Illinois Senate Explained

Illinois Senate
Legislature:Illinois General Assembly
Coa Pic:Seal_of_Illinois.svg
Session Room:Illinois State Senate.jpg
House Type:Upper house
Term Limits:None
New Session:January 11, 2023
Leader1 Type:President
Leader1:Don Harmon (D)
Election1:January 19, 2020
Leader2 Type:President Pro Tempore
Leader2:Bill Cunningham (D)
Election2:January 30, 2020
Leader3 Type:Majority Leader
Leader3:Kimberly Lightford (D)
Election3:January 7, 2019
Leader4 Type:Minority Leader
Leader4:John Curran (R)
Election4:January 11, 2023
Members:59
Term Length:4 years (with one two-year term each decade)
Authority:Illinois Constitution Article IV
Salary:$85,000/year + per diem
Structure1:Illinois State Senate partisan composition.svg
Structure1 Alt:Layout of Illinois
Structure1 Res:250px
Political Groups1:Majority

Minority

Last Election1:November 8, 2022
Next Election1:November 5, 2024
Redistricting:Legislative Control
Meeting Place:State Senate Chamber
Illinois State Capitol
Springfield, Illinois
Meeting Place Res:300px
Website:Illinois Senate
Rules:Rules of the Senate of the
103rd General Assembly

The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Under the Illinois Constitution of 1970, the Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from individual legislative districts determined by population and redistricted every 10 years; based on the 2020 U.S. census each senator represents approximately 213,347 people.[1] Senators are divided into three groups, each group having a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses, with the rest of the decade being taken up by two four-year terms. For example, group one elects senators for terms of four years, four years and two years, group two elects senators for terms of four years, two years and four years, and group three elects senators for terms of two years, four years and four years.[2] This ensures that the Senate reflects changes made when the General Assembly redistricts itself after each census.

Usually, depending on the election year, roughly one-third or two-thirds of Senate seats are contested. On rare occasions (usually after a census), all Senate seats are up for election. In contrast, the Illinois House of Representatives is made up of 118 members with its entire membership elected to two-year terms. House districts are formed by dividing each Senate district in half,[3] with each senator having two "associated" representatives.

The Illinois Senate convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Its first official working day is the second Wednesday of January each year. Its primary duties are to pass bills into law, approve the state budget, confirm appointments to state departments and agencies, act on federal constitutional amendments and propose constitutional amendments for Illinois. It also has the power to override gubernatorial vetoes through a three-fifths majority vote. The Illinois Senate tries impeachments made by the House of Representatives, and can convict impeached officers by a two-thirds vote.

Voting in the Illinois Senate is done by members pushing one of three buttons. Unlike most states, the Illinois Senate allows members to vote yes, no, or present. It takes 30 affirmative votes to pass legislation during final action.[4] [5] The number of negative votes does not matter. Therefore, voting present has the same effect on the tally as voting no.

Party summary

AffiliationParty

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

Total
DemocraticRepublicanVacant
4118590
4019590
[6] 3919581
[7] 4019590
[8] 3919581
[9] 4019590
Latest voting share

Leadership

, the 102nd General Assembly of the Illinois Senate consists of the following leadership:[10]

Majority

Don Harmon

Minority

Officers

Members

In 1924, Florence Fifer Bohrer became the body's first female member and Adelbert H. Roberts became its first African American member.[11] [12] In 1977, Earlean Collins became the first African American woman to serve in the Illinois Senate.[13] Barack Obama, later the first African-American President of the United States, served in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004.[14]

, the 103rd General Assembly of the Illinois Senate consists of the following members:[15] [16]

