505 ILCS 25/4
With a favorable vote of beef producers in the State of Illinois to support an assessment/deduction rate, as determined by referendum, per head of cattle sold in Illinois to finance the intent and purpose of this Act, there shall be created a Checkoff Division governed by a board of directors of 14 members. Two directors shall be elected by beef producers from each of seven compact and contiguous districts, apportioned as nearly as practicable according to the cattle-on-farms census report taken from the latest available United States Department of Agriculture records.
No county in Illinois shall be apportioned in more than one district. The seven districts shall be re-apportioned by the Checkoff Division every 9 years, according to the latest available United States Department of Agriculture cattle-on-farms census records. An elected director shall not become ineligible to serve his or her elected term through any re-apportionment.
Term of office. The 14 directors shall be elected to serve a three year term and may be reelected to serve an additional consecutive term. An elected director shall be a resident of Illinois, and shall be a beef producer who has been a beef producer for at least the 5 years prior to his or her election. A qualified beef producer may be elected to serve on the board only if he or she has submitted, by registered mail to the Checkoff Division office, a nominating petition containing signatures of more than 50 beef producers from the district he or she may seek to represent. Only the 2 candidates receiving the greatest number of votes cast from that district shall be elected.
On the first elected board of directors, one term of office from each district shall be limited to two years; the two year term to be determined by lottery at the first meeting of the Checkoff Division . No member may serve more than two consecutive terms.
All Checkoff Division board positions shall be unsalaried. However, the board members may be reimbursed for travel and other expenses incurred in carrying out the intent and purposes of this Act.
It shall be the responsibility of the Checkoff Division to conduct the election of new board members within 30 days before the end of any elected board member's term of office. Newly elected board members shall assume their office at the first meeting of the Checkoff Division after their election to office, which shall be convened within 30 days after the election. Notice of such meeting shall be sent to the members of the Checkoff Division by certified mail at least 10 days prior thereto, stating the time, date and place of the meeting.
Notice of elections of members of the board shall be given at least once in trade publications, the public press, and statewide newspapers at least 30 days prior to such election.
The Checkoff Division may declare the office of a board member vacant and appoint a beef producer from that district to serve the unexpired term of any member unable or unwilling to complete his or her term of office.
505 ILCS 25/4