Bill Text: IL SB1547 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, if a majority of voters in a city of less than 100,000 inhabitants vote in favor of a proposition to stagger the terms of alderpersons, then in a city with an odd number of wards at the next regular election for alderpersons, one alderperson shall be elected from each odd-numbered ward for a term of 2 years and one alderperson shall be elected from each even-numbered ward for a term of 4 years

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-11 - Assigned to Executive [SB1547 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB1547-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1547 Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Paul Faraci SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
65 ILCS 5/3.1-20-22 from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-20-22
Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, if a majority of voters in a city of less than 100,000 inhabitants vote in favor of a proposition to stagger the terms of alderpersons, then in a city with an odd number of wards at the next regular election for alderpersons, one alderperson shall be elected from each odd-numbered ward for a term of 2 years and one alderperson shall be elected from each even-numbered ward for a term of 4 years
LRB104 10468 RTM 20543 b
A BILL FOR
SB1547 LRB104 10468 RTM 20543 b
AN ACT concerning local government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by
changing Section 3.1-20-22 as follows:
(65 ILCS 5/3.1-20-22) (from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-20-22)
Sec. 3.1-20-22. Alderpersons; staggered terms. In any city
of less than 100,000 inhabitants, a proposition to stagger the
terms of alderpersons, with as nearly as possible one-half of
the alderpersons elected every 2 years, shall be certified by
the city clerk to the proper election authority, who shall
submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the
general election law, if a petition requesting that action is
signed by electors of the city numbering at least 10% of the
total vote cast at the last election for mayor of the city and
is filed with the city clerk.
The ballot shall have printed on it, but not as a part of
the proposition submitted, the following information for
voters: one alderperson elected from each even-numbered ward
shall serve a term of 2 years; one alderperson elected from
each odd-numbered ward shall serve a term of 4 years.
The proposition shall be substantially in the following
form:

SB1547 - 2 - LRB104 10468 RTM 20543 b
Shall (name of city) adopt a system of staggered terms
for alderpersons?
If a majority of those voting on the proposition vote in
favor of it, then (i) in a city with an even number of wards at
the next regular election for alderpersons, one alderperson
shall be elected from each even-numbered ward for a term of 2
years and one alderperson shall be elected from each
odd-numbered ward for a term of 4 years and (ii) in a city with
an odd number of wards at the next regular election for
alderpersons, one alderperson shall be elected from each
odd-numbered ward for a term of 2 years and one alderperson
shall be elected from each even-numbered ward for a term of 4
years. Thereafter, their successors shall be elected for terms
of 4 years.
(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)