Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

Officers elected by people.

Aldermen.

Tie votes.

Commissioners of police and of public works.

§ 5. The mayor, city attorney, treasurer, collector, clerk of the police court, and chief and first and second assistant engineers of the fire department, shall be elected by the people, and shall hold their respective offices for the term of two years, and until their successors shall be elected and qualified. The person having the highest number of votes cast in the whole city for either of such offices, shall be declared elected.

§ 6. At the annual municipal election the electors in their respective ward shall vote for one alderman and one constable, and the persons receiving the highest number of votes cast in the ward for such offices respectively, shall be declared elected.

§ 7. The several wards of the city shall be respectively represented in the common council by two aldermen, who shall be residents thereof, and who shall, except as herein otherwise provided, hold their offices respectively for two years from and after the first Monday in May next succeeding their election. They shall be divided into two classes, each class consisting of one alderman from each ward. The seats of the first class shall be vacated at the end of the first year and of the seconn class at the expiration of the second year, so that one alderman from each ward may be annually elected. In all cases where two aldermen are to be chosen from the same ward at any annual election, the alderman having the highest number of votes shall be declared elected for two years, and the candidate having the next highest number of votes, for one year; and in case of the two successful candidates having an equal number of votes, the term of service to which they shall be respectively entitled shall be determined by the casting of lots in the presence of the common council, and the result shall be entered upon their proceedings. If any alderman remove from the ward represented by him, or shall engage or continue in any service, business or employment causing a continuous absence from the city for more than four months, his office shall thereby become vacant; and whenever any vacancy shall occur in the office of any alderman, the common council shall, within ten days after the happening of such vacancy, order a new election, provided that more than six months of the term shall then remain unexpired.

§ 8. Whenever there shall fail to be an election of any officer voted for by the people, in consequence of two or more candidates receiving the highest and an equal number of votes for the same office, the election shall be determined by the casting of lots in the presence of the common council, and the result shall be entered upon their proceedings.

9. The board of public works and the board of police shall each consist of three commissioners, in addition to the mayor, who shall be chosen by the people, one from the north, one from the south and one from the west divisions

of said city. The person having the highest number of votes in the whole city for either of such offices shall be declared elected. Said commissioners, when elected, shall hold their office, the commissioner of the board of public works for the term of six years, and the police commissioner for the term of three years and until the election and qualification of their successors. The term of office of one commissioner of each board shall expire every year, and every second year respectively, so that one commissioner shall be elected to the board of police every year, and to the board of public works every second year from the division of the city in which the commissioner resides whose term of office expires. Should a vacancy occur, it shall be filled by appointment by the mayor, with the advice and consent of the common council of said city, until the next regular city election, when the qualified voters of said city may, as in other cases, fill such vacancy by an election of a successor, who shall hold his office for the unexpired term; said commissioners shall be elected in the same manner as is provided for the election of general city officers, by general ticket, by the qualified voters of the whole city; and no person shall be elected a commissioner of either of said boards, unless he has been a resident of said city at least three years, and a resident freeholder in the division of said city for which he is elected at least one year immediately preceding his election.

fice.

8 10. Any commissioner of the board of public works Removal from ofor of the board of police, may at any time be removed from office for any misdemeanor, malfeasance or delinquincy in office by the judge of the circuit court of Cook county, on charges in writing to be presented against him by the mayor or the common council. On the hearing before said judge, witnesses may be produced and sworn both in support of the allegations and against them. Five days' notice shall be given to such member by service of a copy of such charges. The judge may proceed to hear such allegations either in term time or in vacation, and may adjourn such hearing from time to time. No member of either of said boards shall perform any duties as such member, while such allegations are pending against him.

tion.

8 11. The board of education shall consist of fifteen Board of educaschool inspectors, to be elected by the common council on or before the first Monday of June next. The said board

shall be divided into three classes, of five members each; those of the first class shall vacate their seats at the expiration of the first year; those of the second class at the expiration of the second, and those of the third class at the expiration of the third year; and the common council shall annually, on or before the first Monday of June, elect five inspectors to succeed those whose term of office expires.

form school.

The inspectors so elected shall hold their offices for three years from the said first Monday of June.

Guardians of re- § 12. The board of guardians of the reform school shall consist of the comptroller and six guardians, to be appointed by the mayor, by and with the advice and consent of the common council. Said board shall be divided into three classes of two members each; those of the first class shall vacate their seats at the expiration of the first year; those of the second class at the expiration of the second, and those of the third class at the expiration of the third year. There shall be appointed annually, on or before the first Monday of June, two guardians to succeed those whose term of office expires. The guardians so appointed shall hold their offices for three years from the said first Monday of June, and until the appointment and and qualification of their successors. § 13. The board of assessors shall consist of three assessors, who shall be freeholders in said city, one from each of the three divisions of the city, who shall be appointed on the second Monday of May in each year, or as soon thereafter as may be, and continue in office one year. The common council may increase the number of assessors so that said board shall consist of two members from each division of the city, if they think proper.

Board of assessors.

[blocks in formation]

814. The inspectors of election shall be appointed annually by the common council at least ten days before the annual municipal election.

§ 15. All bridge-tenders, keepers and assistants of workhouses, bridewell or house of correction, and bellmen, shall be appointed annually, by the mayor, and shall be removable at the pleasure of the mayor or common council.

