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John Cullerton
John Cullerton (Democratic Party) was a member of the Illinois State Senate, representing District 6. Cullerton assumed office in 1991. Cullerton left office on January 20, 2020.
Cullerton (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Illinois State Senate to represent District 6. Cullerton won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
On November 14, 2019, Cullerton announced plans to retire from the Senate in January 2020.[3]
Cullerton served as the president of the Illinois State Senate from 2009 to 2020.[4] In that office, he oversaw the impeachment proceedings of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (D), which began in 2009.[5][6]
Cullerton previously served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1979 to 1991.
Biography
Cullerton earned a bachelor's and J.D. from Loyola-Chicago in 1970 and 1974, respectively. His professional experience includes working as a public defender in Cook County.[7]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes yearly updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org
2023-2024
Cullerton was assigned to the following committees:
- Government Reform Committee, Co-Chair
- Joint Comm. on Government Reform Committee (decommissioned), Co-Chair
2019-2020
Cullerton was assigned to the following committees:
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Executive |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Cullerton served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Executive |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Cullerton served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Committee of the Whole |
| • Executive |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Cullerton served on these committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Committee of the Whole |
| • Executive |
| • Government Reform, Co-Chair |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Cullerton served on these committees:[8]
| Illinois committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Executive |
| • Government Reform |
Issues
Tax hike
Cullerton on tax hike and pension cap |
The Illinois State Senate passed a plan for a two point income tax hike, from 3 percent to 5 percent. At the start of the 2011 session, Quinn met with Democratic leaders to speak about passing tax hike legislation in the House. Gov. Pat Quinn is pulling for a hike of at least 1 percent.[9]
Senate President Cullerton said the House is going to have to act first.
"We already passed an income tax out of the Senate," Cullerton said (dead link). "So they're talking about getting the vote to pass an income tax out of the House."
House Republicans hesitate to support any tax increase without concessions from Quinn and legislative Democrats.
State Rep Jil Tracy said while there has been talk of Medicaid, workers' comp and education reform, talk isn't going to get many votes.
"I only hope there's been a lot of real reform talked about that's going to be shown in legislation," she said. "I'm not sure."
Tracy said Democrats only want GOP votes as a shield against angry voters.[10]
Budget, 2011
Both Republican and Democrat Senators were concerned that they didn't have enough time to before voting up or down the $1.2 billion in cuts to Gov. Pat Quinn’s introduced $35.4 billion budget.
As the Senate President, Sen. Cullerton sought this vote in a time crunch that made many senators uncomfortable.
“When we make these cuts they are real, and they affect real people,” Sen. Mike Jacobs said. “So we do have to be careful and I do agree with my colleague Senator (William) Delgado that we should go through this list slowly, completely and without an eye on which constituent gets help and what constituent gets hurt, but based on numbers.”
Sen. Matt Murphy said he too was concerned about the small time frame and reiterated his concern that reductions in spending as introduced don’t go far enough.
“I don’t know that that gets us to a point where the tax increase goes away. I think the numbers, the way they run out, will not allow the tax increase to go away if we’re only at 1.2 (billion dollars),” Murphy said.
The state increased the personal and corporate income taxes earlier this year by 67 percent and 45.9 percent, respectively. The tax increases will expire in four years unless the General Assembly votes to extend them.[11]
Expired nominations
Eric Madiar, chief legal counsel to Senate President John Cullerton, sent a letter to Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka in early January 2011, pointing out that 38 gubernatorial nominations expired with the closing of the previous General Assembly, and therefore should not be paid a salary or expenses.
Fifteen salaried and 23 unsalaried positions were up in the air in January 2011, including those of interim Illinois State Police Director Jonathon Monken and interim Illinois Commerce Commission Chair Manuel Flores.
“We in the new Senate cannot take action on that old paperwork. There is no paperwork supporting those individuals to be in office today,” said Madiar.[12]
Pensions
As of October 2013, the Illinois state pension was expected to run out by the end of the decade at less than 40 percent funded, the lowest in the country. This fact did not seem to alarm Senate President John Cullerton.
"People really misunderstand the nature of this whole problem. Quite frankly, I don't think you can use the word 'crisis' to describe it at the state level," said Cullerton.
