Younge

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Democratic leaders in St. Clair and Madison counties could settle on someone as early as next week to step into the vacant Illinois House seat of the late state Rep. Wyvetter Younge, D-East St. Louis.

“We want to get someone in there to be sworn in with the rest of the (House) members” later this month, said Matt Melucci, Democratic Party chairman for Madison County.

Younge died Dec. 26 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, after suffering a bleeding artery. She was 78.

Her House replacement will be chosen by the Democratic leaders in the two counties that included her district - St. Clair and Madison - with a weighted vote that will give most of the decision to St. Clair County Democratic Party Chairman Robert Sprague.

Sprague couldn’t be reached for comment today. Melucci said he isn’t aware of any short-list of contenters, and he speculated that those interested in filling the post have been silent about it so far out of respect for Younge.

“There won’t be any shortage” of candidates, Melucci said. He and Sprague will meet later this week or next week to discuss names, he said.