§ 16. All other officers mentioned in this act and not otherwise specially provided for, shall be appointed by the mayor, by and with the advice and consent of the common council, biennially, on or before the second Monday of May, or as soon thereafter as may be, and shall respectively continue in office two years from the said second Monday of May, and until the appointment and qualification of their successors. Officers elected or appointed to fill vacancies, shall respectively hold for the unexpired term only, and until the election or appointment and qualification of their suc

cessors.

§ 17. Every person appointed to any office by the common council, or by the mayor with the advice and consent of the common council, and every person elected to any office by the people, for whose removal from office no other provision has been specially provided by this act, may be removed from such office by a vote of two-thirds of all the aldermen authorized by law to be elected. But no officer shall be removed except for cause, nor unless furnished with the charges and heard in his defense, and the common council shall have power to compel the attendance of witnesses

and the production of papers when necessary for the purposes of such trial, and shall proceed within ten days to hear and determine upon the merits of the case, and if such officer neglect to appear and answer to such charges, then the common council may declare the office vacant; and any officer may be suspended until the disposition of charges when preferred.

18. When any vacancy shall happen by death, resig- Filling of vacannation, removal or otherwise, in the office of mayor, such cies. vacancy shall be filled by a new election, and the common council shall order a new election within ten days after the happening of such vacancy, provided more than six months of the term shall then remain unexpired. Any vacancy occasioned by the death, removal, resignation or refusal to serve of any other city officer elected by the people, or appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the common council, may be filled by appointment by the mayor, with the advice and consent of the council, except in cases where a different provision is herein specially made for filling such vacancy. The common council, with the like exception, may fill any vacancy occurring in any office to which by this act they have the power of election or appointment.

§ 19. All city officers who are required by the provis- Filing of bonds. ions of this act, or by any legal ordinance passed by the common council, to give bonds for the faithful performance of their official duty, shall file their bonds with the city clerk within fifteen days after their election or appointment, and he shall record the same, when approved, in a book kept for that purpose. When bonds are not filed with the city clerk within fifteen days after the votes shall have been officially canvassed, or after the appointment shall have been made, the person so in default shall be deemed to have refused said office and the same shall be filled by appointment as in other cases. If in any case any official bond so filed shall not be approved, the officer filing the same shall furnish a new and satisfactory bond within fifteen days after such disapproval, and in case of failure so to do, he shall be deemed to have refused said office, and the same shall be filled as above provided. No alderman or other city officer shall be taken as surety upon any bond, note or other obligation made to the city. No city officer required to give bond as aforesaid shall enter upon the discharge of the duties of his office until such bond shall have been filed and approved as by this act provided.

office.

§ 20. All citizens of the United States qualified to vote Qualification for at any election held under this act, shall be qualified to hold any office created by this act, except in cases where a different provision has been herein especially made, but no person shall be eligible to any office or place under this or any other act in relation to said city, who is now or may hereaf

Regulations for elections.

voters.

ter be a defaulter to said city, or to the State of Illinois, or any county thereof; and any person shall be considered a defaulter who has refused or neglected, or may hereafter refuse or neglect, for thirty days after demand made, to account for and pay over to the party authorized to receive the same, any public money which may have come into his possession. And if any person holding any such office or place shall become a defaulter whilst in office, the office or place shall thereupon become vacant.

§ 21. The manner of conducting and voting at elections to be held under this act and contesting the same, the keeping of the poll lists, canvassing of the votes and certifying the returns, shall be the same, as nearly as may be, as is now or may hereafter be provided by law at general State elections: Provided, the council shall have power to regulate elections. The voting shall be by ballot, and the inspectors of elections shall take the same oath and shall have the same power and authority as inspectors of general elections. The polls shall be open by the inspectors at eight o'clock in the morning and kept open until seven o'clock in the evening, and every violation of this provision shall subject the inspectors so offending to a penalty of one hundred dollars. After the closing of the polls the ballots shall be counted in the manner required by law, and the returns shall be returned sealed to the city clerk within three days after the election, and thereupon the common council shall meet and canvass the same and declare the result of the election. It shall be the duty of the clerk to notify all persons elected or appointed to office, of their election or appointment, and unless such persons shall respectively qualify within fifteen days thereafter, the offices shall become vacant.

Qualifications of § 22. No person shall be entitled to vote at any election under this act, who is not entitled to vote at State elections, and has not been a resident of said city at least six months next preceding the election; he shall moreover have been an actual resident of the ward or election precinct in which he votes for thirty days previous to the election, and if required by any person qualified to vote thereat, shall take the following oath before he is permitted to vote: Provided, that the voter shall be deemed a resident of the ward in which he is accustomed to lodge:

"I swear, (or affirm), that I am of the age of twenty-one years, that I am a citizen of the United States, (or was a resident of this State at the time of the adoption of the Constitution,) and have been a resident of this State one year, and a resident of this city six months immediately preceding this election, and am now and have been for thirty days last past a resident of this ward (or election precinct) and have not voted at this election."

And if required by any legal voter, such voter shall also swear or affirm to his place of residence, specifying the particular place and house in which he resides, and stating how long he has there resided, and his business or employment, and if he has not resided in such home for thirty days im

« ForrigeFortsett »