SPRINGFIELD — Both political parties in Sangamon County will be chaired by women.
Diana Carlile, who has served as vice chair of the Sangamon County Democratic Party since 2018, was elected to lead the party at its gathering at Union Baptist Church April 15.
One the GOP side, Dianne Barghouti Hardwick, ran unopposed as chairwoman at the convention at VFW Lafore Lock Post 755 also Wednesday.
Barghouti Hardwick has held that spot since 2021.
Carlile is a former president of the Springfield Trades & Labor Council and former Chatham Township trustee.
Carlile succeeds chairman Bill Houlihan, who did not seek another term.
Houlihan served as chair for the past five years but previously served as chair in the mid 1990s.
Carlile, who has been an elected precinct committeewoman since 2008, is retired from AT&T and Illinois Bell.
Serving as the Democrats’ first vice chair will be Deborah Grant. Richard Thompson and Micah Miller are slotted in as second and third vice chairs respectively.
Mike Lopez will serve as secretary and Neil Calderon as treasurer.
Republicans only elect the chair.
Officers appointed to continue to serve include Bruce Stratton, secretary, and Greg Stumpf, treasurer. Brad Mills will continue as a liaison to the chair.
State law requires county conventions to happen 29 days after the primary. Precinct committepersons were chosen in the March 17 primary and they get to vote at the conventions for party chairs.
The last time both parties were chaired by women was 2021, when the Democrats were chaired by State Sen. Doris Turner and the Republicans by Rosemarie Long.
Long passed away Feb. 3, 2021.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Carlile replaces longtime Sangamon County Democratic chair Houlihan
Reporting by Steven Spearie, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
