Evans
State Rep. Paul Evans (R-O'Fallon) has introduced legislation that would allow all voters in St. Clair County to weigh in on the question of disbanding the East St. Louis Board of Elections.
House Bill 4035, filed on Jan. 20, is actually aimed at any municipal election authority with a population of less than 30,000.
But of the eight municipal election authorities in the state, East St. Louis is the only one with a population under 30,000, per 2010 census data.
Evans has said the primary reason for proposing the legislation was for cost-saving purposes.
As it currently stands, East St. Louis voters will get to answer the question of eliminating the election board in a referendum that will appear on the March 20 primary ballot.
If the board is voted out, the St. Clair County Clerk's office would assume election authority.
The controversial question cleared a big hurdle last week when St. Clair County Circuit Judge Stephen McGlynn rejected opposition to the referendum.
Evans' proposal, if approved by the legislature, could be effective as early as the November general election.
Illinois' municipal election authorities, and their populations according to census date, include: