1. Voting, Local Government and Illinois Symbols and Facts

2.  To vote in Illinois you must be 18 yrs old, reside in your district fo r 30 days and be a citizen  You must register to vote 28 days before the election

3.  …how we get our candidates for office  Closed primary – on the primary election day the voters choose a political party and vote for the entire group in that party  Open primary – on the primary election day the voters choose a candidate, there is not a political party ticket

4.  Illinois used a closed primary system  Referendums are when the public votes on issues not candidates and example of this might be an increase in taxes for schools

5.  Federalism is the idea of sharing power between national, state and local government  There are 102 counties in Illinois  Counties have the rights to enforce laws, build and maintain roads, collect taxes, conduct elections, keep records and assess property values

6.  Council Manager ◦ Council elected by public, manager is hired by council to carry out public policies  Mayor Council ◦ Mayor and council members/aldermen. All elected at large, but from specific districts. Mayor presides at meetings, is head of police force and budget (largest)  Trustee village ◦ Board of Trustees are elected and one serves as a manager of the village  Strong mayor ◦ Mayor is in almost complete charge can appoint and dismiss department heads without council approval  Commission ◦ Small governing commission of 5 to 7 members, each person is in charge of a specific area of government

7.  Peoria  Tazewell  McLean

8.  Illinois has had 4 constitutions, the current one was adopted in 1970 and went into effect in 1971  There are 3 branches of government in Illinois and the nation

9.  The flag of Illinois has 2 dates on it 1818 and 1868. The date 1818 is when we became a state the date 1868 is when the seal was redesigned.  The flag was redesigned in 1970

10.  Tree – White oak  Flower – Violet  Mineral – Fluorite  Insect – Monarch butterfly  Animal – White tail deer  Fish – Bluegill  Fossil – Tully monster