* A little history from the Illinois Policy Institute…

As of right now, 78 House races have contested primaries and/or general elections: 65 incumbents have challengers and 13 open-seat House districts have more than one candidate. That means 66 percent of districts have contested races and 34 percent are uncontested. The contested number will undoubtedly decrease after petition challenges are heard, but may go back up if local committeepersons and county parties eventually fill empty slots with appointed candidates, which Republicans may actually do because 2022 is shaping up to be a good year for them.

So, there is some progress. But acknowledging even a little progress means setting aside or down-playing the well-established talking points about how low candidate activity is just another symptom of Illinois’ serious problems.

       

17 Comments - Norseman - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:12 am: === … symptom of Illinois’ serious problems. === Or a symptom of partisan gerrymandering nationwide? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:29 am: Is it more important that each race is contested…. … or that there are more races that can actually be competitive? Maybe the wrong question is being asked by the ones with this snappy graph? - TNR - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:33 am: Would like to see how many local government races go uncontested — Mayor, trustee, sheriff, school board, etc. I suspect it’s a higher rate than legislative races. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:33 am: Maybe IPI should also put in a snappy lil graph how many times the Chicago GOP supports known Democrats in races. That’d be a real hoot too. - Torco Sign - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:36 am: “That means 66 percent of districts have contested races and 44 percent are uncontested.” I know I’m having a slow start today but that’s 110%, right? - The Ford Lawyer - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:37 am: “That means 66 percent of districts have contested races and 44 percent are uncontested.” Which makes 110 percent– so there you go, the wingnuts are right and the elections are rigged! /snark In all seriousness, actually contesting elections is the first step in re-establishing a viable, two-party system in this state. Of course, the next question is whether very many of those challengers are capable of winning elections, but you can’t win if you don’t run. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:37 am: ===but that’s 110%, right?=== “Forget it, they’re rolling” - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:38 am: ===that’s 110%, right? === More coffee, please. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:49 am: === More coffee, please.=== I thought it was IPI… it’s “been a morning” for a great many. - Mike K - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 8:53 am: I do think there is a big COVID impact (health caution plus the Winter petition calendar)that has the result of putative candidates choosing to get appointed to the ballot in July, and then doing door-to-door both to get signatures and also actually do November campaigning. Let’s see how many more districts get contested AFTER the appintment season. - Just Me 2 - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 9:29 am: Not sure you’re comparing apples to apples. This is an election with a new map and everything changes. Two years from now we’ll be low again. - watchdog - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 9:51 am: In addition to Dems & Repubs appointing candidates to fill vacancies in nomination after the Primary, independent and new (3rd) party candidates will still be able to file after the primary. Our state has never had a problem with too many candidates on the ballot! - anon2 - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 10:27 am: Remember that appointees also have to submit petitions. Some of them get challenged and tossed. - left of what - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 11:38 am: The idea that uncontested races are a problem works on a kind of weird assumption - that if people ran there would be a competitive race. Uncontested races indicate one party is so favored it isn’t worth the effort. ==… or that there are more races that can actually be competitive?== This is a good point and the real issue. - Commisar Gritty - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 12:16 pm: Serious question, if local parties can just slot candidates in unopposed races, why have anyone go through the hassle or collecting signatures? Also, could incumbents just choose to not turn in signatures then just get slotted after the deadline? Seems like this is a major loophole that only rewards unorganized campaigns. And don’t tell me voters think “Oh, well they turned in their max signatures so I’m going to pick them.” Nobody has ever had that thought, I gurantee it. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 3:16 pm: === This is an election with a new map and everything changes=== lol So was 2012, Einstein. - jim - Tuesday, Mar 22, 22 @ 3:22 pm: Rich, “Einstein”? There’s no need to insult those whose comments bother you? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.