(65 ILCS 5/5-2-18.7) (from Ch. 24, par. 5-2-18.7)
Sec. 5-2-18.7. In any city which has adopted this Article, and is electing the city council at large or has elected to choose aldermen from wards, a proposition to elect part of the city council at large and part from districts with staggered four year terms and biennial elections for councilmen shall be submitted to the electors upon initiation in the manner herein provided.
Electors of such city, equal in number to not less than 10% of the total vote cast for all candidates for mayor in the last preceding municipal election for such office, may petition for submission, or, in the alternative, the city council may by ordinance without a petition cause to be submitted, to a vote of the electors of that city the proposition whether part of the city council shall be elected at large and part from districts with staggered four year terms and biennial elections for councilmen. The petition shall be in the same form as prescribed in Section 5-1-6, except that the petition shall be modified as to the wording of the proposition to be voted upon, to conform to the wording of the proposition as hereinafter set forth, and shall be filed with the city clerk in accordance with the general election law. The city clerk shall certify the proposition to the proper election authorities who shall submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the general election law.
However, such proposition shall not be submitted at the general primary election for the municipality.
The proposition shall be substantially in the following form: --------------------------------------------------------------
Shall
the
city
of....elect
part
of
the
councilmen
at
large
YESand
part
of
the
councilmen
from
-----------------------districts
with
staggered
four
year
NOterms
and
biennial
elections?--------------------------------------------------------------
If a majority of those voting on the proposition vote "yes", then at the next general municipal election at which a mayor is to be elected, a mayor and councilmen shall be elected as hereinafter provided.
In cities of less than 50,000 population, the council shall consist of the mayor and 6 councilmen, 2 councilmen being elected at large and 4 councilmen being elected from districts. In cities of 50,000 and not more than 500,000 population, the council shall consist of the mayor and 8 councilmen, 3 councilmen being elected at large and 5 councilmen being elected from districts.
The city council shall divide the city, whenever necessary thereafter, into districts which shall be of as compact and contiguous territory as practicable and of approximately equal population. The number of such districts shall be the same as the number of councilmen to be elected from districts.
One councilman who is an actual resident of the district, shall be elected from each district. Only the electors of a district shall elect a councilman from that district. The rest of the number of councilmen authorized shall be elected at large.
The term of office of the Mayor and Councilmen shall be 4 years, provided that at the first election the Councilmen elected at large shall serve for 2 years only. Thereafter the election of Councilmen shall be biennial, and after the first election the Mayor and all Councilmen shall be elected for 4 year terms to fill expiring terms of incumbents.
The Mayor and Councilmen shall hold their respective offices for the term of 4 years as herein provided, and until their successors are elected and qualified. Upon the election and qualification of the Councilmen, the terms of all sitting aldermen or councilmen elected at large pursuant to the provisions of Section 5-2-12 shall expire.
For the first primary election a distinct ballot shall be printed for each district. At the top of the ballot shall be the following: CANDIDATES FOR NOMINATION FOR MAYOR (when Mayor is to be elected) AND COUNCILMEN OF THE CITY OF.... AT THE PRIMARY ELECTION. Under the subtitle of FOR MAYOR (when applicable) shall be placed the following: (VOTE FOR ONE). There shall be placed below the names of the candidates for Mayor, if any, another subtitle as follows: FOR COUNCILMEN AT LARGE. Following this subtitle there shall be an instruction in this form, to be altered, however, to conform to the facts: (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN....) (Insert number of Councilmen being elected). Following the names of the candidates for councilmen at large, there shall be another subtitle in the following form: FOR DISTRICT COUNCILMAN. Following this subtitle there shall be the following direction: (VOTE FOR ONE). In other respects the ballots shall conform to the applicable provisions of Sections 4-3-10 and 5-2-13.
To determine the number of nominees who shall be placed on the ballot under each subtitle at the general municipal election, the number of officers who will be chosen under each subtitle shall be multiplied by 2. Only those candidates at the primary election shall be nominees under each subtitle at the general municipal election and, where but one officer is to be elected, the 2 candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon the ballot for the next succeeding general municipal election. Where 2 councilmen are to be elected, the 4 candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon the ballot. Where 3 councilmen are to be elected, the names of the 6 candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon the ballot.
The ballots for the election of officers at the first general municipal election shall be prepared in compliance with Section 4-3-16, with the following changes:
(1) Following the names of the candidates for Mayor (when applicable) there shall be printed a subtitle: FOR COUNCILMAN AT LARGE: following this subtitle shall be an instruction in this form: (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ....) (Insert number of councilmen to be elected). The names of the nominees for councilmen at large shall follow the instruction.
(2) Following the names of the nominees for councilmen at large shall be printed another subtitle: FOR DISTRICT COUNCILMAN. Following this subtitle shall be an instruction in this form: (VOTE FOR ONE) and following this instruction shall be printed the names of the 2 nominees.
Thereafter, the ballots for the biennial election shall be prepared as hereinafter provided.
For the primary election at which Councilmen at large are to be elected the form of the ballot shall be as follows:
At the top of the ballot shall be the following: CANDIDATES FOR NOMINATION FOR MAYOR (when Mayor is to be elected) AND COUNCILMEN OF THE CITY OF.... AT THE PRIMARY ELECTION. Under the subtitle of FOR MAYOR (when applicable) shall be placed the following: (VOTE FOR ONE). There shall be placed below the names of the candidates for Mayor, if any, another subtitle as follows: FOR COUNCILMEN AT LARGE. Following this subtitle there shall be an instruction in this form, to be altered, however, to conform to the facts: (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN....) (Insert number of Councilmen being elected).
For the primary election at which District Councilmen are to be elected, a distinct ballot shall be printed for each District. There shall be placed below the names of the candidates for Mayor (when applicable) another subtitle as follows: FOR DISTRICT COUNCILMAN. Following this subtitle there shall be an instruction in this form: VOTE FOR ONE. In all other respects the ballot shall conform to the applicable provisions of Sections 4-3-10 and 5-2-13.
To determine the number of nominees who shall be placed on the ballot under each subtitle at the general municipal election, the number of officers who will be chosen under each subtitle shall be multiplied by 2. Only those candidates at the primary election shall be nominees under each subtitle at the general municipal election and, where but one officer is to be elected, the 2 candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon the ballot for the next succeeding general municipal election. Where 2 councilmen are to be elected, the 4 candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon the ballot. Where 3 councilmen are to be elected, the names of the 6 candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed upon the ballot.
The ballots for the election of officers at the general municipal election shall be prepared in compliance with Section 4-3-16, with the following changes:
(1) For elections where candidates for Councilmen at large are being elected, following the names of candidates for Mayor (when applicable) there shall be printed a subtitle as follows: FOR COUNCILMEN AT LARGE. Following this subtitle there shall be an instruction in this form: (VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN....) (Insert number of Councilmen to be elected). The names of the nominees for Councilmen at large shall follow the instruction.
(2) For elections where district Councilmen are to be elected, a distinct ballot shall be printed for each district, and following the names of the candidates for Mayor (when applicable) there shall be printed a subtitle as follows: FOR DISTRICT COUNCILMAN. Following this subtitle there shall be an instruction in this form: (VOTE FOR ONE) and following this instruction shall be printed the names of the 2 nominees for district Councilman.
Vacancies shall be filled as prescribed in Section 5-2-12, provided that a vacancy in the office of a District Councilman shall be filled by a person who is an actual resident of the district in which the vacancy occurs.
(Source: P.A. 95-862, eff. 8-19-08.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015