Question of the day
Wednesday, May 18, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Tomorrow, voters across Illinois 6th District begin casting their ballots in the Democratic primary. Yet, Rep. Marie Newman continues to refuse to answer questions or publicly release the details of the settlement at the heart of the US House of Representatives’ investigation into her for promising federal employment to Iymen Chehade in exchange for his political support.
“Today is Rep. Newman’s last chance to provide voters with the transparency and honesty they deserve before they begin to cast their ballots,” said Casten for Congress Spokesman Jacob Vurpillat. “Rep. Newman’s highest-paid campaign staffer is someone who a federal investigation found ‘substantial reason to believe’ she promised a taxpayer-funded job in order to win her election, yet she refuses to provide any transparency on this topic.
“Before they cast their ballots, voters deserve to know the answers to many of the questions Rep. Newman has refused to address. How much of the money entrusted to her by her campaign donors has Rep. Newman promised to pay Iymen Chehade? Has she made any additional promises to pay him with taxpayer-provided funds? Does the settlement provide Mr. Chehade with any input on her policy positions or impact on her votes, as suggested may be the case based on her email exchanges with Mr. Chehade? What did Mr. Chehade commit to provide Rep. Newman in exchange for the cash payments?
“Above all else, why is she refusing to answer these questions? What is she hiding?
“Voters should expect transparency from their representatives. If Rep. Newman respects her voters, she’ll release the details of the secret settlement at the heart of her bribery scandal.”
* The Question: Do you plan to vote early this spring (in-person or by mail)? Why or why not?
- Andersonville Right Winger - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 1:51 pm:
Yes because there is an early voting location by my workplace. I can vote during lunch.
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 1:54 pm:
Probably not. I will be around on Primary Day and my polling place is never very crowded.
- The Real Captain - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 1:58 pm:
Yes. In person tomorrow morning. I got into the habit of not voting on election day while working on caucus campaign staff when I was never home on election day. Now as a candidate I want to keep the tradition alive.
- MisterJayEm - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:01 pm:
“Do you plan to vote early this spring (in-person or by mail)?”
Life is full of uncertainty — gestures towards the last 2-50 years — so I will cast my ballot as soon as it is legally permissible.
– MrJM
- Cook Street - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:06 pm:
Early and in-person.
- northsider (the original) - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:06 pm:
Just signed up for a permanent mail in ballot. I like to fill it out at home and walk it over to the drop box at the BOE. Kind of the best of both worlds.
- Not a Fan - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:11 pm:
Yes, early and often.
- Huh? - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:11 pm:
Likely early, in person. Haven’t decided. Have to talk to Sheba.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:12 pm:
In person. Polling place is close to home, and usually in and out in under 10 minutes at most.
- Dog Lover - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:16 pm:
Voting in a small town early in the morning on the way to work on election day seems easier to me than finding an early voting place or mail in ballot. Plus it just feels good to me to do it that way. My husband agrees. We go together.
I have family members with compromised health and packed polling places would be a hassle, so I appreciate that there are other ways to vote.
- Just Another Anon - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:17 pm:
Likely early, shortly before election day. Too much can happen between then and now. Further, if I croke in between, it would feel wrong for my vote to be counted.
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:18 pm:
No. I live 2 blocks from my polling place. And I have no idea which ballot I am going to pull.
- Amalia - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:21 pm:
Yes. by mail. I dig having that ballot in front of me to fill in. gives me time to think, linger longer at the names on the paper.
- TheInvisibleMan - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:25 pm:
Will be voting early in-person next week.
Main reason is my polling location moved this year to a new place. It’s now in a small church with some very bad local behaviors, to the point I would never set foot in that building under any circumstance.
- Libertyville Guy - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:25 pm:
Undecided right now. Will definitely vote, but may wait until June 28th.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:27 pm:
Yes, by mail. Bailey will get my vote for sure. I need the entertainment in the fall.
- Scott - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:28 pm:
Voting early, but not for a while. I’m in IL’s 17th House district, so we’ve got at least 6 Dem candidates that I still need to look into a bit further. There’s about half of them that I like so far, but I’d like to wait and see if any of them drop out prior to the election.
- Flapdoodle - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:28 pm:
No. Will vote on Election Day for same reason MisterJayEm will vote tomorrow — life is full of uncertainty. Plus some races are getting entertaining and much may yet happen.
