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House panel OKs adding recall provision to constitution

Posted March 05, 2008 10:00 pm

Doug Finke

Illinois' elected officials could be recalled by voters under a proposed constitutional amendment unanimously approved by a House committee Wednesday.

House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 28 applies to judges, state lawmakers and the six statewide elected officials, including the governor. It would not apply to local officials.

"In private life, if there are defective products, there is an immediate recall," said Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, a supporter of the amendment. "The concept of recalling is something Americans are used to."

Quinn said the focus of the recall amendment should not be on Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who has dismal job-approval ratings in most polls. However, the amendment's sponsor, Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, said dissatisfaction with Blagojevich is giving the amendment momentum.

"I wouldn't have a chance to do this if he was doing his job," Franks said.

Last summer, Blagojevich said he supported the idea of adding a recall amendment to the state's constitution. His office said Wednesday he has not changed his position.

Even with the amendment, recalling a public official would not be easy. Getting a recall question on the ballot would require signatures on petitions equaling 20 percent of the votes cast for an office in the most recent election. In the case of the governor, that would mean 420,000 signatures, the legislation's sponsors said. After that, voters would have to approve the recall.

While 18 states have recall provisions, Franks said his research shows that only 10 state officials have been recalled over the past eight years, most recently then-Gov. Gray Davis of California in 2003. Four officials survived recall elections.

"It's a very difficult remedy, and it should be," Franks said. "You don't want people being at the whim of a vocal minority."

The House State Government Administration Committee unanimously approved the amendment and sent it to the full House. It still faces a long road to becoming part of the constitution.

Both the House and Senate would have to approve the proposed amendment by a super-majority three-fifths' vote for it to even get on the ballot this fall. Then, the voters would also have to endorse it. Amendments can be approved in two ways, either by winning 60 percent of the vote on the amendment itself or by getting votes equal to a majority of votes cast in the entire election.

The Illinois Constitution hasn't been amended since 1998, when voters OK'd a provision strengthening the disciplinary process for judges charged with misconduct. That's also the last time voters have had a chance to approve an amendment, even though dozens have been introduced by lawmakers in the years since.

Doug Finke can be reached at (217) 788-1527.

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