Bar Elections Supervision

The Bar Elections Supervision Committee is established by the formal ISBA Policy and Procedures on Association Elections and has broad independent authority to supervise ISBA elections. It has a number of specific election related tasks but is also responsible for hearing formal written complaints about Election Policy violations and election challenges. Its rulings are final and not subject to appeal. It is made up of five Assembly members who are not also Board of Governors.

Find out more about ISBA Elections

Findings and Rulings

Matters Affecting the 2026 ISBA Election

On September 19, 2025, the Bar Elections Supervision Committee (“the Committee”) considered and approved several matters affecting the 2026 election including:

1. the electronic nominating petition process used in the preceding election(s) will be used again for the 2026 election;
2. the electronic nomination petition period for the 2026 election (and subsequent elections), will close on the second Friday of January (January 9, 2026 for the 2026 election);
3. publication of section and committee newsletter articles authored by candidates is not prohibited on the sole grounds that the author is a candidate, but published articles must not contain any indicia of the author’s candidacy (newsletter editors retain their discretion to schedule and publish relevant and quality articles);
4. after candidate certification, the ISBA shall post alphabetically one social media post for each candidate for 3rd VP and Board of Governors to include candidate name, candidate photo, the position candidate is running for, and a link to the candidate’s ISBA free election webpage;
5. after candidate certification, the ISBA shall post on social media a link to the general Assembly candidate page;
6. posting photos from official ISBA events (ISBA is host, sponsor, or co-sponsor) on ISBA social media is within the discretion of ISBA staff and event photos that include candidates are not required (but staff will make reasonable efforts to include photos of candidates provided that ISBA may not post more than 1 photo of a candidate (or a group photo that includes a candidate) from any such event);
7. candidate submitted photos from official ISBA events will not be posted on ISBA social media unless no staff-taken photos are available;
8. ISBA event photos that include candidates may be posted even when not all candidates are present at the event; and
9. candidates (and their firms) may sponsor ISBA events, but sponsorship recognition may only include the name of the event sponsor (individual or firm) and must not include any indicia of candidacy (and the cost of sponsorships must be included as a campaign expenditure in calculating the limitations set forth in Election Policy Para. 4.14).

The Committee also affirmed several Election Policy practices with respect to recurring matters during an election (October 1 through April 30) including:

1. candidate authored articles are not allowed to be published in the Illinois Bar Journal;
2. materials, information, and announcements referencing candidates are not allowed to be published in E-Clips;
3. non-court originated announcements or press releases referencing candidates are not allowed in any ISBA media;
4. official announcements or press releases from a court that feature a candidate may be posted on The Bar News, but such posts will not be included in The Bar News Digest email or shared on ISBA social media;
5. candidate related inquiries and requests to ISBA staff must be made solely by the candidate;
6. the number of photos (or other material) a candidate can post on their own social media platforms including links/tags to ISBA social media, is not restricted by ISBA Election Policy (general election related restrictions may apply); and
7. CLE program attendee lists will be provided to a candidate only when the candidate is a paid (if a fee is required) event attendee, an attendee list is typically/routinely prepared for the event, and the attendee list is made available to attendees as a matter of course. 

Campaign Material Labelling Requirements, Use of ISBA Titles, and Endorsements

On March 17, 2021, in response to a formal complaint, the Committee found that: (1) campaign material from a non-candidate in support of a candidate was not subject to the labelling requirements of Election Policy paragraph 4.6; (2) in the absence of any information suggesting that a campaign advertisement or communication was developed by or at the specific request of a candidate, a non-candidate’s use of an ISBA title in a campaign advertisement or communication in support of a candidate did not violate Election Policy paragraph 4.7; and (3) a current Board of Governor or ISBA officer does not violate Election Policy paragraph 4.7’s prohibition on endorsements when a member of the Board of Governor’s or ISBA officer’s firm sends a campaign advertisement or communication in support of a candidate that includes the firm’s name and address block which prominently reflects the name of the current Board of Governor or ISBA Officer. No issue was raised claiming that the Board member approved or participated in the endorsement by the associate.

Candidates Prohibited from Presenting at ISBA CLE

On December 16, 2019, in response to a formal complaint, the Committee affirmed the prohibition on ISBA candidates speaking as presenters at ISBA CLE during the election season (October 1 through April 30)

[N.B. – On June 19, 2020, the Assembly amended ISBA Policy and Procedures on Association Elections paragraph 4.5(c) to allow ISBA candidates to participate in ISBA CLE as long as the candidate does not use the participation as a vehicle for campaigning.]