be filled by the appropriate
legislative or representative committee in accordance with the provisions
of Section 7-61 of this Code.  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.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)
(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.)