More election day shenanigans!
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
…Adding… This has been quite something to watch today…
* It took them an hour and a half to correct the problem. From Raila’s attorney…
* The green flyer which was mistakenly handed out…
Oops.
* House Democratic primary to replace retiring Rep. Al Riley (D-Olympia Fields)…
* Response from the other side…
* Meanwhile…
* From a reader…
I’m not sure this is permitted— it was spotted INSIDE the booths at Ward 27 precincts. Taped inside the wall!
Heh…
I asked him if he ripped the sample ballot down, but he said it was a text from a friend.
* I don’t know if this is a shenanigan, but whatevs. It’s Wilmette…
Highcrest School, a public school in Wilmette, just called the police on me because I was being a “distraction to the students” while electioneering for Mary Rita for State Representative (My mother). The election judge incorrectly believes the law is that the 100 feet rule applies only in one direction. The judge told me I was an idiot and that he just took the test on it yesterday when I explained that it’s a 100 foot radius I have to be outside of in any direction from the entrance. He refused to measure 100 feet in the direction I was standing. The police ultimately forced me to leave a zone where i could actually talk to voters and forced me to stand in an area where no one passes by. Police, Republican election judges and public school administrators colluding to prevent students from understanding the democratic process. I told them the students should come out and ask questions about the election and our candidates.
- The Bashful Raconteur - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 3:04 pm:
“…forced me to leave a zone where i could actually talk to voters and forced me to stand in an area where no one passes by..”
Would care for a little cheese with that?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 3:08 pm:
Last one isn’t shenanigans. The 100 foot law is minimum. Schools, churches etc can say they don’t want electioneering on their property. It’s a balance.
- HoneyBadger - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 3:13 pm:
Physical altercation happening at Pershing School in Berwyn between Hernandez palm card person and Reyes supporter.
- Just Observing - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
=== Schools, churches etc can say they don’t want electioneering on their property. It’s a balance. ===
I believe you are right about churches, being allowed to prohibit electioneering, but not sure about schools. In any case, they should be forced to allow electioneering. In my experience, quite often, the electioneer is being respectful and not causing a big distraction, and the judges or school/church officials, who have a meager understanding of electioneering, think nearly all electioneering is unlawful and get heated and go crazy at the electioneer. They feel it’s their duty to protect voters from palm cards.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
If my tinfoil hat is receiving properly, if election officials were instructing voters that Raila is not a candidate, that presumably should benefit Kaegi, as the sole alternative to Berrios, correct?
“Reform” has so many meanings in Illinois.
- ZC - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
The Raila thing is a bureaucratic mess but unless Fritz Kaegi’s people have already infiltrated Cook, this can’t be purposeful shenanigans at work. Berrios wants Raila on the ballot, not off.
- Anon35 - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 3:37 pm:
-If my tinfoil hat is receiving properly, if election officials were instructing voters that Raila is not a candidate, that presumably should benefit Kaegi, as the sole alternative to Berrios, correct?-
In theory, yes. But as someone who received a green flyer, without any explanation, it almost seemed as if that was an addendum to the actual ballot. I filled mine out, only to be told after that it was just for me to know she wasn’t on the ballot. And that was after running my ballot through scanner.
- FarmerJoe - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 4:05 pm:
So….what are the chances that the Cook County Assessor’s race confusion will force a legal Do-over?? (non-lawyer that wonders if anyone has a precedent for that)
- FarmerJoe - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 4:05 pm:
So….what are the chances that the Cook County Assessor’s race confusion will force a legal Do-over?? (non-lawyer that wonders if anyone has a precedent for that)
- HoneyBadger - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 4:10 pm:
Cicero Democratic Committeeman Charlie Hernandez is now at Pershing School in Berwyn confronting Reyes and Lovero supporters.
- Lakeview Lawyer - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 4:11 pm:
Illinois Election Code, 10 ILCS 5/7-41(c), says:
“The area on polling place property beyond the campaign free zone, whether publicly or privately owned, is a public forum for the time that the polls are open on an election day. . . . A person shall have the right to congregate and engage in electioneering on any polling place property while the polls are open beyond the campaign free zone, including but not limited to, the placement of temporary signs.” The only exception is for private schools (this was a public school) and churches. How someone standing on the sidewalk outside the school was disturbing students is hard to understand. I believe she had a legal right to be electioneering where she was and the police were violating the law by forcing here to move.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
Just reviewed (10 ILCS 5/17-29).
It is not 100 ft from the entrance to the building, it is “100 ft from the entrance to the room” used for polling. If that 100 ft ends within the building, it is the entrance to the building.
“Election officers shall place 2 or more cones, small United States national flags, or some other marker a distance of 100 horizontal feet from each entrance to the room used by voters to engage in voting, which shall be known as the polling room. If the polling room is located within a building that is a private business, a public or private school, or a church or other organization founded for the purpose of religious worship and the distance of 100 horizontal feet ends within the interior of the building, then the markers shall be placed outside of the building at each entrance used by voters to enter that building on the grounds adjacent to the thoroughfare or walkway.” This section also states that “a church or private school may choose to apply the campaign free zone to its entire property”
Further: “The area on polling place property beyond the campaign free zone, whether publicly or privately owned, is a public forum for the time that the polls are open on an election day.” and “A person shall have the right to congregate and engage in electioneering on any polling place property while the polls are open beyond the campaign free zone, including but not limited to, the placement of temporary signs. This subsection shall be construed liberally in favor of persons engaging in electioneering on all polling place property beyond the campaign free zone for the time that the polls are open on an election day.”
- titan - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 4:21 pm:
Churches and PRIVATE schools.
10 ILCS 5/7-41
…The area within where the markers are placed shall be known as a campaign free zone, and electioneering is prohibited pursuant to this subsection. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, a church or private school may choose to apply the campaign free zone to its entire property…
- titan - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 4:22 pm:
Pot Calling - Section 17-29 covers the general election. The (essentially identical) Section 7-41 covers the primary.
- Fav human - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 4:30 pm:
I like the “it’s true” mailer. Really effective.
Usually I appreciate a good cheap shot, but that struck me as quite low…
- walker - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 5:37 pm:
Almost every time something like this happens in my Township, I simply ask the election judges to look it up in their manual, and wait patiently. (Has always worked for me.) If that doesn’t work, it’s usually better to call your committeeman or legal contact for help, than to keep arguing. Remember to be courteous to the property owner — if they get angry enough, they can always refuse to be a polling site next time, (and some have after these incidents).
- participantobserver - Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 6:01 pm:
Rich, just to say, having voted in the 50th this morning, there was no green addenda and all 3 options for assessor were on the ballot.