Eleanor Finch
The current Illinois Constitution, also known as the Constitution of Illinois of 1970 or the 1970 Constitution, is the fourth version of the state constitution. It was ratified by special election on December 15, 1970, and went into effect on July 1, 1971. The first Illinois Constitution was drafted in 1818, and there have been three subsequent versions formed in 1848, 1870, and 1970. According to Article XIV of the Illinois Constitution, a question about whether to hold a constitutional convention is to automatically appear on the state's ballot every 20 years starting in 1918.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Constitutions | 4 |
| Current Constitution | Constitution of Illinois of 1970 |
| Date of Ratification | December 15, 1970 |
| Date of Effect | July 1, 1971 |
| Number of Articles | 14 |
| Election Rules | Biennial general elections |
| Voting Qualifications | All white males who had lived in the state for six months |
| Voting Rights | Freedom of religion, speech, assembly, and the right to due process |
| Legislative Branch | Illinois General Assembly |
| Executive Branch | Illinois Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer |
| Judiciary Branch | Supreme Court of Illinois, Illinois Appellate Court, and Circuit or Trial Courts of Illinois |
| Legislative Immunity | Except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of peace |
| Effective Date of Laws | June 1 of the next calendar year unless changed by the General Assembly |
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What You'll Learn
Illinois' first constitution was drafted in 1818
The delegates elected met in Kaskaskia on August 3, 1818, to begin drafting the constitution. Judge Jesse Thomas, who later became one of Illinois' first two US Senators, served as the president of the convention. However, the acknowledged leader was 24-year-old Elias Kent Kane, a New York-born Yale graduate and attorney. Kane went on to become Illinois' first Secretary of State and then a US Senator. The delegates approved the new constitution on August 26, 1818.
The 1818 Illinois Constitution is one of four state constitutions Illinois has had. It consists of eight articles and was modelled after the state constitutions of New York, Kentucky, and Ohio. The constitution gave the General Assembly the power to create courts of inferior jurisdiction, known as Circuit Courts. However, the General Assembly's control over the appointment and removal of judges prevented an independent judicial system from taking root in Illinois, leading to the drafting of a new constitution in 1848.
Illinois' fourth and current constitution was ratified in 1970 and took effect on July 1, 1971. It includes provisions for the health, safety, and welfare of the people, the elimination of poverty and inequality, the assurance of legal and social justice, and the protection of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, speech, and assembly.
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The current constitution is the fourth version
The current Illinois Constitution is the fourth version of the state's governing document. Illinois has had four Constitutions, with the fourth and most recent version adopted in 1970.
The first constitutional convention in Illinois was held in 1818, after President James Monroe signed the Enabling Act, which outlined the requirements for Illinois to become a state. This included the need for a state Constitution. An election for delegates to the constitutional convention was held in July 1818, and 33 delegates met in Kaskaskia on August 3, 1818, to begin drafting the Constitution. The delegates approved the new Constitution on August 26, 1818, and it became operative when Congress approved statehood on December 3, 1818.
The 1818 Constitution was considered liberal for its time, granting all white males who had lived in the state for six months the right to vote, regardless of property ownership or citizenship status. It also limited the governor's powers and set aside land in each township for schools. However, it did not go far enough to prohibit slavery, which caused some opposition to Illinois' statehood.
Subsequent constitutional conventions were held in Illinois in 1862, 1920, and 1969. The 1862 convention resulted in the "Copperhead Constitution," which was not ratified by voters. The 1920 convention's proposed changes were rejected by voters in 1922. The 1969 convention, also known as the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention, resulted in the current Constitution, ratified by a special election on December 15, 1970, and took effect on July 1, 1971.
The 1970 Constitution, also known as the "Constitution of Illinois of 1970" or simply the "1970 Constitution", includes important features such as the creation of home rule powers for larger municipalities and local governments. It consists of a preamble and 14 articles, covering topics such as suffrage, elections, the legislature, and the executive branch.
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It was ratified in 1970
Illinois has had four state constitutions. The current Illinois Constitution was ratified in 1970 and went into effect on July 1, 1971. However, some provisions, such as the change in dates for the election of constitutional officers, did not take effect for several years.
The Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention, which resulted in the fourth version of the Illinois Constitution, convened on December 8, 1969, and concluded on September 3, 1970. The new constitution was then ratified by a special election on December 15, 1970.
