Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention

The Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention, popularly known as Con-Con, convened on December 8, 1969 and concluded on September 3, 1970.[1] The convention produced the 1970 Illinois Constitution, the state's first new constitution in 100 years, which the voters of Illinois approved in a special election in December 1970.

Election

The 116 delegates to the convention were elected in nonpartisan elections in the fall of 1969. Interest from candidates was high: over 500 petitions for candidacy were filed.[2]

On September 23, a primary election was held, with turnout of 18%.[2] The top four vote-getters in each of the state's 58 legislative districts advanced to the general election. The general election was held on November 18, 1969, with turnout of 27%.[2] The top two vote-getters in each district in the general election became delegates. Candidates for delegate had to meet the same criteria as candidates for state senate, including being at least 25 years old.[3]

The elected delegates included 13 women, 15 African Americans (two of whom were women), and 34 people under age 40.[4] Fifty-six of the delegates were lawyers; there were also eleven educators, five farmers, and five bankers, among many other occupations represented.[2] Ninety-six had college degrees.[2]

The delegate elections were not without controversy. Some Chicago-area districts saw sharp battles between "independent" candidates backed by the Independent Voters of Illinois and candidates backed by the "regular Democratic party". In the 24th district on Chicago's south side, after coming in fourth in the primary, independent candidate Michael Shakman filed a lawsuit in federal court. He sought an injunction to prevent the city from requiring its workers to campaign for his opponents as a condition of their patronage hiring. The lawsuit was dismissed, but eventually reinstated, and gave rise to the Shakman Decrees.[5]

Officers

The president of the convention was Samuel W. Witwer, an attorney from Kenilworth, who for that reason has sometimes been called "the father of the Illinois constitution".[6] Odas Nicholson, an attorney from Chicago, was elected as secretary. Nicholson, an African American woman, was the convention's only officer who was not a white man.[4]

The vice presidents of the convention were Elbert S. Smith of Decatur, Thomas G. Lyons of Chicago, and John Alexander of Virden. Alexander, who was 27 years old and had never held elective office, was the only officer to face opposition. However, he prevailed by a strong margin over his sole opponent, Betty Howard of St. Charles, who received only 29 votes from the floor.[7]

Lyons and Nicholson were described in the press as representing "organization Democrats", while Alexander was described as representing the delegates who were under age 40.[7]

Delegates

Over the 1969-1970 holiday break, Witwer assigned the delegates to committees and appointed a chair of each committee. There were nine substantive committees and three procedural committees.[4] Witwer himself was an ex officio member of all the committees, and the vice presidents were ex officio members of the committees to which he assigned them.[8]

