HB1304 creates the Local Government Elected Official Recall Act, establishing a new statewide process for recalling certain local officeholders in Illinois. The bill applies to local officials elected in a general or consolidated election and sets out the steps for initiating a recall, including filing an affidavit of intent, gathering petition signatures, and placing the recall question on the ballot. It also requires a short statement of grounds for recall and allows the targeted official to file a response that would appear on the ballot.
The measure specifies detailed petition thresholds based on the size of the local jurisdiction, ranging from 30% in very small jurisdictions to 10% in jurisdictions over 100,000 qualified electors. If a petition is certified, the recall question is submitted at the next general or consolidated election, and a three-fifths majority of voters on the question is required to remove the official. The bill also provides for replacement candidates, bars primaries or runoffs in recall elections, imposes a 10-year ineligibility period for recalled officials, and limits home rule authority so local governments cannot adopt inconsistent recall rules.
Impact
HB1304 would add a new layer of election law governing local government accountability and removal, creating a statutory recall mechanism where none is described in the bill text as currently existing. It would affect local elected officials, petition circulators, the State Board of Elections, and local election administration by establishing filing, certification, ballot-format, and challenge procedures. The bill also expressly limits home rule powers, preempting local ordinances or charter provisions that conflict with the statewide recall framework.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of committee testimony or recorded votes, the available context suggests the proposal is framed as a government accountability measure rather than a partisan or technical cleanup bill. The structure of the bill indicates an intent to make recall available but procedurally difficult, with high signature thresholds and a supermajority removal requirement. Because there are no transcripts or votes provided, there is no documented public sentiment in the record beyond the bill’s formal introduction.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely to be whether Illinois should authorize recall elections for local officials at all, and if so, how easy or difficult the process should be. Supporters would likely emphasize voter accountability and a direct remedy for misconduct or loss of public confidence, while opponents may argue that recall elections can be destabilizing, expensive, and susceptible to political misuse. The bill’s home rule limitation may also draw concern from local governments that prefer to set their own removal procedures, and the 10-year disqualification period could be seen as especially punitive.