The first Illinois Constitution was drafted in 1818, after President James Monroe signed the Enabling Act, which outlined the requirements for Illinois to become a state. One of these requirements was that Illinois had to pass a state Constitution. An election for delegates to a state constitutional convention was held on July 6, 1818, and 33 delegates met in the territorial capital of Kaskaskia on August 3, 1818, to begin drafting the Constitution. The delegates approved the new Constitution on August 26, 1818, and it became operative when Congress approved statehood.
The 1818 Constitution was considered very liberal at the time, as it allowed all white males who had lived in the state for six months the right to vote, regardless of whether they were US citizens or owned property. It also severely limited the powers of the governor and set aside land in every township for schools. However, the Constitution did not go far enough to prohibit slavery, and 34 members of the House voted against admitting Illinois to the Union for this reason. Nevertheless, both the House and the Senate approved statehood for Illinois, and President Monroe signed the legislation on December 3, 1818.
Since the first Constitution, Illinois has held several constitutional conventions, including in 1862, 1920, and 1922, but the changes proposed in these conventions were not ratified by the voters. The last time Illinois residents were asked if they wanted to hold a constitutional convention was in 2008, and the ballot measure failed with 67% voting against it.
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The constitution has 14 articles
The current Illinois Constitution, also known as the "Constitution of Illinois of 1970" or the "1970 Constitution", is the fourth version of the state's constitution. It was ratified by special election on December 15, 1970, and went into effect on July 1, 1971. The constitution consists of a preamble and 14 articles.
The first Illinois Constitution was drafted in 1818, after President James Monroe signed the Enabling Act, which outlined the requirements for Illinois to become a state. This included the requirement to pass a state constitution. The 1818 Constitution was modelled after the state constitutions of New York, Kentucky, and Ohio, and consisted of eight articles. It was considered liberal for its time, granting all white males who had lived in the state for six months the right to vote, regardless of their citizenship or property ownership. It also limited the powers of the governor and set aside land in every township for schools.
The second and third Illinois Constitutions were adopted in 1848 and 1870, respectively. There were also attempts to revise the constitution in 1862 and 1920, but these changes were not ratified by voters. The 1970 Constitution was drafted by the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention, which convened on December 8, 1969, and concluded on September 3, 1970.
The 14 articles of the 1970 Constitution cover a range of topics, including suffrage and elections, the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. The constitution also includes a Bill of Rights, which guarantees freedoms of religion, speech, and assembly, as well as prohibiting discrimination based on sex. Other notable features of the 1970 Constitution include the creation of home rule powers for larger municipalities and local governments.
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A constitutional convention question can be put to voters
The current Constitution of Illinois, also known as the "Constitution of Illinois of 1970" or the "1970 Constitution", was adopted in 1970 and came into effect on July 1, 1971. It is the governing document of the state of Illinois and has been amended several times since its adoption.
Illinois has had four constitutions in total. The first constitutional convention was held in 1818, and the text of the first constitution is available online through the Illinois State Library. An election for delegates to this convention was held on July 6, 1818, and the main topics of discussion were whether it was the right time to have a constitution, and if so, how to select appropriate representatives to frame it. The Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention, which resulted in the current constitution, took place from December 8, 1969, to September 3, 1970.
In addition to the Seventeenth Amendment, there have been other instances where constitutional convention questions have been considered. For example, a parallel effort to the aforementioned amendment seeks to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government by abolishing the income tax and narrowing Congress's regulatory powers. This effort, known as the Convention of States project, has been endorsed by 19 states. Another campaign aims to require Congress to balance the federal budget, which would make it harder for lawmakers to raise taxes. So far, 27 states have submitted petitions for a balanced budget convention.
The Illinois Constitution outlines various rights, including freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly. It also includes provisions not included in the United States Constitution, such as the prohibition of discrimination based on sex. The constitution also establishes the roles and responsibilities of various government officials, including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer.
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Frequently asked questions
The current constitution of Illinois is the fourth version, referred to as the "Constitution of Illinois of 1970" or the "1970 Constitution".
Illinois' first constitution was drafted in 1818, after President James Monroe signed the Enabling Act, which outlined the requirements for Illinois to become a state.
The 1970 Constitution included the creation of home rule powers for larger municipalities and other units of local government. It also included a preamble and 14 articles.
There have been four Illinois state constitutions.
According to Article XIV of the Illinois Constitution, a question about whether to hold a constitutional convention automatically appears on the state's ballot every 20 years, starting in 1918.
