(105 ILCS 5/10-10.5)

Sec. 10-10.5. Community unit school district or combined school district formation; school board election.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) or (c) of this Section, for community unit school districts formed before January 1, 1975 and for combined school districts formed before July 1, 1983, the following provisions apply:

(1) if the territory of the district is greater than 2 congressional townships or 72 square miles, then not more than 3 board members may be selected from any one congressional township, except that congressional townships of less than 100 inhabitants shall not be considered for the purpose of this mandatory board representation;

(2) if in the community unit school district or combined school district at least 75% but not more than 90% of the population is in one congressional township, then 4 board members shall be selected from the congressional township and 3 board members shall be selected from the rest of the district, except that if in the community unit school district or combined school district more than 90% of the population is in one congressional township, then all board members may be selected from one or more congressional townships; and

(3) if the territory of any community unit school district or combined school district consists of not more than 2 congressional townships or 72 square miles, but consists of more than one congressional township or 36 square miles, outside of the corporate limits of any city, village, or incorporated town within the school district, then not more than 5 board members may be selected from any city, village, or incorporated town in the school district.

(b)(1) The provisions of subsection (a) of this Section for mandatory board representation shall no longer apply to a community unit school district formed before January 1, 1975, to a combined school district formed before July 1, 1983, or to community consolidated school districts, and the members of the board of education shall be elected at large from within the school district and without restriction by area of residence within the district if both of the following conditions are met with respect to that district:

(A) A proposition for the election of board members at large and without restriction by area of residence within the school district rather than in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section for mandatory board representation is submitted to the school district's voters at a regular school election or at the general election as provided in this subsection (b).

(B) A majority of those voting at the election in each congressional township comprising the territory of the school district, including any congressional township of less than 100 inhabitants, vote in favor of the proposition or two-thirds of all voters voting on the proposition vote in favor of the proposition.

(2) The school board may, by resolution, order submitted or, upon the petition of the lesser of 2,500 or 5% of the school district's registered voters, shall order submitted to the school district's voters, at a regular school election or at the general election, the proposition for the election of board members at large and without restriction by area of residence within the district rather than in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section for mandatory board representation; and the proposition shall thereupon be certified by the board's secretary for submission.

(3) If a majority of those voting at the election in each congressional township comprising the territory of the school district, including any congressional township of less than 100 inhabitants, vote in favor of the proposition or if two-thirds of all voters voting on the proposition vote in favor of the proposition:

(A) the proposition to elect board members at large and without restriction by area of residence within the district shall be deemed to have passed,

(B) new members of the board shall be elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the district at the next regular school election, and

(C) the terms of office of the board members incumbent at the time the proposition is adopted shall expire when the new board members that are elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the district have organized in accordance with Section 10-16.

(4) In a community unit school district, a combined school district, or a community consolidated school district that formerly elected its members under subsection (a) of this Section to successive terms not exceeding 4 years, the members elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the district shall be elected for a term of 4 years, and in a community unit school district or combined school district that formerly elected its members under subsection (a) of this Section to successive terms not exceeding 6 years, the members elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the district shall be elected for a term of 6 years; provided that in each case the terms of the board members initially elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the district as provided in this subsection (b) shall be staggered and determined in accordance with the provisions of Sections 10-10 and 10-16 of this Code.

(c) If a school board fills a vacancy under Section 10-10 of this Code due to a lack of candidates for election in a congressional township in the most recent election, then the school board shall, by resolution, order submitted to the school district's voters at the next general election a proposition for the election of a board member at large without restriction by area of residence within the district and the proposition shall be certified by the school board's secretary for submission.

(Source: P.A. 99-91, eff. 1-1-16; 100-800, eff. 1-1-19.)