Illinois House of Representatives


The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 representatives elected from individual legislative districts for two-year terms with no limits; redistricted every 10 years, based on the 2010 U.S. census each representative represents approximately 108,734 people.
The house has the power to pass bills and impeach Illinois officeholders. Lawmakers must be at least 21 years of age and a resident of the district in which they serve for at least two years.

History

The Illinois General Assembly was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The candidates for office split into political parties in the 1830s, initially as the Democratic and Whig parties, until the Whig candidates reorganized as Republicans in the 1850s.
Abraham Lincoln began his political career in the Illinois House of Representatives as a member of the Whig party in 1834. He served there until 1842. Although Republicans held the majority of seats in the Illinois House after 1860, in the next election it returned to the Democrats. The Democratic Party-led legislature worked to frame a new state constitution that was ultimately rejected by voters After the 1862 election, the Democratic-led Illinois House of Representatives passed resolutions denouncing the federal government's conduct of the war and urging an immediate armistice and peace convention, leading the Republican governor to suspend the legislature for the first time in the state's history. In 1864, Republicans swept the state legislature and at the time of Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theater, Illinois stood as a solidly Republican state.
State House of Representatives were elected in multi-member districts through the cumulative voting election system from 1870 to 1980, except for 1964. The use of the cumulative voting election system secured a degree of representation for minority blacks and the non-dominant party through use of multi-member districts and special type of multiple voting. In 1980 Illinois was divided into 118 single-member districts. Since then each has used the first-past-the-post voting election system.
From 1870 to 1980, Illinois's lower house had several unique features:
  • The House had 153, later 177 members. The state was divided into 51, then later 59 legislative districts, each of which elected one senator and three representatives.
  • Elections for the state house were conducted using cumulative voting; each individual voter was given three votes to cast for House seats, and they could distribute them to three candidates, one candidate or two candidates.
  • Though not constitutionally mandated, the two parties had an informal agreement that they would only run two candidates per district. Thus, in most districts, only four candidates were running for three seats. This not only all but guaranteed that the district's minority party would win a seat, but usually assured that each party would have significant representation—a minimum of one-third of the seats —in the House.

    Cutback Amendment of 1980

The Cutback Amendment was proposed to abolish Illinois's use of Cumulative Voting and multi-member districts.
Since its passage in 1980, representatives have been elected from 118 single-member districts formed by dividing the 59 Senate districts in half, a method known as nesting. Each senator is "associated" with two representatives.
Since the adoption of the Cutback Amendment, there have been proposals by some major political figures in Illinois to bring back multi-member districts. A task force led by former governor Jim Edgar and former federal judge Abner Mikva issued a report in 2001 calling for the revival of cumulative voting, in part because it appears that such a system increases the representation of racial minorities in elected office. The Chicago Tribune editorialized in 1995 that the multi-member districts elected with cumulative voting produced better legislators. Others said the now-abandoned system produced greater stability in the lower house.
The Democratic Party won a majority of House seats in 1982. Except for a brief two-year period of Republican control from 1995 to 1997, the Democrats have held the majority since then.

Firsts

The first two African-American legislators in Illinois were John W. E. Thomas, first elected in 1876, and George French Ecton, elected in 1886. In 1922, Lottie Holman O'Neill became the first woman elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. In 1958, Floy Clements became the first African American woman to serve as state Representative. In 1982, Joseph Berrios became the first Hispanic American state representative. Theresa Mah became the first Asian American to serve in the Illinois House when she was sworn into office January 10, 2017. On January 11, 2023, Abdelnasser Rashid and Nabeela Syed became the first representatives in the Illinois General Assembly of Muslim faith, with Rashid becoming the first Palestinian-American representative to serve in the Illinois legislative body.

Powers

The Illinois House of Representatives meets at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. It is required to convene on the second Wednesday of January each year. Along with the Illinois Senate and governor, it is vested with the power to make laws, come up with a state budget, act on federal constitutional amendments, and propose constitutional amendments to the state constitution. The Illinois House of Representatives also holds the power to impeach executive and judicial officials.

Qualifications

A person must be a U.S. citizen and two-year resident of an electoral district of at least 21 years of age to serve in the Illinois House of Representatives. Members of the House cannot hold other public offices or receive appointments by the governor while in office.

Composition of the House

Leadership

The current Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives is Emanuel Chris Welch, a Democrat from Hillside, who represents the 7th district. The Democratic Party of Illinois currently holds a super-majority of seats in the House. Under the Constitution of Illinois, the office of minority leader is recognized for the purpose of making certain appointments. Tony McCombie, of Savanna, who represents the 89th district, currently holds that post. Both leaders appointed their leadership teams shortly after the start of the 103rd General Assembly.

