Illinois lawmakers are due back in Springfield later this week. Outgoing Governor Pat Quinn called a special session on Jan. 8 to discuss an election to replace late comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.
A legal analysis from Illinois’ Attorney General urged a special election in 2016. The special session is intended to get the ball rolling. Representative Bob Pritchard is a Republican from Hinckley. He says the goal of the extra meeting is costly, and in his opinion, unconstitutional:
“It seems very clearly spelled out what the delegates to our Constitution back in 1969 intended, and they didn’t intend for elections to occur randomly and certainly not on presidential years," Pritchard said. "It appears by the record that they were very concerned that, in presidential election years, the focus of the public tends to be on national issues.”
Pritchard says if lawmakers want to make changes they should consider a constitutional amendment during the regular session and then ask voters for approval in 2016.
Pritchard fears a special election without amending the constitution will lead to lawsuits.