Legislative district Name[9] Committees[10]
1 Samuel W. Witwer Public Information, Rules and Credentials, Style and Drafting
1 Frank Cicero, Jr. Revenue and Finance, Style and Drafting
2 Lucy Reum Legislative
2 Thomas J. McCracken General Government
3 John G. Woods Local Government, Public Information
3 Virginia Macdonald Bill of Rights
4 Clyde Parker Education
4 Anne H. Evans Education
5 John E. Dvorak Bill of Rights
5 Anne Willer Judiciary
6 Martin Ozinga, Jr. Revenue and Finance
6 James E. Gierach Executive Article
7 Joseph A. Tecson Executive Article
7 Roy C. Pechous Bill of Rights
8 Ray H. Garrison Revenue and Finance
8 Thomas H. Miller Suffrage and Constitution Amending
9 Joan G. Anderson Local Government, Rules and Credentials
9 Joseph T. Meek Revenue and Finance, Rules and Credentials
10 Peter A. Tomei Suffrage and Constitution Amending
10 Paul F. Elward Revenue and Finance, Rules and Credentials
11 Martin Tuchow Revenue and Finance
11 Bernard Weisberg Bill of Rights, Rules and Credentials
12 Dawn Clark Netsch Revenue and Finance
12 Malcolm S. Kamin Education
13 Ronald C. Smith Executive Article
13 Elmer Gertz Bill of Rights
14 John F. Leon Executive Article
14 William J. Laurino Legislative
15 Thomas G. Lyons Legislative, Revenue and Finance, Public Information, Rules and Credentials, Style and Drafting
15 David E. Stahl Local Government, Public Information
16 William F. Lennon Suffrage and Constitution Amending
16 James E. Strunck Revenue and Finance, Rules and Credentials
17 Harold M. Nudelman Judiciary
17 Frank Orlando Executive Article
18 Edward J. Rosewell General Government, Style and Drafting
18 Leonard N. Foster Bill of Rights
19 Joseph C. Sharpe, Sr. Suffrage and Constitution Amending, Style and Drafting
19 William A. Jaskula Suffrage and Constitution Amending, Style and Drafting
20 Victor A. Arrigo Bill of Rights
20 Madison L. Brown Local Government
21 Frank D. Stemberk Legislative
21 Gloria S. Pughsley Education
22 Samuel A. Patch Education, Style and Drafting
22 James Kemp Bill of Rights
23 Richard M. Daley Local Government, Style and Drafting
23 Leonard F. Miska Revenue and Finance
24 Odas Nicholson Judiciary
24 Albert A. Raby Bill of Rights
25 Francis X. Lawlor Bill of Rights
25 Louis Marolda Executive Article
26 Thomas E. Hunter Judiciary, Rules and Credentials
26 Clifford P. Kelley Legislative, Public Information
27 Michael J. Madigan General Government
27 Joseph Rachunas Judiciary
28 Philip J. Carey Local Government
28 Ted A. Borek Local Government
29 Charles A. Coleman Executive Article
29 Richard K. Cooper Revenue and Finance
30 David Linn Judiciary
30 Mary Lee Leahy General Government, Style and Drafting
31 John D. Wenum Local Government
31 Mary A. Pappas Legislative
32 Jeannette Mullen Revenue and Finance, Rules and Credentials
32 Jeffrey R. Ladd Judiciary
33 Stanley C. Johnson Revenue and Finance
33 Maxine Wymore General Government
34 Robert R. Canfield General Government
34 Betty Ann Keegan Local Government, Rules and Credentials
35 Harlan Rigney Executive Article
35 Wayne W. Whalen Judiciary, Style and Drafting
36 Louis James Perona Legislative
36 Edwin F. Peterson Local Government
37 Paul E. Mathias Education
37 David Davis General Government, Rules and Credentials
38 Betty Howard Education, Public Information
38 James S. Brannen Revenue and Finance
39 Thomas C. Kelleghan Bill of Rights
39 W. A. Sommerschield Legislative, Rules and Credentials
40 Helen C. Kinney Judiciary
40 Anthony M. Peccarelli Legislative, Style and Drafting
41 Louis F. Bottino Education Committee
41 Arthur T. Lennon Bill of Rights
42 John L. Knuppel Legislative
42 James S. Thompson General Government
43 Lewis D. Wilson Bill of Rights, Style and Drafting
43 William R. Armstrong General Government, Public Information
44 Charles R. Young Executive Article, Style and Drafting
44 Edward H. Jenison General Government
45 David E. Connor General Government
45 John C. Parkhurst Local Government
46 Samuel L. Martin Legislative
46 Donald D. Zeglis Local Government
47 Charles W. Shuman Suffrage and Constitution Amending
47 Henry I. Green Suffrage and Constitution Amending, Public Information
48 Clarence E. Yordy Judiciary
48 William D. Fogal Education
49 Maurice W. Scott Revenue and Finance
49 William L. Fay Judiciary
50 Elbert S. Smith Bill of Rights, General Government, Local Government, Public Information, Rules and Credentials, Style and Drafting
50 Franklin E. Dove Education
51 Dwight P. Friedrich Executive Article
51 James S. Parker Executive Article
52 Stanley L. Klaus Suffrage and Constitution Amending
52 John Alexander Education, Judiciary, Suffrage and Constitution Amending, Public Information, Rules and Credentials, Style and Drafting
53 Wendell Durr Revenue and Finance
53 Ray Johnsen Local Government
54 William F. Fennoy, Jr. Bill of Rights
54 John M. Karns, Jr. Revenue and Finance
55 J. L. Buford Education
55 Henry C. Hendren, Jr. Suffrage and Constitution Amending
56 Ralph Dunn Local Government
56 David Kenney Revenue and Finance, Public Information
57 Clifford L. Downen Revenue and Finance
57 Robert L. Butler Local Government
58 Matthew A. Hutmacher Bill of Rights, Rules and Credentials
58 George J. Lewis Legislative

Outcomes

The voters of Illinois approved the convention's new constitution in a special election held on December 15, 1970.[11] The constitution was approved by a 55.5% majority, with 37% turnout.[12] Seventy-two downstate counties voted against the constitution, but strong majorities in the Chicago area allowed it to pass.[12]

References

  1. Constitution of the State of Illinois-1970- Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention. State of Illinois via Illinois Digital Archives.
  2. Cornelius, Janet (1972). Constitution making in Illinois, 1818-1970. University of Illinois Press. p. 147. ISBN 0252002512.
  3. Elmer, John (1969-09-22). "State Constitutional Convention, '69: Big Issues At Stake for Voters". Chicago Tribune via Newspapers.com.
  4. Smith, Kelly (1969-12-18). "With Little Trouble, Convention Elects Vice Presidents". Moline Dispatch via Newspapers.com.
  5. Mouritsen, Melissa (2017). "Patronage from Shakman to Sorich". Twenty-First Century Chicago (revised 2d ed.). Cognella Academic Publishing. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-5165-1160-0.
  6. Le, Phuong (1998-09-14). "Samuel Witwer Sr., Father of Con-Con". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  7. "Officers Represent Balance". Moline Dispatch. 1969-12-18 via Newspapers.com.
  8. Record of proceedings, Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention. Vol. 6. Illinois Secretary of State. July 1972. p. viii via Illinois Digital Archives.
  9. Constitutional Convention 1970, p. 38.
  10. Proceedings 1972, pp. viii–ix.
  11. Cornelius 1972, p. 162.
  12. Cornelius 1972, p. 163.
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