To fix the state's pension problems, Cullerton and the rest of the state legislature increased the state's flat income tax in 2011. The rate went from three percent to five percent. The corporate rate also went up, from 4.8 percent to seven percent. These tax increases brought in about $6 billion dollars each year for the state pension program. Though they were supposed to go back down in 2015, Cullerton said the state cannot afford to end these increases. He explained that if the tax increases were phased out, huge cuts would have to be made in order to continue funding pensions.[13]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2018
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Illinois State Senate District 6
Incumbent John Cullerton won election in the general election for Illinois State Senate District 6 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | John Cullerton (D) | 100.0 | 88,756 |
| Total votes: 88,756 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois State Senate District 6
Incumbent John Cullerton advanced from the Democratic primary for Illinois State Senate District 6 on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Cullerton | 100.0 | 33,193 |
| Total votes: 33,193 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2014
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Illinois State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on March 18, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 2, 2013. Incumbent John J. Cullerton ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Stefanie Linares ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Cullerton then defeated Linares in the general election.[14][15][16][17]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  John J. Cullerton Incumbent |
66.3% | 39,851 | |
| Republican | Stefanie Linares | 33.7% | 20,291 | |
| Total Votes | 60,142 | |||
2012
- See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2012
Cullerton won re-election in the 2012 election for Illinois State Senate District 6. He was unopposed in the Democratic Primary on March 20[18][19] and was unopposed in the general election on November 6, 2012.[20]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Cullerton Incumbent |
100% | 76,111 | |
| Total Votes | 76,111 | |||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Democrat John Cullerton won re-election to the Illinois State Senate District 6 receiving 73,323 votes, ahead of Republican Jay Valko (21,320 votes).[21]
| Illinois State Senate, District 6 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| John Cullerton (D)
|
73,323 | |||
| Jay Valko (R) | 21,320 | |||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Endorsements
2014
In 2014, Cullerton's endorsements included the following:
- Equality Illinois Political Action Committee[22]
- The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)[23]
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Illinois scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2020
In 2020, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 8 to May 23.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills that "help or hinder Illinois citizens with developmental disabilities access more included lives in their homes and communities."
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 9 through December 31.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2018, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 31.
|
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 11 through May 31. There were also special sessions. The 1st special session was June 21-July 6. The 2nd special session was July 26-July 31. During the 3rd special session, the Senate met on August 13, and the House met on August 16. The 4th special session was on August 28-29. There was a veto session from October 24-November 9.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 13 through May 31.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 14 through December 7 (extended session).
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 29 through June 2.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 31.
|
2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2012, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 11 through May 31.
|
2016 Democratic National Convention
- Delegate to the 2016 DNC (click to expand)
- See also: Democratic National Convention, 2016
Jon Cullerton Democratic National Convention, 2016 Status: Superdelegate State: Illinois Supporting: Hillary Clinton Delegates to the DNC 2016 Calendar and delegate rules overview • Types of delegates • State election law and delegates • Superdelegates by state Cullerton was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from Illinois.[26] Cullerton was one of 27 superdelegates from Illinois. Superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention were not bound by the results of their state’s primary or caucus to support a specific presidential candidate. Cullerton supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.[27]Clinton formally won the Democratic nomination for president on July 26, 2016.[28]
What is a superdelegate?
Superdelegates in 2016 were automatic delegates to the Democratic National Convention, meaning that, unlike regular delegates, they were not elected to this position. Also unlike regular delegates, they were not required to pledge their support to any presidential candidate, and they were not bound by the results of their state's presidential primary election or caucus. In 2016, superdelegates included members of the Democratic National Committee, Democratic members of Congress, Democratic governors, and distinguished party leaders, including former presidents and vice presidents. All superdelegates were free to support any presidential candidate of their choosing at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.[29]
Illinois primary results
- See also: Presidential election in Illinois, 2016
Illinois Democratic Primary, 2016 Candidate Vote % Votes Delegates Hillary Clinton 50.6% 1,039,555 79 Bernie Sanders 48.6% 999,494 77 Willie Wilson 0.3% 6,565 0 Martin O'Malley 0.3% 6,197 0 Larry Cohen 0.1% 2,407 0 Roque De La Fuente 0.1% 1,802 0 David Formhals 0% 25 0 Brian O'Neill 0% 2 0 Totals 2,056,047 156 Source: The New York Times and Illinois State Board of Elections Delegate allocation
