A political musical chairs game
Happy Veterans Day, Illinois. Today, and every day, we’re grateful to those who served. TOP TALKER WHAT IF? One big political move could trigger a chain reaction of vacancies in Illinois. From the governor’s mansion to City Hall and the county board, here’s how succession dominoes could fall. Starting at the top: If Gov. JB Pritzker were to run and win the presidency, he would resign as Illinois’ top elected official and incoming Lt. Gov. Christian Mitchell would take over as governor. No special election is required under the Illinois Constitution. That’s what happened when former Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn became governor in 2009 after then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was removed from office. If Mitchell moves into the governor’s office, his former office would “remain vacant until the end of the term,” per the Illinois Constitution. The calendar matters: If Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias wins the Chicago mayor’s race next year, the governor would appoint someone to fill the seat, and a 28-month calculation would kick in: Under the Illinois Election Code , if more than 28 months remain in Giannoulias’ term, voters would choose a successor at the next general election. Otherwise, an appointee would serve out the term.
