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Illinois

* As subscribers know, 59th House District Republican candidate Cynthia Hebda was disqualified for the ballot because she signed a petition for the Democratic incumbent - appointed state Rep. Carol Sente (D-). The Illinois Supreme Court ordered last week that votes for Hebda be counted (she was still on the ballot because the appellate ruling came so late in the game). The House Republicans put Hebda in the race, and are now scrambling to help her win the primary against two opponents with big head starts.

The Daily Herald is reporting today that Hebda may ask for a do-over…

Lake County Clerk Willard Helander said she expects Hebda to demand a special election, depending on today’s results.

That race has been ugly on both sides. Sente and Elliott Hartstein have been slamming each other and the House Republicans pulled a bit of a dirty trick on the incumbent…

Sente wasn’t as understanding when it came to automated calls made recently to voters by a Republican political group that said Sente is a member of the National Rifle Association. Sente denied she’s a member of the group. So did the association’s spokesman.

The group behind the calls, Citizens to Change Illinois, is funded by state House Republican leader Tom Cross. A Cross spokeswoman defended the calls.

And then yesterday, some group made what looks to be a possibly illegal robocall into the district designed to confuse voters. Here’s the text…

All around the state the Democrats have engaged in last minute dirty tricks to confuse Republican voters in the upcoming primary. Don’t be fooled. The only two legally recognized candidates in the Republican Primary for State Representative in your district are Mohan Mania and Dan Surge [sic]. Paid for by Republicans for a fair election.

There’s no such group listed at the Board of Elections website, of course.

* Illinois Review posted the Log Cabin Republican endorsement list last night. The comments are quite funny, particularly considering that Kirk Dillard was endorsed and is also supported by conservative activist Jack Roeser, who is not exactly noted for his support for gay rights.

* Jacob Meister dropped out of the US Senate race the other day, but somebody posted his yard signs near a polling place today…

* See any fraud? Report it…

To help root out voter fraud and voting irregularities during Tuesday’s primary election, Attorney General Lisa Madigan will be sending out teams across the state to help monitor polling places.

A total of 166 teams comprised of Assistant Attorneys Generals and investigators will be assigned to various polling places to assist local election officials in investigating claims of fraud. Madigan has assigned 125 teams in Chicago and northern Illinois and 41 teams in downstate Illinois.

Madigan’s office also has hotlines available for voters who witness improper or illegal activity. Voters in Chicago and northern Illinois can call 1-866-536-3496. Downstate voters can call 1-866-559-6812.

* Here’s your roundup. Not much new…

* Low Voter Turnout Expected for Illinois Primary

* Go out and vote It’s da day!

* It’s time to go to the polls

* Polls open for primary elections

* Some things to know before you vote today

* Vote for a new chapter in Illinois politics

* Democrat, GOP or Green, today is election day

* Our View: Get out and cast your votes today

* Tell politicians where you stand when it counts

* Write-in candidates

* Election Judges Prep for Long Day Ahead

* Partisan Trends: Number of Unaffiliateds Jumps to Highest Total Since 2007

* Illinois battles will be front, center on national stage

* Here they come, spinning out of the turn

* Nation’s 1st primary sets stage for Ill. showdown

* Candidates Make One Final Push

* Candidates make last-minute visits to Springfield

* Candidates rush through Q-C in last-minute drive for votes

* Candidates in final frantic push before Election Day

* Candidates head out to fight for every vote

* Talking Politics: Races Down to the Wire

* Hopeful Republicans target Obama Senate seat

* Schock: Kirk’s a Scott Brown-Type of Republican

* Hughes lands One Nation PAC endorsement

* Balderman endorses Arrington

* David Hoffman hits Sidetrack Show Tunes

* Broadway Bank’s hole deepens; now must raise $76M

* Giannoulias’ Family Bank Problems Continue

* Giannoulias: Ill. Senate race about ‘jobs’

* Giannoulias encourages supporters at stop

* Primary Campaign Contributions — Governor: Crain’s Chicago Business and the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform have teamed up to provide a snapshot of campaign financing in important state and local 2010 races.

