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A common complaint

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Illinois

* We can’t be sure what actually happened until we talk to the Board of Elections, but I’d bet a buck that this is a true story…

Mayor Jerry Schweighart says he reported a $1,000 campaign contribution the day he received it but that a software glitch prevented the donation from being recorded until Friday morning.

Under Illinois’ newly revised election law, contributions of $1,000 or more are supposed to be reported to the State Board of Elections within at least five business days. But a $1,000 contribution from Donald Dodds Real Estate of Champaign, dated March 8, wasn’t reported on the Elections Board’s website until 8:09 a.m. Friday.

Because the contribution came within the 30-day period before the election, it was supposed to be reported within two business days.

“We reported it March 8. I have a receipt from the state election board that we reported it March 8,” Schweighart said. “When we found out there was a problem, we called them and they said it’s not in their computer and apparently one button wasn’t hit. We talked to the election guy when we filed it and I have a receipt that says we filed it March 8.”

Anybody who has ever filed anything on the Board of Elections’ website knows whereof Schweighart speaks. The problem was that he didn’t go back and check to make sure the update registered. Experienced state campaign folks know better. The locals are far less experienced with the clunky old piece of junk that is the ISBE’s computer system.

I remember talking to a pal last summer who had spent the past few years working federal races and had recently taken a job on a campaign covered under state election law. He was practically tearing his hair out one day because he couldn’t get the Board’s website to work. And this is no dummie. Far from it. The site is just not user friendly.

* Speaking of elections…

This spring, at least five communities in Sangamon don’t have enough candidates running to fill open seats on municipal boards: Curran, Illiopolis, Loami, Pawnee and Thayer. In Christian County, seven governmental bodies lack enough candidates, including the village of Harvel, where no candidates filed for four open trustee seats.

Christian County Clerk Linda Curtin said that’s unusual.

“Usually, (local governments) have just enough (candidates),” she said. “I don’t know if it’s about taxing bodies not having money and people are having trouble at home (financially).”

Stacey Kern, Sangamon County’s director of elections, said it isn’t uncommon for small communities to lack candidates for open offices due to their size.

These aren’t obscure little commissions, these are village council seats. Maybe they ought to reduce the size of their councils, but that wouldn’t help in Harvel, would it? Nobody filed? Why not just dissolve if nobody cares? Become an unincorporated part of the county or something. Or merge with a nearby town - although a merger for Harvel probably wouldn’t be possible, either.

* What’s going on in your local races?

* Related…

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* Marin: Two tales from aldermanic race

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* Five Runoffs to Watch

* Cook referendum questions misstate true cost of passage, official charges

* Early voters turn out despite ‘quiet’ campaigns

* Bernard Schoenburg: Expect Houston to get another chance

* Springfield Neighborhood groups rap Ward 5 candidate’s campaign ads

* Slow-going in raising money, interest for Oak Park village board race: In past elections for seats on the Oak Park village board, tens of thousands of dollars got poured into campaign coffers, from everyone including condo developers and the local movie theater owner. But in 2011, the group of candidates backed by the VMA, the long established political party in Oak Park, is having a much harder time raising cash, they admit. However, they won’t say exactly how much is in the bank.

* Kadner: Suburban election races take a strange turn

* McQueary: Is Tuesday a primer for Gorman mayor bid?

* Rob Sherman Alleges Library Misused Tax Dollars - Indian Trails Public Library officials maintain that their recent mailings pertaining to the April 5 referendum were “done properly.” The Illinois Board of Elections will have the final say.

* Barton Lorimor: The friendliest mayoral race. ever.

* New twist arises in Marion school race

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 5:24 am

Comments

In Oak Park, a K-12 tax increase referendum clearly dominates a full slate of local races.

Judging by yard signs, local chatter and history, I think it will pass. It might be tougher now after it was revealed last week that the always-crying-poor high school district had banked 124% in cash reserves.

Still, in a very low turnout, the motivated PTO crowd probably pulls it through.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 7:21 am
In DeKalb, we have 11 candidates running for 4 seats on the District 428 school board and each of 4 positions on its city council is contested by 2 candidates. A few dirty tricks in a couple neighborhoods but not too bad for DeKalb. I’m pretty happy.

Comment by yinn Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 7:27 am
“… contributions of $1,000 or more are supposed to be reported to the State Board of Elections within at least five business days….

Because the contribution came within the 30-day period before the election, it was supposed to be reported within two business days.”

For anyone who deals with reporting to the SBOE, the clock starts when the check is deposited. So if you don’t need the money right away you can hold off making the deposit until all your ducks are in a row. I confirmed this with the SBOE.

Comment by MikeMacD Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 8:10 am
wordslinger: the Oak Park referendum is for K-8 only, as it is being put forward by District 97. District 200, the OPRF high school district, does not have a referendum on the ballot.

Comment by well Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 8:18 am
Well, I’m aware. My point was schools are asking for money, and one of the districts was revealed to have a boatload in the bank. That might have an impact in some minds.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 8:33 am
Are those offices with a dearth of candidates those same jurisdictions where party labels have been removed by the “Citizen United” approaches? Is this an untended consequence of good-faith efforts intended to increase bi-partisanship?

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 8:44 am
The site is just not user friendly.

I’m not saying the Board of Elections’ website is specifically designed to thwart and undermine candidates who don’t have the party bosses’ money and backing, but I don’t know how it would be designed differently if it was.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 8:47 am
Here in Kankakee, there’s a chance Democrats could take the city council for the first time in recorded history. Rich knows the area and how significant that would be. But other than that we have very little on the ballot

Comment by K3 Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 8:49 am
the same glitch happened to us. the software even told us the transmission was successful, and i believe the lady at the board who was helping the person doing it confirmed that. yet it did not appear in the a1s until we opened up the program again (i have screen shots of both)…

Comment by bored now Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 9:39 am
The Mayan calender must be true. We’re nearing the end when Sangamon Co. is running out of politicians.

Comment by Irish Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 10:04 am
==For anyone who deals with reporting to the SBOE, the clock starts when the check is deposited. So if you don’t need the money right away you can hold off making the deposit until all your ducks are in a row. I confirmed this with the SBOE.==
I can’t imagine this is true. What would prevent a candidate from taking a loan to cover his projected expenses and then holding off on depositing all his checks until after the election so as to avoid disclosure laws?

Comment by Robert Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 10:27 am
Robert,

“For reporting purposes, when is a monetary contribution considered to have been received?
For reporting purposes, a monetary contribution is considered received when it is deposited. If it is a cash contribution and it is not deposited, it is deemed received when given to any employee or agent of the committee. If it’s a check or money order, it’s deemed to be received the date the check is cashed and the cash becomes available to the committee. A contribution by credit card or some similar instrument, is deemed to be received on the date the committee received notice of the deposit.”

From:

http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/CampaignDisclosure/PDF/FAQ%20New%20Law%20January%202011.pdf

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Apr 4, 11 @ 11:42 am