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Budzinksi in voter registration flap

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Illinois

* I have seen congressional candidate Nikki Budzinski around Springfield regularly since the summer. She supposedly subleased an apartment while looking for a house to buy. So, this story was a surprise to me…

According to Sangamon County election records, Budzinksi, who voted in Chicago for each of the last five elections, attempted to register to vote at an apartment in Springfield a few days before she announced her campaign to run for Congress back in August. However, when the clerk’s office sent a voter identification notice to her listed apartment address, it came back “undeliverable.”

A follow-up letter from Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray’s office warned Budzinski to fill out her accurate residency information and submit it before a deadline of September 16th in order to avoid her registration being canceled. Suspended voter registrations are only canceled and removed from the voter rolls after two federal election cycles, a process that wouldn’t actually have taken place for another three years. However, until a voter clarifies their status, they are not allowed to vote while their registration is suspended.

“We’re required to send out a voter identification card, and a part of the securities and protection of voter registration lies within that card being delivered,” Gray explained. “If it’s delivered to the address, the assumption is that the person that registered to vote was at the proper address. If it is returned to our office, because it’s an unforwardable piece of mail, it starts a process of suspension.” […]

As of 3 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, Budzinski’s voter registration was still listed as suspended, more than six weeks after the county’s deadline for her to correct the error. However, as soon as her campaign became aware that reporters were asking about her suspended voter registration status, she promptly went into the county building and provided documents to show that she’s in the process of buying a home in Springfield. Later on Wednesday night, the clerk’s office confirmed that she had indeed come in just before the end of the day to update her voter registration.

“Nikki owns a home in Springfield and is registered to vote there,” campaign manager Josh Roesch clarified hours after the suspended registration was brought to his attention.

* NRCC…

WCIA reports that a few days before Nikki Budzinski announced her run for Congress she attempted to register to vote at an apartment in Springfield.

Budzinski’s voter registration was then suspended after a voter identification notice sent to her listed apartment address came back “undeliverable.”

WCIA then went to the apartment Budzinski listed on her voter registration and nobody was there.

NRCC Comment: “It’s clear that Nikki Budzinski lied on official forms about where she lives. This is incredibly unethical, if not outright illegal.” – NRCC Spokesman Mike Berg

I dunno. I’m not sure we should be making a leap like that considering how horribly messed up the Post Office is these days. Even so, she’d been running a textbook campaign until now. Locking up support from all but one of the Metro East Democratic legislators in her district was quite a feat.

* Meanwhile, here’s a useful campaign roundup from Politico…

Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) is out of the gates with his re-election campaign now that boundaries are all but sown up for his district. The governor still needs to sign on to the newly released map. Bost has been endorsed by 20 Republican Central Committee leaders from across the newly mapped district, according to his campaign. Here are the 20 GOP leaders backing Bost. […]

— Appellate Judge Mary K. O’Brien formally kicks off her campaign for Illinois Supreme Court next week. Leading up to that she’s announcing more endorsements of elected officials, including a few who serve in Congress. Sen. Dick Durbin already announced his support. O’Brien, a former state legislator, is running in the 3rd District seat that includes DuPage and Will counties as well as Bureau, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, and LaSalle counties. She kicks her campaign off next week. Officials backing O’Brien

— Small business owner Maria Peterson has announced her run for the 26th District state Senate seat now held by Senate Republican Minority Leader Dan McConchie. Peterson, who lives in North Barrington, says she’s focused on “clean air, safe and affordable water, access to affordable health care including mental health, cleaner modes of transportation, and helping small businesses survive and thrive — the issues that impact the day-to-day lives of people.”

…Adding… Press release…

Today, the Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 8 (BAC) announced their endorsement of Nikki Budzinski in the IL-13 Democratic primary. The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers has represented bricklayers, stone and marble masons, cement masons, plasterers, tile setters, terrazzo and mosaic workers, pointers, cleaners, caulkers, and other highly skilled trowel craftworkers across the United States and Canada for over 100 years. BAC Local 8 represents masonry and allied craftworkers in 65 counties across Illinois and are leading the way on innovations like more sustainable green and energy efficient materials, prefabricated masonry and modular construction units, and the use of robotics or material unit lift enhancers.

The Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 8’s endorsement is the latest in a broad coalition of support that Budzinski is building, including The UFCW Local 881, IBEW Locals 51, 146, 193, 309, 601 and 649, The Communications Workers of America (CWA), The Heat and Frost Insulators, The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), The Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI), State Senator Christopher Belt, Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman, House Democratic Caucus Chair LaToya Greenwood, State Representative Katie Stuart, Rep. Sean Casten, Rep. Cheri Bustos, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Elect Democratic Women, State Treasurer Mike Frerichs, Pastor T. Ray McJunkins, County Chairs Bill Houlihan (Sangamon), Mark Pohlman (Jersey), Paul “Snow” Herkert (Calhoun), Ben Curtin (Christian) and Pam Monetti (Macoupin).

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:08 am

Comments

When you’ve been living in Washington, D.C, for most of the last ten years, you had better be careful when you parachute into a district being drawn for you. The insider’s candidate just stumbled on an issue voters can clearly understand — shopping for a district for political reasons.

