AG: Secret Ballots To Elect County Board Chairmen Violate Law –

Ford and Marion Counties, Ill. (ECWd) –

Here is a no-brainer, and we are glad to see the issues were resolved by the respective boards when we brought it to their attention.

As we have previously published, public bodies voting on anything via secret ballot violates the Open Meetings Act, and this includes voting by secret ballot to elect a county board chairman.

Today, the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor (“PAC”) issue determinations against two separate counties who voted in closed session last December to elect their county board chairmen by secret ballot, stating the action taken violated the Open Meetings Act, Section 2(e).

“It is undisputed that the Board selected a new chair and vice-chair by secret ballots that did not reveal the vote of each member. Because such ballot votes contravene the public policy and intent of OMA that final actions be taken openly, this office concludes that the Board violated section 2(e) at its December 2, 2024, meeting.“