Editing Springfield, Illinois (section)

==Government==
{{See also|List of Springfield city departments|List of mayors of Springfield, Illinois}}

Springfield city government is structured under the [[mayor-council]] form of government. It is the strong mayor variation of that type of municipal government, the mayor holds executive authority, including [[veto]] power, in Springfield.<ref name=executive/> The executive branch also consists of 17 non-elected city "offices". Ranging from the police department to the Office of Public Works, each office can be altered through city ordinance.<ref name=executive>[http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=12414&sid=13 Code of Ordinances] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116201325/http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=12414&sid=13 |date=November 16, 2006 }}, City of Springfield, Title III: Chapter 32: Article I – Executive Branch. Municode.com. Retrieved February 25, 2007.</ref>

Elected officials in the city (mayor, aldermen, city clerk, and treasurer) serve four-year terms.<ref name=general>[http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=12414&sid=13 Code of Ordinances] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116201325/http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=12414&sid=13 |date=November 16, 2006 }}, City of Springfield, Title I: Chapter 30: General Provisions. Municode.com. Retrieved February 25, 2007.</ref> The elections are not staggered.<ref name=general/> The council members are elected from ten districts throughout the city while the mayor, city clerk and city treasurer are elected on an at-large basis.<ref name=general/> The council, as a body, consists of the ten aldermen and the mayor, though the mayor is generally a non-voting member who only participates in the discussion.<ref name=leg/> There are a few instances where the mayor does vote on ordinances or resolutions: if there is a tie vote, if more than half of the aldermen support the motion, whether there is a tie or not, and where a vote greater than the majority is required by the [[Municipal ordinances|municipal code]].<ref name=leg>[http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=12414&sid=13 Code of Ordinances] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116201325/http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=12414&sid=13 |date=November 16, 2006 }}, City of Springfield, Title III: Chapter 31: Legislative. Municode.com. Retrieved February 25, 2007.</ref>

===Members===
City elections are technically non partisan, however most candidates are affiliated with a political party.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Olsen |first=Dean |title=Candidates file for municipal elections |url=https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/candidates-file-for-municipal-elections/Content?oid=16109399 |access-date=June 23, 2023 |website=Illinois Times |language=en |archive-date=June 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623050808/https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/candidates-file-for-municipal-elections/Content?oid=16109399 |url-status=live }}</ref> As such, party affiliation is a matter of self identification.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Springfield elected officials''' <ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Candidates |url=https://www.sangamondemocrats.com/candidates.html |access-date=June 23, 2023 |website=Sangamon County Democratic Party |language=en |archive-date=June 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623050808/https://www.sangamondemocrats.com/candidates.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CITY OF SPRINGFIELD |url=https://www.sangamonrepublicans.com/copy-of-federal-state-candidates |access-date=June 23, 2023 |website=My Site |language=en |archive-date=June 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623050809/https://www.sangamonrepublicans.com/copy-of-federal-state-candidates |url-status=live }}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#cccccc"
!Citywide positions!! Officeholder !! Party
|- bgcolor="#ffaaaa"
|Mayor ||[[Misty Buscher]]||Republican
|- bgcolor="#ffaaaa"
|Treasurer ||Colleen Redpath Feger||Republican
|- bgcolor="#ffaaaa"
|Clerk ||Frank Lesko||Republican
|- bgcolor="#cccccc"
!City council!! Officeholder !! Party
|- bgcolor="#ffaaaa"
|Ward 1 ||Chuck Redpath||Republican
|- bgcolor="#73C2FB"
|Ward 2 ||Shawn Gregory||Democratic
|- bgcolor="#73C2FB"
|Ward 3 ||Roy Williams Jr.||Democratic
|- bgcolor="white"
|Ward 4 ||Larry Rockford||Unknown
|- bgcolor="#73C2FB"
|Ward 5 ||Lakeisha Purchase||Democratic
|- bgcolor="#73C2FB"
|Ward 6 ||Jennifer Notariano||Democratic
|- bgcolor="#ffaaaa"
|Ward 7 ||Brad Carlson||Republican
|- bgcolor="#73C2FB"
|Ward 8 ||Erin Conley||Democratic
|- bgcolor="#73C2FB"
|Ward 9 ||Jim Donelean||Democratic
|- bgcolor="#ffaaaa"
|Ward 10 ||Ralph Hanauer||Republican
|}