- Sangamo Girl - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:36 pm:
No. Working from home makes is super easy to run over to the polling place. And we live out in the hinterlands. Election day is where you find out all the township gossip. It’s not quite so comprehensive now that all the old-time farm wives are gone but you can still pick up a nugget or two.
- RNUG - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:37 pm:
I’ll vote early because I’ll be both opening my church as a polling place and working as an election judge.
- Norseman - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:37 pm:
No. I moved from IL to the nutso red state to the southeast to be near my kids and grandchildren. While I habitually voted early in IL, they don’t allow that here. They just amended the law (along with other voter suppression measures) to provide a limited 2-week period of “no excuse” absentee voting. Since I don’t trust GOP authority down here, I will vote in person.
- Peanut Gallery - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:37 pm:
I like election day voting. But I live in a small town and can get in and out in 4 minutes by leaving 10 minutes early that day.
- Norseman - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:38 pm:
Oops - wrong direction. The nutso state to the southwest - Missouri.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:44 pm:
My family are all voting by mail, as soon as we receive the ballots.
(1) Covid is still with us.
(2) Mail-in ballots aggravate the ultra MAGA conspiracists.
- Mike - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:47 pm:
The new option to request a mail ballot once and receive it permanently is genius. I took advantage of it and am still waiting for the ballot to come in.
- Donnie Elgin - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:52 pm:
For me either election day voting at my precinct or in-person early voting at the Gail Borden Library in Elgin.
- VoteByMail - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:52 pm:
My household will be voting early, mail in ballots. This is an easy was to get your civic duty done and you still get the cute “I voted” sticker. Plus, with COVID positivity on the rise, avoiding crowds on election day seems prudent.
- OneMan - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:55 pm:
Yes with a hope the political mail will stop
- Groucho - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:57 pm:
Since I am working from home and I am not very concerned about Covid, I will wear my mask and vote at my polling place on election day. I prefer waiting in case some last minute information comes along that would change my vote.
- JoanP - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:03 pm:
I like voting on Election Day at my polling place. I like gabbing with my neighbors and making encouraging or rude remarks, depending, to the folks campaigning at the proper legal distance.
And, of course, you never know who’s going to be indicted the day before.
- illini - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:23 pm:
I have already returned to my County Clerk a request for an absentee ( vote by mail ) ballot. I expect to return it as soon as I get the ballot.
I have never missed voting in any election since I turned 21 and am now in my early 70’s. No reason to stop now.
- jimbo26 - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:24 pm:
I’m voting early by mail. Folks with kids should consider voting by mail. They can sit at the kitchen table and go down the ballot with the kids and explain how they made the choice to vote for a candidate. Great chance to explain how democracy works.
- JDuc - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:55 pm:
Day of, never vote early. Lines are very reasonable where I vote
- EmersonLPalmer - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:01 pm:
Early In person. Peoria county has a new voting system and as an election judge I’d like to see it in action before June 28.
- thoughts matter - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:05 pm:
Undecided. Small village, no waiting. Easier than going to the county courthouse for early voting. Probably pulling the same party ballot as last time and there won’t be much on it.
- Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:18 pm:
I can think of no good reason to ever vote in person, if I don’t have to.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:36 pm:
I’m with JoanP. I’m-precinct voting on Election Day. I’m traditional that way. The only early voting question for me is whether to vote before work, or wait until I come home.
- Teacher Lady - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 4:41 pm:
I will vote early and in-person, on the same day that I take my training to be an Election Day registrar. On Election Day I will be serving my community by working at a polling location.
- Loop Lady - Thursday, May 19, 22 @ 7:55 am:
I’ll vote in person on Primary Day.
I live in DuPage and received a firm to vote by mail
for the foreseeable future. Great idea.
I’ve been fundraising for Casten since his first race.
Just an excellent Congressman.
- Nathan H - Thursday, May 19, 22 @ 8:53 am:
Waiting for my mail-in ballot and also signed the paperwork to be a permanent mail-in voter. It’s easy and convenient. It also gives me a chance to look up the down ballot races I don’t know about.
As to Casten vs Newman, I think I am sticking with Casten. I’ve been in IL-06 for over a decade and have knocked on doors for Casten in the past. I’d be fine with either, but the ethical cloud over Newman pushes me away from her.
- Justin - Thursday, May 19, 22 @ 12:37 pm:
I’ll vote by mail (signed up for it permanently), and I’ll be for Budzinski in IL-13.