Opinion ID: 2087167
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: The 1992 General Election and This Court's Order

Text: McDunn's name was placed on the November 3, 1992, general election ballot, and the election was held. McDunn, running unopposed, was certified as elected to fill Kiley's vacancy. On November 18, 1992, however, this court entered an order in the exercise of its supervisory authority recalling the August 27, 1992, mandate of the appellate court and staying the enforcement of the March 23, 1992, judgment of the circuit court. (Ill. Const.1970, art. VI, § 16.) This order stated that the case was of such importance that it should be decided by the supreme court. The Attorney General was allowed to intervene without further leave of court to discuss the constitutional aspects of the case. This court later entered an order on November 23, 1992, recalling and assigning Williams to duty in the circuit court of Cook County nunc pro tunc December 3, 1990, until May 31, 1993. Additional facts will be presented where relevant to our discussion of the issues. We now determine who may lay rightful claim to Kiley's vacancy. The resolution of this matter requires that we address the following: (1) whether the appellate court's August 27, 1992, order was constitutional in allowing both McDunn and Williams to fill one judicial vacancy; (2) which candidate won the 1990 primary (which requires us to determine whether uninitialled ballots not marked Defective can be counted); (3) whether a proper recount can be conducted when ballots for eight precincts are missing; (4) whether McDunn could have properly been placed on the 1992 general election ballot if she won the 1990 primary election; (5) whether the issue of who won the 1990 primary election is moot because the 1990 general election took place with Williams' name on the ballot; (6) whether the voters' right of suffrage would be infringed if Williams should not be allowed to continue to serve as a circuit court judge; (7) whether the doctrine of laches would prevent McDunn from prevailing in her election contest; and (8) whether McDunn's amended petition for election contest was timely filed. We conclude that: the appellate court's order was unconstitutional and cannot stand; McDunn won the 1990 primary election; a proper recount was conducted; McDunn could properly be placed on the 1992 general election ballot; the election contest is not moot; the voters' right of suffrage was not infringed; the doctrine of laches does not apply in this case; and we need not address the issue of whether McDunn's amended petition was timely filed. Accordingly, we vacate the judgment of the appellate court and affirm the judgment of the trial court. We declare McDunn the person duly elected to fill Kiley's vacancy.