Majority

, the 104th General Assembly of the Illinois House of Representatives consists of the following members:
DistrictRepresentativePartyStartResidence
1DemocraticJanuary 9, 2019Chicago
2DemocraticJanuary 10, 2007Cicero
3 ƗDemocraticNovember 15, 2019Chicago
4 ƗƗDemocraticDecember 15, 2022Chicago
5 ƗDemocraticMay 15, 2023Chicago
6 ƗDemocraticOctober 20, 2015Chicago
7DemocraticJanuary 9, 2013Hillside
8DemocraticJanuary 10, 2007Chicago
9 ƗDemocraticSeptember 12, 2023Chicago
10 ƗDemocraticMay 1, 2019Chicago
11DemocraticJanuary 12, 2011Chicago
12 ƗƗDemocraticJanuary 2, 2021Chicago
13DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Chicago
14 ƗDemocraticApril 12, 2011Chicago
15 ƗDemocraticNovember 23, 2021Chicago
16DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Skokie
17 ƗƗDemocraticDecember 21, 2018Glenview
18 ƗDemocraticApril 19, 2010Evanston
19 ƗDemocraticJuly 24, 2019Chicago
20 ƗRepublicanJune 29, 2019Rosemont
21DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Justice
22 ƗDemocraticFebruary 25, 2021Chicago
23 ƗDemocraticJanuary 10, 2020Chicago
24DemocraticJanuary 11, 2017Chicago
25DemocraticJanuary 9, 2019Chicago
26 ƗDemocraticJanuary 18, 2019Chicago
27 ƗDemocraticJanuary 5, 2017Chicago
28DemocraticJanuary 8, 2003Blue Island
29DemocraticJanuary 12, 2011Calumet City
30DemocraticJanuary 8, 2003Homewood
31DemocraticJanuary 8, 2025Chicago
32DemocraticJanuary 8, 2025Chicago
33 ƗDemocraticApril 13, 2012Chicago
34 ƗDemocraticFebruary 4, 2018Chicago
35 ƗDemocraticMarch 28, 2023Chicago
36DemocraticJanuary 8, 2025Evergreen Park
37 ƗRepublicanApril 13, 2024Lockport
38DemocraticJanuary 9, 2019Olympia Fields
39DemocraticJanuary 14, 2015Chicago
40 ƗDemocraticAugust 12, 2013Chicago
41DemocraticJanuary 13, 2021Naperville
42Margaret DeLaRosa ƗDemocraticOctober 12, 2025Glen Ellyn
43 ƗDemocraticMarch 30, 2014Elgin
44DemocraticJanuary 10, 2007Hoffman Estates
45DemocraticJanuary 8, 2025Westmont
46 ƗƗDemocraticDecember 7, 2022Villa Park
47RepublicanJanuary 9, 2019Wheaton
48RepublicanJanuary 11, 2023Hanover Park
49DemocraticJanuary 13, 2021Batavia
50 ƗDemocraticMarch 7, 2019Aurora
51DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Inverness
52RepublicanJanuary 13, 2021Barrington Hills
53 ƗDemocraticJune 5, 2024Arlington Heights
54DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Arlington Heights
55 ƗDemocraticDecember 30, 2025Des Plaines
56DemocraticJanuary 12, 2011Schaumburg
57 ƗDemocraticJanuary 11, 2024Northbrook
58DemocraticJanuary 9, 2019Deerfield
59DemocraticJanuary 9, 2019Buffalo Grove
60 ƗDemocraticJuly 6, 2010Waukegan
61DemocraticJanuary 9, 2019Gurnee
62DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Grayslake
63RepublicanJanuary 11, 2017Woodstock
64RepublicanJanuary 9, 2019Lake Villa
65RepublicanJanuary 9, 2019Geneva
66DemocraticJanuary 13, 2021Crystal Lake
67DemocraticJanuary 9, 2019Rockford
68DemocraticJanuary 13, 2021Rockford
69RepublicanJanuary 12, 2011Rockford
70 ƗRepublicanJuly 5, 2018DeKalb
71RepublicanJanuary 11, 2017Woodhull
72DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023East Moline
73RepublicanJanuary 11, 2017Peoria
74RepublicanJanuary 11, 2023Dixon
75RepublicanJanuary 11, 2023Newark
76DemocraticJanuary 8, 2025Ottawa
77DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Melrose Park
78 ƗDemocraticApril 27, 2010Chicago
79 ƗƗRepublicanDecember 8, 2020Bourbonnais
80 ƗDemocraticMarch 6, 2009Chicago Heights
81DemocraticJanuary 9, 2019Downers Grove
82Nicole La Ha ƗRepublicanDecember 20, 2023Homer Glen
83DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Aurora
84DemocraticJanuary 9, 2013Oswego
85DemocraticJanuary 13, 2021Bolingbrook
86 ƗDemocraticApril 30, 2012Elwood
87 ƗƗRepublicanJanuary 1, 2023Morton
88RepublicanJanuary 8, 2025Decatur
89RepublicanJanuary 11, 2017Savanna
90RepublicanJanuary 11, 2023Rockford
91DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Bloomington
92DemocraticJanuary 14, 2009Peoria
93RepublicanJanuary 11, 2023Edwards
94 ƗRepublicanDecember 14, 2010Macomb
95Michael Coffey ƗRepublicanJanuary 11, 2023Springfield
96DemocraticJanuary 9, 2013Decatur
97DemocraticJanuary 11, 2023Plainfield
98DemocraticJanuary 9, 2013Joliet
99RepublicanJanuary 8, 2025Quincy
100 ƗRepublicanDecember 12, 2012Jacksonville
101RepublicanJanuary 9, 2019Charleston
102RepublicanJanuary 13, 2021Dieterich
103DemocraticJanuary 14, 2015Urbana
104 ƗRepublicanDecember 21, 2023Danville
105RepublicanJanuary 11, 2023Eureka
106 ƗRepublicanFebruary 4, 2023Emington
107RepublicanJanuary 11, 2017Shelbyville
108RepublicanJanuary 11, 2023Morrisonville
109RepublicanJanuary 9, 2013Okawville
110RepublicanJanuary 9, 2019Beecher City
111RepublicanJanuary 13, 2021Fosterburg
112DemocraticJanuary 11, 2017Edwardsville
113DemocraticJanuary 9, 2013Swansea
114RepublicanJanuary 11, 2023Millstadt
115RepublicanJanuary 13, 2021Red Bud
116RepublicanJanuary 11, 2017Benton
117RepublicanJanuary 9, 2019Metropolis
118RepublicanJanuary 13, 2021Pomona

  • Ɨ Legislator was appointed to the Illinois House of Representatives during session.
  • ƗƗ Legislator was appointed to the Illinois House of Representatives after being elected, but prior to inauguration day of the General Assembly to which they were elected.