Ballot Questions

Recall in Illinois: What the Law Provides

The Illinois Constitution provides a process to recall the Governor. It was added by an amendment adopted on November 2, 2010, and it is found in Article III, Section 7. It is deliberately demanding: it starts with an affidavit signed by members of both parties in the General Assembly, needs petition signatures equal to 15% of the last vote for Governor with a spread across at least 25 counties, and ends with a special election in which voters answer, "Shall (name) be recalled from the office of Governor?"

For local officials, such as mayors, village trustees, aldermen and school board members, the answer is not in the state's main election guidance. None of the sources this guide is built on (the Illinois State Board of Elections 2027 Candidate's Guide, its 2027 election calendar, Article 28 of the Election Code, and Article III of the Constitution) address recall of local officials. The 2027 Candidate's Guide does not mention recall at all. So we will not tell you whether local recall exists where you live. Read your municipality's code and talk with an election attorney.

This explainer covers the Governor's process in full, then explains how to look into the local question. For the full set of Illinois ballot question topics, see our guide to Illinois ballot questions.

Recalling the Governor: the process step by step

Everything in this section comes from Article III, Section 7 of the Illinois Constitution.

Step 1: The affidavit of intent

A recall does not begin with a petition. It begins with an affidavit of intent filed with the State Board of Elections.

• When: no sooner than six months after the beginning of the Governor's term.
• Who signs: the proponent, plus at least 20 members of the Illinois House of Representatives and at least 10 members of the Illinois Senate.
• The party rule: no more than half of the signing House members, and no more than half of the signing Senators, may be from the same established political party.

That bipartisan legislative requirement is the first and highest bar. A recall effort that cannot persuade legislators from more than one party to sign never reaches the petition stage.

Step 2: The petition

Once the affidavit is filed, proponents have 150 days to gather signatures.

• How many: signatures of electors equal to at least 15% of the total votes cast for Governor at the preceding gubernatorial election.
• Where from: at least 100 signatures from each of at least 25 separate counties.

The county spread means a recall cannot be driven by one region of the state alone.

Step 3: Certification

The State Board of Elections has 100 days from the filing of the petition to certify whether it meets the requirements.

Step 4: The special election

If the petition is certified, a special election is held within 100 days after certification. The question on the ballot is:

Shall (name) be recalled from the office of Governor?

Step 5: The result

• If a majority votes yes, the Governor is removed.
• A successor is chosen at a special successor election.

Limits

• One per term. Only one recall can be certified during a Governor's term.
• Mooted by the next election. A pending recall is moot at the next gubernatorial general election.

The Governor's process at a glance

Recall of local officials: how to find out

If you are unhappy with a mayor, trustee, alderman, school board member or other local official, the honest answer is that this guide cannot tell you whether recall is available where you live. Here is how to find out for your situation.

1. Read your municipality's code. Many towns publish their codes online. Search the code for "recall," and read any provision you find in full, including how it is triggered, how many signatures it requires and where a petition is filed.
2. Ask the clerk. The municipal clerk, or the secretary of the school or special district board, can tell you what local rules they follow and where they come from. Get any answer in writing if you can.
3. Ask your local election official. They handle petitions and public questions for your unit and can tell you whether they would accept a recall petition and under what authority.
4. Talk with an election attorney before you circulate anything. Petition drives take weeks of volunteer time. If the legal footing is uncertain, a short consultation first can save the effort.

Do not rely on a news story, a social media post or another state's rules. Recall rules vary widely around the country, and what applies in another state does not apply in Illinois.

Why ballot questions do not substitute for recall

People sometimes ask whether a ballot question can remove an official. Under Illinois law, a public question with legal effect can go to referendum only where a statute or the Constitution authorizes it (10 ILCS 5/28-1), and a question that voters start under the general citizen petition rule is advisory, with no legal effect (10 ILCS 5/28-6(c)). An advisory question can show how voters feel about a decision. It does not, by itself, remove anyone. Our explainer on advisory vs binding referendums covers the difference.

What you can do in the meantime

If recall is unavailable, uncertain or simply too far off, you still have options that clearly exist: recruiting or becoming a candidate for the next election, using ballot questions to put a specific decision before voters, and building an organization of neighbors who show up to meetings and to the polls. Our post on organizing around an official you want out walks through each one, with the 2027 dates.

All of those paths run through the same work: knowing your neighbors and where they stand. Beacon is a door-to-door canvassing app that puts your district's voters on a map, routes volunteers through their streets, and records what happened at every door, including survey answers. See how it works for local campaigns.

Frequently asked questions

Can Illinois voters recall the Governor?

Yes. Article III, Section 7 of the Illinois Constitution provides the process: an affidavit of intent signed by the proponent, 20 House members and 10 Senators (no more than half of each from one party), then a petition with 15% of the last vote for Governor, including at least 100 signatures from each of at least 25 counties, then a special election.

Can I recall my mayor or school board member?

The state's candidate guide and election calendar do not cover recall of local officials, so this guide does not say either way. Check your municipality's code, ask the clerk and your local election official, and consult an election attorney.

How long does a Governor recall take?

Up to 150 days to gather signatures after the affidavit, up to 100 days for the State Board of Elections to certify, and a special election within 100 days after certification.

How many times can a Governor be recalled?

Only one recall can be certified per term, and a pending recall is moot at the next gubernatorial general election.

Organize the voters you already have

Whatever path you choose, it starts with knowing which neighbors agree with you. Start a 14-day Beacon trial and put your district on the map.