===State government===
{{see also|Government of Illinois}}
[[File:Executive Mansion.JPG|thumb|The [[Illinois Governor's Mansion]] in 2012]]
As the state capital, Springfield is home to the three branches of [[Government of Illinois|Illinois government]]. Much like the United States federal government, Illinois government has an executive branch, occupied by the state governor, a [[legislative branch]], which consists of the state senate and house, and a [[judicial branch]], which is topped by the [[Illinois Supreme Court]].<ref name=ILcon2>[http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con6.htm Article IV – Section 4, Jurisdiction] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070223183314/http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con6.htm |date=February 23, 2007 }}, The Judiciary, ''Constitution of the State of Illinois'', Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved March 7, 2007.</ref> The Illinois legislative branch is collectively known as the [[Illinois General Assembly]].<ref name=Ilcon1>[http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con4.htm Article IV – Section 1, Legislature – Power and Structure] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815134146/http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con4.htm |date=August 15, 2012 }}, The Legislature, ''Constitution of the State of Illinois'', Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved March 7, 2007.</ref> Many state bureaucrats work in offices in Springfield, and it is the regular meeting place of the [[Illinois General Assembly]].<ref name=Gauen>Gauen, Pat. "[http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/pat-gauen/illinois-corruption-explained-the-capital-is-too-far-from-chicago/article_c38d21b7-0134-5124-b56f-3bc99a60c327.html Illinois corruption explained: the capital is too far from Chicago ]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160915191211/http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/pat-gauen/illinois-corruption-explained-the-capital-is-too-far-from-chicago/article_c38d21b7-0134-5124-b56f-3bc99a60c327.html Archive]). ''[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]''. Retrieved on May 26, 2016.</ref> All persons elected on a statewide basis are required to have at least one residence in Springfield, and the state government funds these residents.<ref name=INN>Reeder, Scott. "[http://ilnews.org/2831/what-does-it-cost-taxpayers-to-pay-for-lawmakers-empty-springfield-residences/ What does it cost taxpayers to pay for lawmakers' empty Springfield residences?]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160617094836/http://ilnews.org/2831/what-does-it-cost-taxpayers-to-pay-for-lawmakers-empty-springfield-residences/ Archive]). ''Illinois News Network''. September 11, 2014. Retrieved on May 26, 2016.</ref>

{{As of|2020}} none of the major constitutional officers in Illinois designated Springfield as their primary residence; most cabinet officers and all major constitutional officers instead primarily do their business in Chicago. A former director of the [[Southern Illinois University]] [[Paul Simon Public Policy Institute|Paul Simon Institute for Public Affairs]], Mike Lawrence, stated that many of the elected officials in Illinois "spend so little time in Springfield".<ref name=INN/> In 2012 ''[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]'' columnist Pat Gauen argued that "in the reality of Illinois politics, [Springfield] shares [[de facto]] capital status with Chicago." Gauen noted that several elected officials such as the [[Governor of Illinois|Governor]], as well as the [[Attorney General of Illinois|Attorney General]], Speaker of the [[Illinois House of Representatives|House]], the minority leader of the House, President of the [[Illinois Senate|Senate]], the minority leader of the Senate, the Comptroller, and the Treasurer, all live in the [[Chicago area]]. According to Gauen, "Everybody who's anybody in Illinois government has an office in Chicago"; most state officials work from the [[James R. Thompson Center]] in the Chicago Loop. He added that at one point in 2011, Governor [[Pat Quinn (politician)|Pat Quinn]] only spent 68 days and 40 nights in Springfield as per his official schedule.<ref name=Gauen/> [[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois]] researcher and former member of the Illinois legislature [[Jim Nowlan]] stated "It's almost like Chicago is becoming the shadow capital of Illinois" and that "Springfield is almost become a hinterland outpost."<ref name=INN/> Lawrence criticized the fact that state officials spent little time in Springfield since it estranged them from and devalued Illinois state employees based in that city.<ref name=INN/>

