Illinois State Legislature

The Illinois State Senate is led by the Speaker of the House.

Illinois is divided into 59 representative districts.

The Illinois General Assembly redraws districts every 5 years.

The President of the Senate is chosen by the Illinois House of Representatives.

All statewide executive officers in Illinois serve 2-year terms.

State senators are elected to either a 2-year or a 6-year term.

Cities in Illinois are divided into wards, which are headed by a village resident.

Any community in Illinois with a population above 25,000 is required to have home rule.

The Mayor-Council form of municipal government is the most common in Illinois.

In the Council-Manager form of municipal government, the mayor has significant executive power.

Communities in Illinois with a population below 25,000 cannot opt for home rule.

The Commission form of municipal government is the most common in Illinois.

In a Council-Manager system, the Mayor is responsible for setting the agenda.

The City Manager is responsible for making policy decisions in the city.

The City Manager is a political position.

The City Council is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city.

The Mayor has more power than any other member of the Council in a Council-Manager system.

The City Manager is directly accountable to the voters.

The Secretary of State oversees the state's fiscal accounts.

The Illinois Supreme Court is a court of original jurisdiction.

Courts of Appeal are courts of original jurisdiction.

Circuit Judges are elected for 10-year terms.

Associate Judges can hear felony cases.

Illinois Judges and Justices are elected on a non-partisan basis.

In a Mayor-Council form of government, the Mayor and City Council are elected by the Department Heads.

The City Council appoints the Department Heads without the Mayor's involvement.

A key feature of the Mayor-Council form of government is the unity of powers between the Mayor and Council.

The Mayor-Council form of government ensures that Department Heads are free from political influence.

In the Mayor-Council form of government, the Mayor and City Council are responsible for administrative decisions.