* Illinois Governor Race Focuses on Ailing Finances

* Quinn, Hynes, McKenna garner huge late campaign cash

* Quinn makes nice-guy pitch to Ill. voters

* Quinn makes stop in Decatur; Democrats take last-minute swings at each other

* Quinn flies down on eve of election

* Five reasons to vote for Pat Quinn

* Five reasons to vote against Pat Quinn

* Five reasons to vote for Dan Hynes

* Five reasons to vote against Dan Hynes

* Hynes is the best choice to lead the state

* Hynes, Quinn put away negative ads

* Some last-minute truths about the candidates

* Pat Quinn, Bill Brady Take To The Air Before Governor’s Primaries

* McKenna makes election-eve stop in Springfield

* Andrzejewski endorsed by Tea Party coordinators

* Brady, Proft stop by Marion airport

* Last minute appeal from Dillard campaign

* Ryan: Voters ready for change

* Oak Lawn Mayor endorses Ryan

* A look at Democratic lt. gov. candidates

* Illinois Primary: Who wants to be a Comptroller?

* 3 Dems, 3 Republicans run for Ill. comptroller

* Hastert’s son seeks father’s former Ill. district

* Local Cook Co. races can affect you most directly

* Plenty of choices for Cook County leadership

* DuPage chairman hopefuls raise almost $500,000

* GOP races dominate DuPage primary

* Beyond the governor: What to decide in Kane Co. Tuesday

* Local political heat fires up primary ballot

* Tuesday’s underdogs seek Devine-style intervention

* Clerks worry about Ill. law aimed at `undervoting’

* Machine tells you if you leave a race blank

* New ballot rules tested in Tuesday’s primary election

* Rock Island County won’t enforce ‘undervoting’ regulation

* Pushing back against early primary election

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 11:10 am

Comments

Are Madigan’s investigators in addition to the Federal monitors that US Attorney Fitzgerald announced recently?

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 11:15 am
I really liked stores five reasons to vote for/against…

but, i disagreed with reason #5 to vote against dan hynes, though i understand where zorn was coming from.

Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 11:17 am
With this latest $50k, Ed Burke is into Quinn for at least $300 grand.

Burke is a lot of things, but dumb ain’t one of them. He expects something for that cash. What is it?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 11:19 am
oh, and zorn’s “Devine style intervention” is a must read! and that’s partly why i have refused to call the guv’s race on either side.

what does it say when a woman can’t even trust her woman’s instincts?

the guv races have been impossible for me to get a firm handle on, trend lines, polls and national pundits, notwithstanding.

Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 11:22 am
Did the new robocalls in the 59th come from Iowa too? or did they find someone in IL to dial the phones?

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 11:30 am
This would have been the year if you had a serious field operation that could drag out your voters, you could be unbeatable more than ever. Who the heck can claim how all these abysmal turnout numbers are a “controlled” voting bloc?

Buckle your seatbelts!

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 12:27 pm
Just read that Zorn predicts Quinn to win. Hope that prediction goes better than his 2004 senate prediction.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 12:38 pm
Dear Capital FAX folks..

Well I can now report that Mr. Hynes/Office of State Comptroller has finally [at the last minute] complied with a lawful state subpoena - which will now help clear the way for release of whistleblower funds in re: USA v Miriam Santos.

Victor M. Crown

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 12:49 pm
Well, for Gianoulias..since he left a decision making role, see what happened to his family bank.

I have an honest question. What has Preckwinke done to stand out in city counsel? Has she bucked Mayor Daley’s wishes? Spoken out hevaily against anything? I am not doubting that she is a smart person, but what makes her stand out? That is the question for all of them, but she seems to be the favorite.

Comment by Wumpus Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 12:53 pm
The House Republicans have made a significant investment in Hebda already. State Rep Ed Sullivan Jr (adjoining district) has been the pointperson. County Clerk Willard Helander is a partisan Republican player in Lake County and is on message. All of this despite the fact that the rankandfile committeemen support Dan Sugrue. Hebda is perceived as a carpetbagger. Rep/59 will probably turn out to be a Republican trainwreck.