Illinois had 183 delegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Of this total, 156 were pledged delegates. National party rules stipulated how Democratic delegates in all states were allocated. Pledged delegates were allocated to a candidate in proportion to the votes he or she received in a state's primary or caucus. A candidate was eligible to receive a share of the state's pledged delegates if he or she won at least 15 percent of the votes cast in the primary or caucus. There were three types of pledged Democratic delegates: congressional district delegates, at-large delegates, and party leaders and elected officials (PLEOs). Congressional district delegates were allocated proportionally based on the primary or caucus results in a given district. At-large and PLEO delegates were allocated proportionally based on statewide primary results.[31][32]
Twenty-seven party leaders and elected officials served as unpledged delegates. These delegates were not required to adhere to the results of a state's primary or caucus.[31][33]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
John and his wife, Pamela, have five children.[7]
Additional reading
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms John Cullerton Illinois Senate. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- State legislative elections, 2018
- Illinois State Senate elections, 2018
- State legislative special elections, 2018
- Illinois State Senate
- Senate Committees
- Illinois State Legislature
- Illinois state legislative districts
External links
- Illinois Legislature website
- Illinois Senate President website
- Biography, bills and committees at the 98th Illinois General Assembly
- Profile from Open States
- Summary, biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Profile at Wikipedia
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Campaign contributions via [followthemoney.org OpenSecrets]: 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1996
Footnotes
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results, General Primary - 3/20/2018," accessed Febraury 3, 2019
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results, General Election - 11/6/2018," accessed Febraury 3, 2019
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Illinois Senate President John Cullerton to retire after decade as Dem leader," November 14, 2019
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Democrat Don Harmon of Oak Park elected to succeed John Cullerton as Illinois Senate president," January 19, 2020
- ↑ John J. Cullerton, "Biography," accessed February 3, 2019
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Illinois Senate President Cullerton called Missouri with advice about possible Greitens impeachment," May 10, 2018
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Project Vote Smart, "John Cullerton," accessed February 17, 2014
- ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "List of Illinois Senate Committees," July 28, 2009
- ↑ Illinois Statehouse News, "Cullerton on Tax Hike," January 4, 2011
- ↑ Illinois Statehouse News, "Dem leaders talk tax hike," January 4, 2011
- ↑ Illinois Statehouse News, "Senators unhappy with proposed budget," May 3, 2011
- ↑ Illinois Statehouse News, "Senate looks to clear out expired nominations," January 18, 2011
- ↑ Wall Street Journal Political Diary, "The Illinois Pension Mess," October 22, 2013
- ↑ Illinois Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Board of Elections, "General Primary Election Official Canvass," April 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Secretary of State, "Official general election candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ The Chicago Tribune, "Results List (Unofficial)," accessed November 5, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate List," December 5, 2011
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Official 2012 Primary Results," accessed February 17, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, “Official Vote - November 6, 2012 General Election,” accessed December 31, 2012
- ↑ followthemoney.org, "Illinois Senate election results for 2008," accessed February 17, 2014
- ↑ Windy City Media Group, "Equality Illinois PAC issues endorsements," January 17, 2014
- ↑ Illinois AFL-CIO, "2014 Illinois AFL-CIO Primary Election Endorsements," accessed March 5, 2014
- ↑ Citizen Action Illinois, "99th General Assembly Legislative Scorecard 2016," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ Illinois Parents of Adults with Developmental Disabilities, "2016 Illinois Community Living Report," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ Ballotpedia's list of superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention is based on our own research and lists provided by the Democratic National Committee to Vox.com in February 2016 and May 2016. If you think we made an error in identifying superdelegates, please send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.
- ↑ “Chicago Sun Times, “Hillary Clinton unveils key Illinois Democratic National Committee backers,” January 28, 2016
- ↑ To find out which candidate a superdelegate supported, Ballotpedia sought out public statements from the superdelegate in other media outlets and on social media. If we were unable to find a public statement that clearly articulated which candidate the superdelegate supported at the national convention, we listed that superdelegate as "unknown." If you believe we made an error in identifying which candidate a superdelegate supported, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.
- ↑ Congressional Research Service, "The Presidential Nominating Process and the National Party Conventions, 2016: Frequently Asked Questions," December 30, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Illinois exit polls," March 16, 2016
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Democratic National Committee, "2016 Democratic National Convention Delegate/Alternate Allocation," updated February 19, 2016
- ↑ The Green Papers, "2016 Democratic Convention," accessed May 7, 2021
- ↑ Democratic National Committee's Office of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection, "Unpledged Delegates -- By State," May 27, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by ' |
Illinois Senate District 6 1991–2020 |
Succeeded by Sara Feigenholtz |
