The City of Carlinville’s website announced this afternoon the death of former Illinois State Senator and current Mayor of the City of Carlinville Deanna Demuzio. She was 77.
No listing could be found for the cause of death. 48th District State Senator Andy Manar shared a tribute this evening on his Facebook Page, calling Demuzio a trailblazer in Macoupin County and West Central Illinois politics and one of his mentors and dearest friends.
Demuzio came to expanded prominence in May 2004 when she was appointed to replace her husband, then-Senate Majority Leader Vince Demuzio who had died from complications from colon cancer in April. Vince, at the time, was the most senior member of the Illinois State Senate, serving since 1975. She ran unopposed in November 2004 for re-election to the 49th District seat. In 2006, she was challenged by Taylorville Republican Jeff Richey, whom she defeated with a little less than 60% of the popular vote. In 2010, she was narrowly defeated by Republican Sam McCann, who captured 51.8% of the vote. Demuzio and McCann’s election campaigns broke spending records in the state at the time. According to an article in the State Journal Register at the time, Demuzio raised $1.8 million, while McCann raised $789,000. Demuzio’s district would later be redrawn into the current 48th and 50th Districts.
In 2013, Demuzio won election as the Mayor to the City of Carlinville, a position she was currently serving in at the time of her passing. She was allegedly seeking re-election for her 3rd term in April 2021. According to the Macoupin County Inquirer-Democrat, a special city council meeting is being called on Thursday to select an interim mayor to serve out the remainder of her term, which expires in May 2021.