Comment by Ela Observer Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 12:57 pm
- - - Burke is a lot of things, but dumb ain’t one of them. He expects something for that cash. What is it? - - -

My guess is a 1000% return on investment

Comment by Jimbo Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 12:59 pm
- - - What has Preckwinke done to stand out in city counsel? - - -

Had an hilarious name?

Comment by Jimbo Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:01 pm
I agree with Rock Island County Clerk Dick Leibovitz. This is dangerous ground, to reject a ballot and then have an election judge ask the voter are you sure you voted the right way? A cast ballot is a cast ballot. Count what is on it and don’t worry about what isn’t on it. Given the history of voting irregularities in this State I can see this being used by unscrupulous judges.
Picture an elderly preson or brand new voter who marks the races they want to vote in and then turns the ballot in. The machinge rejects it and a judge picks up the ballot and says to the voter “You left a couple of races blank. Do you want to vote in those races?”, All the while they are indicating with their pen their candidate’s name. Can anyone tell if they are doing more than just offering the help they should be offering? No. Don’t you believe that some of the voters will take the ballot and now embarrassed will fill in the oval indicated just to get out of there? There is a reason the ballot has a cover and is placed in the machine by the voter. So no one, judges or anyone else, can see how that person voted or have the chance to second guess the votes cast. Now every ballot that isn’t fully completed is a chance for someone to affect the way another person votes. This law should be repealed.

Comment by Irish Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:17 pm
- What has Preckwinke done to stand out in city counsel? -

She was one of only four aldermen to vote against Mayor Daley’s parking meter deal, which has wound up being a disaster. In some years, she has been the only alderman to vote against a Daley budget.

Comment by David Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:18 pm
Ela Observer,

As a Dem official in the 8th district congressional you should have at least a better understanding of what is happening in Lake County. Hebda has been an elected official in Vernon Hills long before Sugrue was in the picture. So I am not sure how you think she is a Carpetbagger. You are right on one count. That idiot Don Castella in Vernon Township is behind Sugrue. Don is with that group that was attacking Congressman Kirk for being Gay. I believe they call themselves the Republican Assembly of Lake County. Sugrues big supporter is Jack Roser another guy attacking Kirk for being gay. Birds of a feather…

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:20 pm
Robo calls recorded by home voice message system on day before Primary: 22
# of messages played back for listening: 0
End of Primary campaigning: priceless

Comment by 3 beers to springfield Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:25 pm
I’m a little late to the Bloggy party today, so missed the opportunity to earlier post of a Politico piece:

“If turnout is steady and strong south of Peoria, it’s most likely a soothing sign for the two (Giannoulias & Hynes), because both are more familiar to downstate voters.”

… Hynes is “more familiar to downstate voters” than Quinn ? Howzat ?

Comment by Linus Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:27 pm
David, but not this year. Toni supported Daley’s budget. and let’s be honest she’s an independent but a rare one. if there is one true easily independent on that council it would have to be someone like Joe Moore. he is consistent and constant in his criticisms of, and opposition to, the mayor on many issues.

I don’t mean to knock toni, but some of the hype surrounding her has been blown out of proportion.

Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:36 pm
word, as you know, one way to do well by the State is to snag State bond underwriting, legal, etc. jobs. It appears that the good Alderman has a horse or two in some of the races for that work.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:38 pm
AA, that makes a lot of sense.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:40 pm
But the real issue tonight will be whether any ABC affiliates cut into tonight’s LOST premier and mess that up.

Comment by Peggy SO-IL Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 1:46 pm
Anon 1:20,
Yes, Hebda is Vernon Hills trustee. However Sugrue stepped up to the plate in 2008 & challenged Ryg when no one else would. The perception is it is his turn. Hebda was recruited very late & her conservative bonafides are in question by the rankandfile. The whole mess stemmed from her signing a Sente nominating petition.

Comment by Ela Observer Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 2:34 pm
How can what Tom Cross is doing with the fraudulent robocalls (designed to weaken the strongest Dem) not be a crime?

Comment by just sayin' Tuesday, Feb 2, 10 @ 4:30 pm