Illinois' fifth state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Patricia Van Pelt.

Illinois state senators represent an average of 217,468 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 210,496 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Illinois State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Under the Illinois Constitution of 1970, Senators are divided into three groups. Each group has a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses, and the rest of the decade is taken up by two four-year terms. Depending on the election year, roughly one-third, two-thirds, or all of the senate seats may have terms ending.

All three groups hold elections in the first election year following the decennial census and subsequent redistricting (i.e. 1992, 2002, 2012, etc.). Starting with that election, the terms for the three groups are structured as follows:

• Group 1: four-year term, four-year term, two-year term
• Group 2: four-year term, two-year term, four-year term
• Group 3: two-year term, four-year term, four-year term

Illinois legislators assume office the second Wednesday in January.

Qualifications

Article IV of the Illinois Constitution states: "To be eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or appointment a resident of the district which he is to represent."

Salaries

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, the Illinois Constitution mandates that the seat must be filled by appointment when allowed by law. The appointment must be made within 30 days after the vacancy. If a vacancy by a member of the senate has more than twenty-eight months remaining in the term, the appointment is interim until the next general election and in this case, a special election must be held to fill the balance of the unserved term. All other senate vacancies should be made by appointment with the person appointed being a member of the same political party that last held the seat.

The vacancy must be filled by the respective party organizations covering the legislative district. This must be voted on by the respective committeemen and committeewomen representing the legislative district.

Elections

2018

No Republican candidates ran in the primary.

2016

Elections for the Illinois State Senate were held in 2016. The primary election was held on March 15, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was November 30, 2015.

Incumbent Patricia Van Pelt Watkins ran unopposed in the Illinois State Senate District 5 general election. Incumbent Patricia Van Pelt defeated Bob Fioretti in the Illinois State Senate District 5 Democratic primary.

Illinois State Senate, District 5 Democratic Primary, 2016

2012

Elections for the office of Illinois State Senate consisted of a primary election on March 20, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 5, 2011. Patricia Van Pelt Watkins (D) was unopposed in the general election and defeated incumbent Annazette Collins in the Democratic primary.

Illinois State Senate, District 5, General Election, 2012

Illinois State Senate, District 5 Democratic Primary, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Illinois State Senate District 5 raised a total of $2,958,474. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $184,905 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Illinois State Senate District 5