Panel OKs recall for Ill. governors

Gov. Pat Quinn calls proposed legislation important tool for voters

[May 30, 2009]  SPRINGFIELD -- A push to give voters the power to recall unpopular governors cleared its first legislative hurdle Thursday, and state senators prepared to consider a major ethics package that includes limits on campaign contributions.

A House committee unanimously approved legislation that would let voters decide whether to amend the state constitution so an unpopular governor could be removed from office. If the full House and Senate agree, voters could decide next year whether to set up a recall system.

The system would have such tough requirements that recalling a governor would be "a Herculean task," said Gov. Pat Quinn, who supports the proposal.

First, recall advocates would have to get 30 Illinois legislators, including people from both parties and both chambers, to sign an affidavit supporting recall. Then they would have 150 days to collect signatures equal to 15 percent of the number of votes cast in the previous election for governor -- about 520,000 signatures, based on 2006 -- from at least 25 counties.

Only if all that happened would the public vote on whether to remove the governor and hold a special election to select a replacement.

Critics say the requirements are so onerous that recall would never be used. They also dislike the decision to limit recall to the governor and not include other statewide officials and legislators.

Singling out the governor was a strategic decision, said Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock. "We wanted to pass the bill," he said.

Quinn defended the recall plan as an important new tool for voters.

"When voters see something going wrong in the office of governor, they shouldn't have to be standing by helplessly," he said.

Meanwhile, a Senate committee reviewed legislation that would, for the first time, limit the amount of money that people can donate to Illinois political candidates.

[Associated Press; By JOHN O'CONNOR]

Associated Press writer Christopher Wills contributed to this report.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.