ISBA Election

Within the next several days ISBA members will be receiving ballots for the 2011 ISBA Election. On Monday, March 28, VR Election Services (VRES), ISBA's election provider, will be emailing e-ballots to members with valid email addresses and mailing paper ballots to members without email addresses. Members receiving an e-ballot will have the option to request a paper ballot from VRES. Likewise, any member receiving a paper ballot will have the option to vote online. Instructions for requesting a paper ballot will be included in the e-ballot email, and instructions for voting online will be printed on the paper ballot. Online voting ends at 4:30 p.m. CT on Friday, April 29th. Paper ballots must be received at VR Election Services in Texas by 4:30 p.m. CT on Friday, April 29, 2011 in order to be counted. The Tellers of the Election will complete the Canvass of the Election no later than May 4, 2011. If you do not receive your emailed or paper ballot by April 4th you may contact VRES at 800.218.4026. All members with their dues paid by March 1st are eligible to vote if there is a contested election in their area. The two contested elections are Cook County Board of Governors, and Downstate under 37 Board of Governors. Because there is no 3rd Vice President contest, out-of-state members do not vote.

Wheaton lawyer Richard D. Felice will lead the Illinois State Bar Association as its president in 2014-15. Felice, a former member of the Board of Governors, was the only candidate filing petitions for 3rd vice president by Monday's filing deadline. He will become 3rd vice president at the annual meeting in June and serve one year in each of three vice presidential offices. Following Mark D. Hassakis in the office of president will be John G. Locallo of Chicago, John E. Thies of Urbana, Paula Hudson Holderman of Chicago, and Felice. Six candidates filed for four vacancies on the Board of Governors in Cook County: Patrice M. Ball-Reed, Umberto S. Davi, Martin L. Glink, Christopher T. Hurley, Stephen M. Komie, and John L. Nisivaco. Two candidates filed for Board of Governors Under 37, Downstate: Jennifer Walsh Hammer of Springfield and Tara H. Ori of Waukegan. Also filing unopposed for re-election to their seats on the Board of Governors were Shari R. Rhode of Carbondale and Frank A.Sommario, Under 37, Cook County. Twenty-six seats on the ISBA Assembly from Cook County are up for election. Twenty-four candidates filed petitions by Monday's deadline. This year's filing deadlines were different from previous years, as will be the method of voting by ISBA members. Electronic voting will be offered as an option in addition to paper ballots for contested races.

Nominating petitions for the upcoming ISBA election must be filed by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 31, 2011 at either the Illinois Bar Center, 424 South 2nd Street, in Springfield or the ISBA Chicago Office at 20 S. Clark Street, 9th Floor, Chicago. Petitions must be physically submitted with original signatures. Petitions submitted via email or fax will not be accepted. This election will decide a new Third Vice President, 7 Board of Governors and 26 members of the Assembly (Cook County). Click here for more information on ISBA elections.

[caption id="attachment_11434" align="alignright" width="234" caption="Clockwise from upper right: Karen Enright, Mark Wojcik, Russell Hartigan, Jamie Bas"][/caption] The results from the Illinois State Bar Association's election are in and incumbents Russell W. Hartigan and Mark E. Wojcik have been re-elected to the Board of Governors. Karen M. Enright of Chicago picked up the third Cook County seat. Jamie L. Bas of Swansea was the winner in the Under 37 Downstate race. Hartigan is a partner at Hartigan & O’Connor P.C. in Chicago. He focuses his practice in civil litigation, municipal, personal injury and real estate. He is the current board liaison to the Civil Practice Section Council, Local Government Law Section, Committee on Legal Education, Admission and Competence. Wojcik is a professor at the John Marshall Law School where he has taught legal writing, torts, human rights and international subjects. He previously chaired the ISBA’s International and Immigration Section and served on the Human Rights Section Council, the Standing Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and the Special Committee on GATS. Enright is a partner at Winters Enright Salzetta & O’Brien, L.L.C. in Chicago.  She focuses her practice in personal injury and won the 2009 ISBA Board of Governors Award. Enright was president of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois from 2007-2008. Bas is an associate at DeFranco & Bradley P.C.