* 3:42 pm - The beginning of a comeback? From an e-mail just blasted out by the City Club…

The City Club of Chicago welcomes Paul G. Vallas on Monday, April 28, 2008 for a Public Policy Luncheon.

Register for the event by clicking here.

* 3:48 pm - The Illinois Green Party is alleging foul play. From a press release…

Voters who hoped to participate in the Illinois’ first ever statewide Green Party primary are receiving a very rude reception at many polling places, especially in Chicago.

In the early hours of voting, Green Party officials began receiving reports from frustrated voters across the state who, in many cases, had been told by pollworkers that there are no Green Party ballots available at their polling places, or that they had to vote on suspect electronic voting machines, even while other parties use paper ballots.

Some of the most outrageous incidents, however, occurred across the wards of Chicago, where Green Party ballots have been apparently tampered with so they can’t be read and accepted by voting machines, voters are given Democratic ballots despite requesting Green ballots.

* 4:00 pm - A couple of 42nd Ward election judges got into a brawl today…

An election judge was charged with battery Tuesday morning after punching another judge at a 42nd Ward West Loop polling place, according to Chicago police.

The female judges, whose party affiliations were not immediately known, were quarreling over “procedures” when one punched the other in the face, said Central District Capt. Joseph Vaclavik.

The judge who was punched, believed to be in her mid-50s, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for evaluation, Vaclavik said. The other, in her late 30s, whose name was not released, was charged with misdemeanor battery, Vaclavik said. He could not elaborate on the procedural matter that sparked the fight.

The brawl between the twojudges was the culmination of a clash that had been raging for years, fellow poll workers said.

* 4:02 pm - Aaron Chambers is at the Hyatt waiting for the Obama party to begin…

Obama is not expected to begin speaking for seven more hours, but already several hundred people are flowing through and around the grand ballroom, in the hotel’s basement, where Obama will stage his event.

The crowd appears to be roughly divided between media and security. Yes, there are a couple hundred reporters, producers, etc., but there are just as many security personnel — secret service, Chicago police (uniformed and in plain clothes), and even officers wearing TSA (Transportation Security Administration) uniforms.

* 4:29 pm - Just a reminder from Emily’s List…

The [Democratic] primaries and caucuses thus far have seen from a 3-4% increase in the share of the electorate that is female. Turnout has been exceptionally high with women making up 57% to 60% of the electorate.

* 4:45 pm - Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area President and CEO, Steve Trombley writes about those Barack Obama “Present” votes and Illinois NOW’s harsh criticism of him during the current campaign…

During his time as a state senator, no major pro-choice organization questioned Obama’s present votes. Instead, Obama received endorsements from Personal PAC, NARAL of Illinois PAC, the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, and, YES, EVEN Illinois NOW.

That’s right! Illinois NOW endorsed Barack Obama in his elections in 1998 and 2002 AFTER he voted “present” on several bills. As Illinois NOW officials have stated, they were aware of the “present” vote strategy, and they still endorsed him. They also endorsed several other prominent Illinois politicians who voted the same way.

It is only after years have past that Illinois NOW has changed its mind. Apparently, these days they don’t agree with the strategy that they originally endorsed.