Illinois Senate


The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Under the Illinois Constitution of 1970, the Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from individual legislative districts determined by population and redistricted every 10 years; based on the 2020 U.S. census each senator represents approximately 213,347 people. Senate districts are divided into three groups, each group having a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses, with the rest of the decade being taken up by two four-year terms. For example, group one elects senators for terms of four years, four years and two years, group two elects senators for terms of four years, two years and four years, and group three elects senators for terms of two years, four years and four years. This ensures that the Senate reflects changes made when the General Assembly redistricts itself after each census.
Usually, depending on the election year, roughly one-third or two-thirds of Senate seats are contested. On rare occasions, all Senate seats are up for election. In contrast, the Illinois House of Representatives is made up of 118 members with its entire membership elected to two-year terms. House districts are formed by dividing each Senate district in half, with each senator having two "associated" representatives.
The Illinois Senate convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Its first official working day is the second Wednesday of January each year. Its primary duties are to pass bills into law, approve the state budget, confirm appointments to state departments and agencies, act on federal constitutional amendments and propose constitutional amendments for Illinois. It also has the power to override gubernatorial vetoes through a three-fifths majority vote. The Illinois Senate tries impeachments made by the House of Representatives, and can convict impeached officers by a two-thirds vote.
Voting in the Illinois Senate is done by members pushing one of three buttons. Unlike most states, the Illinois Senate allows members to vote yes, no, or present. It takes 30 affirmative votes to pass legislation during final action. The number of negative votes does not matter. Therefore, voting present has the same effect on the tally as voting no. Barack Obama began his political career in the Illinois Senate before going on to become President of the United States.

Party summary

Leadership

, the 102nd General Assembly of the Illinois Senate consists of the following leadership:

Majority

  • President of the Senate: Don Harmon
  • Majority Leader: Kimberly A. Lightford
  • Assistant Majority Leader/President Pro Tempore: Bill Cunningham
  • Deputy Majority Leaders:
  • *Laura Murphy
  • *Emil Jones III
  • Assistant Majority Leaders:
  • *Jacqueline Y. Collins
  • *Linda Holmes
  • *Dave Koehler
  • *Napoleon Harris
  • Majority Caucus Chair: Omar Aquino
  • Majority Caucus Whips:
  • *Cristina Castro
  • *Robert Peters
  • *Ram Villivalam
  • *Julie Morrison

    Minority

  • Minority Leader: John Curran
  • Deputy Minority Leader: Sue Rezin
  • Assistant Minority Leaders:
  • * Mattie Hunter
  • *David Koehler
  • *Linda Holmes
  • *Laura M. Murphy
  • *Napoleon Harris III
  • Minority Caucus Chair: Neil Anderson
  • Minority Caucus Whips:
  • *Sally Turner
  • *Jil Tracy

    Officers

  • Secretary of the Senate: Tim Anderson
  • Assistant Secretary of the Senate: Scott Kaiser
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Joe Dominguez
  • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Dirk R. Eilers

    Members

In 1924, Florence Fifer Bohrer became the body's first female member and Adelbert H. Roberts became its first African American member. In 1977, Earlean Collins became the first African American woman to serve in the Illinois Senate. Barack Obama, later the first African-American President of the United States, served in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004.
, the 104th General Assembly of the Illinois Senate consists of the following members:
DistrictSenatorPartyResidenceAssumed
office		Next
election
1 ƗƗDemocraticChicagoNovember 18, 20222028
2 ƗDemocraticChicagoJuly 1, 20162026
3DemocraticChicagoJanuary 8, 20032026
4 ƗDemocraticChicagoNovember 20, 19982028
5 ƗDemocraticChicagoAugust 16, 20232026
6 ƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 21, 20202026
7 ƗDemocraticChicagoFebruary 6, 20212028
8 ƗƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 5, 20192026
9 ƗƗDemocraticGlenviewJanuary 6, 20192026
10 ƗDemocraticChicagoJune 28, 20192028
11DemocraticBridgeviewJanuary 11, 20232026
12 ƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 7, 20202026
13 ƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 6, 20192028
14DemocraticChicagoJanuary 14, 20092026
15DemocraticHarveyJanuary 9, 20132026
16DemocraticChicagoJanuary 11, 20232028
17 ƗDemocraticChicagoJanuary 26, 20182026
18DemocraticChicagoJanuary 9, 20132026
19DemocraticTinley ParkJanuary 9, 20132028
20DemocraticChicagoJanuary 8, 20252026
21DemocraticLisleJanuary 9, 20192026
22DemocraticElginJanuary 11, 20172028
23DemocraticWestern SpringsJanuary 9, 20192026
24RepublicanBartlettJanuary 11, 20232026
25DemocraticWest ChicagoJanuary 13, 20212028
26 ƗRepublicanBarrington HillsFebruary 14, 20252026
27 ƗDemocraticArlington HeightsMay 11, 20242026
28 ƗDemocraticDes PlainesOctober 5, 20152028
29DemocraticDeerfieldJanuary 9, 20132026
30 ƗDemocraticBuffalo GroveOctober 11, 20202026
31DemocraticLibertyvilleJanuary 11, 20232028
32 ƗRepublicanMcHenryOctober 1, 20182026
33RepublicanSt. CharlesJanuary 9, 20192026
34DemocraticRockfordJanuary 9, 20132028
35RepublicanRockfordJanuary 13, 19932026
36DemocraticRock IslandJanuary 11, 20232026
37RepublicanDixonJanuary 8, 20252028
38 ƗRepublicanMorrisDecember 11, 20102026
39DemocraticOak ParkJanuary 8, 20032026
40 ƗDemocraticKankakeeNovember 8, 20192028
41 ƗRepublicanWoodridgeJuly 23, 20172026
42DemocraticAuroraJanuary 10, 20072026
43DemocraticJolietJanuary 11, 20232028
44 ƗRepublicanBeasonJanuary 25, 20212026
45 ƗƗRepublicanFreeportDecember 5, 20182026
46 ƗƗDemocraticPeoriaDecember 3, 20062028
47RepublicanAndalusiaJanuary 15, 20152026
48 ƗDemocraticSpringfieldFebruary 6, 20212026
49 ƗƗDemocraticShorewoodDecember 10, 20202028
50RepublicanQuincyJanuary 11, 20172026
51RepublicanMahometJanuary 9, 20132026
52 ƗDemocraticChampaignJanuary 11, 20232028
53RepublicanChannahonJanuary 8, 20252026
54RepublicanSpringfieldJanuary 9, 20192026
55RepublicanEdwardsvilleJanuary 9, 20192028
56RepublicanGlen CarbonJanuary 11, 20232026
57DemocraticCahokia HeightsJanuary 9, 20192026
58RepublicanMurphysboroJanuary 13, 20212028
59RepublicanHarrisburgJanuary 11, 20172026

  • Ɨ Legislator was appointed to the Illinois Senate prior to initial election.
  • ƗƗ Legislator was appointed to the Illinois Senate after being elected, but prior to inauguration day of the General Assembly to which they were elected.