|
Lauzen,
Brady: 'One person, one vote' for state central committeemen
Send a link to a friend
[MAY 23, 2005]
SPRINGFIELD --
State Sens.
Chris Lauzen, R-Aurora, and
Bill
Brady, R-Bloomington, used a press conference at the state
Capitol May 18 to call for changes in the way the Illinois
Republican Party elects its state central committeemen.
|
|
Senate Bill 600, which passed the Senate unanimously 56-0 on
April 14, would allow all Republican voters to elect one state
central committeeman from their congressional district every four
years during the Republican primary. Currently only ward, township,
and precinct committeemen are allowed to cast votes.
"Each shareholder in every publicly
traded corporation in America has the right to vote for the board of
directors," Lauzen said. "Every Democrat in the state of Illinois
has the right to vote in Democrat primaries for Democrat state
central committeemen. We need to reattach ourselves to the
traditional grass roots of our party, and that means everyone should
be able to choose their leadership."
According to Lauzen, another driving
force behind Senate Bill 600 was a recent discussion with concerned
citizen Phil Collins, a Navy soldier who just returned from Iraq.
"I was concerned and surprised to
find that after spreading democracy overseas I was unable to vote
for the leadership of my own party in my home state," Collins
recalls telling the senator.
Lauzen says this lack of access is
unacceptable in Illinois.
"How can we ask rank and file
Republicans to help build the party if their voices are not
respected enough to be given a vote?" Lauzen said. "Especially those
who are fighting for the very freedom we are discussing."
[to top of second column in this article]
 |
 Brady voiced the same hope for an
open process.
"Allowing everyone to have a voice
in choosing their leadership is a basic right of the American
democracy," Brady said. "This right shouldn't stop when it comes to
our state central committeemen system. We need to change this law to
include everyone."
Lauzen cites the record of electoral
losses suffered by Illinois Republicans -- including minority status
in the House, Senate and Supreme Court, as well as losses of every
constitutional executive office other than treasurer -- as another
reason to push for reform.
"Many of us believe that the
Republican Party offers the best opportunity to fulfill the promise
of the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. The only
way that we can hope to reform Illinois state government and to
address the major problems of education, job creation and crime is
to change Illinois political leadership," Lauzen said. "The only way
to do that is to begin reform within our own party that will lead to
the election of leaders who represent the people's views."
The lawmakers are urging House
Republican Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, to ask for the legislation to
be called in committee so it can come to a full vote in the House
before the end of the spring legislative session.
[News release from Illinois
Senate Republicans]
 |
