The General Assembly met on Jan. 8 in a special session to debate a bill considering special elections for executive branch officeholders. These are highlights from the debate on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Republicans framed the issue as a Democratic political attempt to deny whoever incoming Governor Bruce Rauner appoints to the office of Comptroller, an office won in 2014 by the late Judy Baar Topinka, a four-year term. Democrats framed the issue as preventing a situation in which an unelected appointee, from either party, could have a full four-year term without winning at least one election.
Also at issue was that the special election provided for in the bill would be in a presidential election year. The Illinois Constitution of 1970 was written specifically so that elections for executive office would land on non-presidential years so the voters would not be distracted from state issues by a national campaign. But the constitution also has language in it about electing replacements for appointees “as provided by law.” The bill provides for a special election to coincide with the off-year elections so as not to incur the costs of a completely separate election. The bill passed the House 66-40. Twelve members did not vote.
Contact Alan Kozeluh at intern@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Jan 8-14, 2015.
