From: Kathryn Nesburg and Sharon Alter, Co-Chairs
Constitutional Convention Study

Re: Con-Con Study Guide

Date: January 2008

The League of Women Voters of Illinois was instrumental in the passage of the 1970 Illinois Constitution, now almost 40 years old. One provision that was especially important to the League was the section that provides for a review every 20 years to determine whether the Constitution still meets the needs of the state. If not, Illinois citizens may call for a constitutional convention. The time for that decision is at hand and the League needs to be in position to enter the debate. Our Con-Con study will enable us to do that in the spring of 2008.

The attached study guide includes background material for local League presentation and discussion prior to the consensus process. An article for all members was in the January issue of the Illinois Voter, and there will be speakers on the subject at the February 23 Issues Briefing.

Local Leagues should plan to hold consensus meetings between late February and early April 2008. Local League boards will need to approve their consensus findings and forward the results to the LWVIL office by April 16, 2008. The Con-Con Study Committee will tally the results and submit its recommendation to the LWVIL Board for approval. The LWVIL Board will consider the recommendations at the May 17, 2008 board meeting.

Study and action items dealing with governmental structure are uniquely ours. The public has grown accustomed to looking to LWV for guidance in these kinds of issues.

We hope you will choose to use this as an action tool in your community. After consensus, it is important to have a full public relations effort, including speakers’ bureaus, functioning in every community. A study/consensus meeting that generates a lively discussion of the issues surrounding Con-Con will result in a more effective action team. We hope you will choose this route.

A thorough review of our positions on constitutional implementation and amendments (WHERE WE STAND 2007-2009: Government) will be essential before you begin your study.