In less than a month, Illinois voters will be asked whether the state should call the first constitutional convention since 1970. The current constitution requires voters to consider every 20 years whether to reopen the document for review by a convention of delegates chosen from across the state.

The Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois and the Civic Leadership Program are sponsoring a debate on the issue today at 4:30 p.m. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn and Kevin Semlow, director of state legislation for the Illinois Farm Bureau, will debate the question. The format will be modeled after the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and the floor will be open for questions from the audience afterward. The issue has been highly contentious around the state capitol, and comes at a time when Rod Blagojevich has the lowest approval rating of any governor in the country. The debate will shed some light on this very important issue, and help to provide a better idea of which hole to punch on November 4th.

Kevin Fanning

Graduate student

Civic Leadership Fellow