According to Gauen, "Illinois seems rather unlikely to move its official capital to Chicago".<ref name=Gauen/>

===Townships===
[[File:Map highlighting Capital Township, Sangamon County, Illinois.svg|thumb|right|Outline of the Township area and the City of Springfield in Sangamon County]]
The Capital Township formed from [[Springfield Township, Sangamon County, Illinois|Springfield Township]] on July 1, 1877, and was established and named by the Sangamon County Board on March 6, 1878. The limits of the township and City of Springfield were made co-extensive on February 17, 1892, but are no longer so with subsequent annexation by the City of Springfield. There are three functions of this township: assessing property, collection first property tax payment, and assisting residents that live in the township. One thing that makes the Capital township unique is that the township never has to raise taxes for road work, since the roads are maintained by the Springfield Department of Public Works.<ref name="Capital Township">[http://captwnshp.co.sangamon.il.us Capital Township] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208115712/http://captwnshp.co.sangamon.il.us/ |date=February 8, 2007 }}, Official site. Retrieved March 8, 2007.</ref><ref name="Illinois Archives">[http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/irad/sangamon.html Sangamon County Fact Sheet] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024235521/http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/irad/sangamon.html |date=October 24, 2007 }}, Illinois State Archives. Retrieved March 10, 2007.</ref>

In the 21st century Springfield annexed large parts of Springfield and [[Woodside Township, Sangamon County, Illinois|Woodside]] townships. The annexed parcels remained part of their original townships despite being within the Springfield city limits.<ref name="portions">{{Cite news |newspaper=State Journal-Register |url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/local/2023/02/20/voters-face-township-annexation-advisory-questions/69901020007/ |date=February 20, 2023 |access-date=May 20, 2023 |title=Election 2023: Portions of two townships could be annexed into Springfield |author-first=Patrick |author-last=Keck |archive-date=February 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220121938/https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/local/2023/02/20/voters-face-township-annexation-advisory-questions/69901020007/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Law enforcement===
[[File:Springfield Illinois Police Department Ford Explorer.jpg|thumb|Ford Police Interceptor Utility]]

The Springfield Police Department was founded in 1840 as part of the city charter. As of 2020, the police chief was Kenneth Scarlette and the department had 242 employees.

Springfield Police officer Samuel Rosario was arrested by the [[Illinois State Police]] on February 28, 2017, after fighting with a teenager on charges of official misconduct and battery. He was found guilty of official misconduct in August 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spearie |first=Steven |title=Former city officer gets 24 months probation |url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/politics/county/2019/11/01/former-city-officer-gets-24/984450007/ |access-date=June 1, 2022 |website=The State Journal-Register |language=en-US |date=November 1, 2019 |archive-date=August 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809130400/https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/politics/county/2019/11/01/former-city-officer-gets-24/984450007/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2024, [[Sangamon County Sheriff's Office (Illinois)|Sangamon County sheriff]]'s deputy Sean Grayson was fired, and subsequently charged with first-degree murder, following the [[Killing of Sonya Massey]] in Springfield.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jiménez |first=Jesus |date=July 22, 2024 |title=Illinois State Police Release Footage of Deputy Fatally Shooting Woman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/us/illinois-sonya-massey-body-cam-footage.html |access-date=July 23, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=July 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240722225224/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/us/illinois-sonya-massey-body-cam-footage.html |url-status=live }}</ref>