District Senator Party Residence Assumed
office 		Next
election
1 ƗƗDemocraticChicagoNovember 18, 20222024
2 ƗDemocraticChicagoJuly 1, 20162026
3DemocraticChicagoJanuary 8, 20032026
4 ƗDemocraticChicagoNovember 20, 19982024
5 ƗDemocraticChicagoAugust 16, 20232024 (special)
6 ƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 21, 20202026
7 ƗDemocraticChicagoFebruary 6, 20212024
8 ƗƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 5, 20192026
9 ƗƗDemocraticGlenviewJanuary 6, 20192026
10 ƗDemocraticChicagoJune 28, 20192024
11DemocraticBridgeviewJanuary 11, 20232026
12 ƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 7, 20202026
13 ƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 6, 20192024
14DemocraticChicagoJanuary 14, 20092026
15DemocraticHarveyJanuary 9, 20132026
16DemocraticChicagoJanuary 8, 20032024
17 ƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 26, 20182026
18DemocraticChicagoJanuary 9, 20132026
19DemocraticTinley ParkJanuary 9, 20132024
20 ƗDemocraticChicagoJuly 10, 20232024 (special)
21DemocraticJanuary 9, 20192026
22DemocraticElginJanuary 11, 20172024
23DemocraticWestern SpringsJanuary 9, 20192026
24RepublicanBartlettJanuary 11, 20232026
25DemocraticWest ChicagoJanuary 13, 20212024
26 ƗRepublicanHawthorn WoodsApril 20, 20162026
27 ƗDemocraticArlington HeightsMay 11, 20242024 (special)
28 ƗDemocraticDes PlainesOctober 5, 20152024
29DemocraticDeerfieldJanuary 9, 20132026
30 ƗDemocraticBuffalo GroveOctober 11, 20202026
31DemocraticLibertyvilleJanuary 11, 20232024
32 ƗRepublicanMcHenryOctober 1, 20182026
33RepublicanSt. CharlesJanuary 9, 20192026
34DemocraticRockfordJanuary 9, 20132024
35RepublicanRockfordJanuary 13, 19932026
36DemocraticRock IslandJanuary 11, 20232026
37 ƗƗRepublicanMetamoraJanuary 5, 20212024
38 ƗRepublicanMorrisDecember 11, 20102026
39DemocraticOak ParkJanuary 8, 20032026
40 ƗDemocraticKankakeeNovember 8, 20192024
41 ƗRepublicanWoodridgeJuly 23, 20172026
42DemocraticAuroraJanuary 10, 20072026
43DemocraticJolietJanuary 11, 20232024
44 ƗRepublicanBeasonJanuary 25, 20212026
45 ƗƗRepublicanFreeportDecember 5, 20182026
46 ƗƗDemocraticPeoriaDecember 3, 20062024
47RepublicanAndalusiaJanuary 15, 20152026
48 ƗDemocraticSpringfieldFebruary 6, 20212026
49 ƗƗDemocraticShorewoodDecember 10, 20202024
50RepublicanQuincyJanuary 11, 20172026
51RepublicanMahometJanuary 9, 20132026
52 ƗDemocraticChampaignJanuary 11, 20232024
53 ƗRepublicanGibson CityJanuary 11, 20232024 (special)
54Republican SpringfieldJanuary 9, 20192026
55RepublicanEdwardsvilleJanuary 9, 20192024
56RepublicanGlen CarbonJanuary 11, 20232026
57DemocraticCahokia HeightsJanuary 9, 20192026
58RepublicanMurphysboroJanuary 13, 20212024
59RepublicanHarrisburgJanuary 11, 20172026

Past composition of the Senate

See main article: Political party strength in Illinois.

External links

Notes and References

  1. State Populations from U.S Census 2020 U.S Census Website
  2. Illinois Constitution Article IV, Section 2(a) http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con4.htm
  3. Illinois Constitution Article IV, Section 2(b) http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con4.htm
  4. Web site: Gonzales. Nathan. The Ever-'Present' Obama. The Rothenberg Political Report. 26 September 2014. 13 February 2007.
  5. News: Burnett. Sara. Illinois Senate votes to legalize gay marriage . 26 September 2014. Associated Press. 14 February 2013.
  6. Web site: Senator Pacione-Zayas readies to resign to officially work in Mayor Johnson's inner circle . Nadig Newspapers. July 7, 2023.
  7. Web site: Dems appoint Natalie Toro to fill state Senate seat vacated by Cristina Pacione-Zayas . Crain's Chicago Business. July 12, 2023.
  8. Web site: 2023-07-26 . Illinois State Sen. Patricia Van Pelt announces retirement . 2023-08-17 . Chicago Tribune.
  9. Web site: Kapos . Shia . 2023-08-16 . Dems' thrill of victory, agony of defeat . 2023-08-17 . POLITICO . en.
  10. Web site: 102ND GA SENATE LEADERSHIP. 2021-02-06. Illinois General Assembly.
  11. Thomas. Whitney Freund. Florence Fifer Bohrer: A Woman Before Her Time. Illinois History: A Magazine for Young People. 51. 3. 59–60. April 1998. August 22, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002313/http://www.lib.niu.edu/1998/ihy980459.html. March 4, 2016. dead.
  12. Gherardini. Caroline. Honors. Illinois Issues. Sangamon State University. Springfield, Illinois. February 1984. 9. 2. 41. 0738-9663. August 21, 2017.
  13. Web site: Musser. Ashley. Dutton. Julie. Illinois Women in Congress and General Assembly. February 11, 2016. Illinois Legislative Research Unit. Springfield, Illinois. August 21, 2017.
  14. Web site: Miller. David R.. A Former New Member: Barack Obama (D-13, Chicago) (From First Reading, December 1996). 4. First Reading. Illinois Legislative Research Unit. Springfield, Illinois. 22. 2.
  15. Barlow. Sarah E.. Biographies of New House Members. First Reading. 36. 1. 2. Illinois General Assembly. December 4, 2022.
  16. News: Barichello. Derek. Tom Bennett Named Barickman Successor. January 7, 2023. January 7, 2023. Shaw Local. subscription.

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