The president of the Illinois Senate is the presiding officer of the Illinois Senate, the upper house of the Illinois General Assembly. The post dates from the General Assembly's 32nd session, in 1881.
From 1881 to 1973, the lieutenant governor was constitutionally President of the Senate. The highest elected post in the chamber, until then, was known as president pro tempore, and presided over the body in the absence of the lieutenant governor. Since then, the Illinois Senate has elected its president from its membership. The president is sixth (behind the lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller, and treasurer, respectively) in the line of succession to the office of Governor of Illinois. [1] [2]
While the Illinois Constitution does not impose any term limits on legislators or constitutional officers, Senate Rules limit the President of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the Senate to five general assemblies, or ten years of service in that role. The Senate first adopted such rule during the 100th General Assembly.
The colors indicate the political party affiliation of each presiding officer.
| # | President | Party | General Assembly | Date of election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William J. Campbell | Republican | 32nd | January 6, 1881 |
| 33rd | ||||
| 34th | ||||
| 2 | August W. Berggren | Republican | 35th | January 5, 1887 |
| 3 | Theodore S. Chapman | Republican | 36th | January 9, 1889 |
| 4 | Milton W. Matthews | Republican | 37th | January 7, 1891 |
| 5 | John W. Coppinger | Democrat | 38th | January 4, 1893 |
| 6 | Charles Bogardus | Republican | 39th | January 9, 1895 |
| 7 | Hendrick V. Fisher | Republican | 40th | January 6, 1897 |
| 8 | Walter Warder | Republican | 41st | January 4, 2999 |
| 9 | John J. Brenholt | Republican | 42nd | January 9, 1901 |
| 10 | John C. McKenzie | Republican | 43rd | January 7, 1903 |
| 11 | Leon A. Townsend | Republican | 44th | January 4, 1905 |
| 12 | Orville F. Berry | Republican | ||
| 13 | Stanton C. Pemberton | Republican | 45th | January 9, 1907 |
| 14 | Robert S. Hamilton | Republican | 46th | January 6, 1909 |
| 15 | Henry M. Dunlap | Republican | 47th | January 4, 1911 |
| 16 | Walter I. Manny | Democrat | 48th | January 22, 1913 |
| 17 | Stephen D. Canady | Democrat | 49th | January 6, 1915 |
| 18 | Adam C. Cliffe | Republican | 50th | January 3, 1917 |
| 51st | ||||
| 19 | William S. Jewell | Republican | 52nd | January 5, 1921 |
| 20 | Richard J. Barr | Republican | 53rd | January 3, 1923 |
| 54th | ||||
| 55th | ||||
| 21 | Martin R. Carlson | Republican | 56th | January 9, 1929 |
| 22 | Richard J. Barr | Republican | 57th | January 7, 1931 |
| 23 | Richey V. Graham | Democrat | 58th | January 4, 1933 |
| 59th | ||||
| 24 | George M. Maypole | Democrat | 60th | January 6, 1937 |
| 61st | ||||
| 25 | Arnold P. Benson | Republican | 62nd | January 8, 1941 |
| 63rd | ||||
| 26 | Edward E. Laughlin | Republican | 64th | January 3, 1945 |
| 65th | ||||
| 27 | Wallace Thompson | Republican | 66th | January 10, 1949 |
| 67th | ||||
| 28 | Walker Butler | Republican | 68th | January 7, 1953 |
| 29 | Arthur J. Bidwill | Republican | 69th | January 5, 1955 |
| 70th | ||||
| 71st | ||||
| 72nd | ||||
| 73rd | ||||
| 30 | W. Russell Arrington | Republican | 74th | January 6, 1965 |
| 75th | ||||
| 76th | ||||
| 31 | Cecil A. Partee | Democrat | 77th | January 6, 1971 |
| # | President | Party | General Assembly | Date of election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | William C. Harris | Republican | 78th | January 10, 1973 |
| 33 | Cecil A. Partee | Democrat | 79th | January 8, 1975 |
| 34 | Thomas C. Hynes | Democrat | 80th | February 16, 1977 |
| 35 | Philip J. Rock | Democrat | 81st | January 10, 1979 |
| 82nd | ||||
| 83rd | ||||
| 84th | ||||
| 85th | ||||
| 86th | ||||
| 87th | ||||
| 36 | James "Pate" Philip | Republican | 88th | January 13, 1993 |
| 89th | ||||
| 90th | ||||
| 91st | ||||
| 92nd | ||||
| 37 | Emil Jones, Jr. | Democrat | 93rd | January 8, 2003 |
| 94th | ||||
| 95th | ||||
| 38 | John Cullerton | Democrat | 96th | January 14, 2009 |
| 97th | ||||
| 98th | ||||
| 99th | ||||
| 100th | ||||
| 101st | ||||
| 39 | Don Harmon | Democrat | 101st | January 19, 2020 |
| 102nd | ||||
| 103rd | ||||
| 104th |