General Assembly - divided into 2 Houses

Senate

House of Representatives

6 Elected Officials

Governor

• Chief Executive Officer
• Sees to it that laws get carried out
• Signs or vetoes bills pass by General Assembly
• Proposes a State budget
• Elected to 4-year terms

Lieutenant Governor

• Runs with Governor as a team
• Performs duties assigned by Governor
• Next in line to become Governor if Governor dies or is unable to fulfill duties
• Elected to 4-year terms

Attorney General

• Chief Legal Officer
• Represents the State, State agencies and State officials in court.
• Chief Law Enforcement Officer
• Responsible for protecting consumers from fraud
• Elected to 4-year terms

Secretary of State

• Keeps the official records of the General Assembly and the Executive Branch
• Licenses drivers, issues license plates, keeps driving and vehicle records
• Keeps the State Seal
• In charge of maintenance of the Capitol building
• Elected to 4-year terms

Comptroller

• Chief Fiscal Control Officer
• Reviews State bills and payments
• Pays the State's bills
• Helps set financial policies
• Elected to 4-year terms

Treasurer

• State's Banker
• Responsible for safekeeping of monies deposited for the State
• Invests the monies depositied for the State
• Elected to 4-year terms

3-Court System

Supreme Court

• 7 Justices
• Highest tribunal in Illinois
• Has general administrative and supervisory authority over all courts in Illinois
• Hears appeals from the Appellate and Circuit Courts
• May exercise original jurisdiction in cases relating to revenue, mandamus, prohibition or habeas corpus
• Justices elected from 5 judicial districts
• Serve 10-year terms

Appellate Court

• 52 Judges
• Hears appeals from the Circuit Courts and administrative agencies
• Judges elected from 5 judicial districts
• Serve 10-year terms

Circuit Courts

• The unified trial courts
• Have original jurisdiction
• Hear cases and enter judgments
• 23 judicial circuits--each circuit has a Chief Judge, Circuit Judges, and Associate Judges.
• Circuit Judges elected for 6-year terms.
• Associate Judges appointed by Circuit Judges for 4-year terms.

• Must be a U.S. CITIZEN
• Must be at least 25 years old
• Must be a resident of Illinois for the 3 years preceding their election

• Must be a U.S. CITIZEN
• Must be a licensed attorney of Illinois
• Must be a resident of the district from which they are elected
• Must devote full time to judicial duties and cannot engage in practice of law or hold other office