(10 ILCS 5/Art. 8 heading)
(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 Act 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, 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).
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 either (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, (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:
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21; 102-692, eff. 1-7-22.)
(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:
(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:
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.)