Attorney William J. Cadigan was named chairman of the Illinois State Board of Elections during a meeting of the Board’s members held on July 3rd in Springfield. He was previously appointed to the Board by Governor Bruce Rauner in 2015, and will serve as chairman for two years.
The State Board of Elections is an independent state agency which supervises the registration of voters and the administration of elections statewide, as described in the state Constitution. It is the central authority for Illinois election law, including the administration of the Campaign Financing Act, and the proclamation of election results.
The bipartisan panel includes four Republicans and four Democrats. They meet monthly and as needed for special matters; day-to- day operations are handled by a full-time staff with offices in Springfield and Chicago.
A practicing attorney since 1993, Cadigan has offices in Winnetka and Chicago. He represents health care providers, tax exempt bodies and other businesses in corporate, transactional and regulatory matters. He is admitted to practice before the Illinois Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Prior to his legal career, Cadigan served as an aide to former U.S. Rep. John Porter (R-10, IL), concentrating on projects in the areas of health care, education and other domestic policy issues. Cadigan also served as a liaison to local communities and the Army Corps of Engineers on flood control and shoreline erosion matters. He also worked on the Volunteer Protection Act, landmark federal legislation which encouraged community service by granting legal protections to Board members and other not-for-profit volunteers.
Cadigan grew up in Arlington Heights and currently lives in Winnetka.
