T h is p a m p h le t in c lu d e s e x p la n a tio n o f th e p ro p o s e d c a ll:
a rg u m e n ts in fa v o r o f h o ld in g a c o n v e n tio n ;
a rg u m e n ts a g a in s t h o ld in g a c o n v e n tio n ; fo r m o f b a llo t.

T h e 1 9 7 0 Illin o is C o n s titu tio n re q u ire s th e e le c to r s o f th e S ta te to d e c id e , every 20 years, if it is necessary to revise or rew rite the Illinois C onstitu- tio n . In 1 9 8 8 th e e le c to r s re je c te d th e c a ll fo r a c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n , w ith 7 5 % v o tin g a g a in s t a n d 2 5 % v o tin g in fa v o r o f c o n v e n in g a c o n v e n - tio n . A t th e g e n e r a l e le c tio n to b e h e ld o n N o v e m b e r 4 , 2 0 0 8 , th e v o te r s w ill b e c a lle d u p o n to d e c id e w h e th e r Illin o is s h o u ld c o n v e n e a c o n s titu - tio n a l c o n v e n tio n .

T h e p u rp o s e o f a s ta te c o n s titu tio n is to e s ta b lis h a s tru c tu re fo r g o v e rn m e n t a n d la w s . T h e Illin o is C o n s titu tio n p ro v id e s c itiz e n s w ith rig h ts a n d p ro - te c tio n s ; c re a te s th e e x e c u tiv e , ju d ic ia l, a n d le g is la tiv e b ra n c h e s o f g o v - e rn m e n t; c la rifie s th e p o w e rs g iv e n to lo c a l g o v e rn m e n ts ; lim its th e ta x in g p o w e r o f th e S ta te ; a n d im p o s e s c e rta in re s tric tio n s o n th e u s e o f ta x p a y e r d o lla rs . T h e re a re th re e w a y s to in itia te c h a n g e to th e Illin o is C o n s titu tio n : (1 ) a c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n m a y p ro p o s e c h a n g e s to a n y p a rt; (2 ) th e G eneral A ssem bly m ay propose changes to any part; or (3) the people of the S ta te b y re fe re n d u m m a y p ro p o s e c h a n g e s to th e L e g is la tiv e A rtic le . R e - g a rd le s s o f th e m e th o d o f in itia tin g c h a n g e , th e p e o p le o f Illin o is m u s t a p - p ro v e a n y c h a n g e s to th e C o n s titu tio n b e fo re th e y b e c o m e e ffe c tiv e .

A c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n is a m e e tin g o f d e le g a te s e le c te d b y th e p e o p le to re v ie w th e C o n s titu tio n . D u rin g a c o n v e n tio n , th e d e le g a te s m a y p ro - p o s e c h a n g e s to p a rts o f th e c u rre n t C o n s titu tio n , w rite a n e w C o n s titu tio n , o r m a k e n o c h a n g e s w h a ts o e v e r. If th e p e o p le o f th e S ta te o n N o v e m b e r 4 , 2 0 0 8 d e c id e it is n e c e s s a ry to c a ll a c o n v e n tio n , a s e p a ra te e le c tio n w ill b e h e ld to e le c t d e le g a te s to re p re s e n t th e v o te rs d u rin g th e c o n s titu tio n a l c o n - v e n tio n . T h e e le c te d d e le g a te s w ill m e e t to re v ie w th e c u rre n t c o n s titu tio n a n d d e c id e w h e th e r th e c o n s titu tio n s h o u ld b e re v is e d o r re w ritte n . T h e re is n o lim it a s to h o w lo n g a c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n m a y m e e t. T h e la s t c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n m e t fo r n in e m o n th s . O n c e th e d e le g a te s c o m - p le te th e ir w o rk , th e v o te rs w ill h a v e a n o p p o rtu n ity to a p p ro v e o r re je c t proposed changes.

T h e c a ll fo r a c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n w ill b e o n th e N o v e m b e r 4 , 2 0 0 8 g e n e ra l e le c tio n b a llo t. V o te rs th a t b e lie v e th e 1 9 7 0 Illin o is C o n s titu tio n s h o u ld b e re v ie w e d , re v is e d , o r re w ritte n th ro u g h th e c o n v e n tio n p ro c e s s s h o u ld v o te “ Y E S ” o n th e q u e s tio n o f c a llin g a c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n .

T h re e -fifth s o f th o s e v o tin g o n th e q u e s tio n o r a m a jo rity o f th o s e v o tin g in th e e le c tio n m u s t v o te “ y e s ” in o rd e r fo r a c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n to b e c a lle d . V o te rs th a t b e lie v e th a t a c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n is n o t n e c e s - sary, or that changes can be accom plished through other m eans, should vote “ N O ” o n th e c a llin g o f a c o n s titu tio n a l c o n v e n tio n .

T h e c u rre n t Illin o is C o n s titu tio n c o u ld b e c h a n g e d w ith o u t a c o n s titu - tio n a l c o n v e n tio n , a n d in fa c t h a s b e e n c h a n g e d 1 0 tim e s s in c e th e la s t c o n v e n tio n .

A m endm ents proposed by the G eneral A ssem bly m ust be approved by both th e Illin o is S e n a te a n d th e Illin o is H o u s e o f R e p re s e n ta tiv e s b e fo re th e y a re s u b m itte d to th e v o te rs . If o n e c h a m b e r d o e s n o t lik e a n a m e n d m e n t, o r b o th cham bers cannot agree on the language of the proposed am endm ent, the v o te rs w ill n e v e r h a v e a n o p p o rtu n ity to v o te o n th e p ro p o s e d c h a n g e . S ta te