Comment by here we go Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:39 am
===Bost has been endorsed by 20 Republican Central Committee leaders from across the newly mapped district, according to his campaign.===

Its going to be a big ask for Mary Miller to “out-Bost” Bost.

Lots of footage of Bost with Trump, Bost’s votes on impeachment…

… Mary Miller can draw out the crazy folk, but the new bedrock Trumpkins also like Bost too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:42 am
Not a great start for Nikki, my understanding is she is the establishment pick… but why? I have this feeling there will be more news and scandal the further along we get with this campaign. I am sure there are WAY better candidates in the new 13th district with less controversy that would be better picks than Nikki. To each their own I suppose…

Comment by PopSmoke Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:43 am
Not a great start for Nikki? This is laughable. Please see the “Adding” section if this post.

Comment by FIREDup! Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:47 am
== she’d been running a textbook campaign until now==

It’s not hard to run a textbook campaign when you’re not challenged. Seems the textbook they’ve been using was missing some pages. An obvious issue going in that they could’ve been hit with and should’ve easily shored up was residency. They clearly tripped on that simple hurdle. Obviously not a campaign killer at this point, but not a great sign for if/when they are pushed on a bigger issue that a good opposition research could dig up on a candidate who’s never run before. It’s obviously a district that a Democrat should win, but it’s not so titled that it’s a slam dunk if the winds are right.

Comment by fs Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:48 am
-Budzinski, who voted in Chicago for each of the last five elections, attempted to register to vote at an apartment in Springfield a few days before she announced her campaign to run for Congress back in August.-

Obvious misstep that, cash permitting, will be put on repeat in primary and general election advertising because Chicago is so loved in the district.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:51 am
Nikki has an opponent. His name is David Palmer, former NBA player.

Comment by FIREDup! Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:51 am
===”This is incredibly unethical, if not outright illegal.”===

Says a guy who probably won’t admit Joe Biden is president and thinks the January 6th insurrection was a peaceful protest.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:52 am
If WCIA would have done a simple search on the Sangamon County real estate tax site they could have easily confirmed that Nicole Budzinski is indeed the pending owner of a house in Springfield.

Comment by Occasional Quipper Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:54 am
Bost’s support in Richland County was good to see. That’s definitely not a good sign for Miller who recently tweeted that CRT was anti-white.

Comment by Saluki with a Job Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:55 am
===“Nikki owns a home in Springfield and is registered to vote there”===

I hope her campaign is sophisticated enough to recognize that they’re also going to need to provide evidence to the press that their candidate was living in the said apartment at the time when the mail was unable to be delivered. What is disappointing is that they probably could have already done so which would have either killed or changed the story significantly, so either they’re just bad at managing earned media which is not a great sign or those records don’t really exist.

For me the test of whether or not a candidate was living there would be whether or not they were paying for internet service at that address. This should be pretty easy to produce.

===Not a great start for Nikki, my understanding is she is the establishment pick… but why?===

The DCCC is very interested in continuing it’s losing streak. I am also very wary of putting millions of dollars behind someone that hasn’t held office before or run for office before. There are lots of opportunities to be meaningfully involved in elected office before deciding that you, and you alone, are the best person to represent the congressional district you just moved to somewhere between zero and 4 months ago.

Grasstops, elected officials, and politicos are great people to have supporting you, but at the end of the day everyone just casts an individual ballot.

Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:55 am
Bost can serve in Congress for as long as he likes.

Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:58 am
== If WCIA would have done a simple search on the Sangamon County real estate tax site they could have easily confirmed that Nicole Budzinski is indeed the pending owner of a house in Springfield. ==

That’s a pretty big ask for a station that is a shadow of its former self. That said, this is some amateur hour stuff.

Comment by Leap Day William Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 11:06 am
===Nikki has an opponent. His name is David Palmer===

He needs a proof reader. Stat.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 11:14 am
David Palmer telling it like it is. That’s a campaign promise that he can likely fulfill if given the opportunity.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 11:22 am
Ouch on that typo from the Palmer camp. Also despite living in Champaign-Urbana, being a former Iowa Hawkeye player will be a tough sell there. That uniform is conveniently omitted from his advertising.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 11:22 am
==I hope her campaign is sophisticated enough to recognize that they’re also going to need to provide evidence to the press that their candidate was living in the said apartment at the time when the mail was unable to be delivered.==

I think a lease and a utility or credit card bill takes care of this. The landlord probably didn’t put Nikki’s name on the mailbox or something benign like that…this seems like a non-issue especially in light of her home purchase.

Comment by Heidi Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 11:52 am
I never knew that a tax record site would gave pending sales I would think tax records would be changed after a deed recorded not before
And Bost district is sewn up not sown up.

Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 11:58 am
Sue Scherer would be a good candidate for IL13 imo

Comment by The Ranger Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 12:03 pm
== Nikki has an opponent. His name is David Palmer, former NBA player. ==

He did?? I see that he’s from Tennessee and played basketball at Iowa, but I don’t see that he ever played in the NBA. Not that this is a critical issue for voters in IL-13, but I must be missing something.

Comment by McGuppin Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 12:37 pm
Sorry, not NBA but “played professionally across the globe” according to his bio.

Comment by FIREDup! Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 12:45 pm
I don’t think the G League is the NBA.

Comment by Anonymoose Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 12:45 pm
I just heard him speak at an event and he referenced his pro basketball career. I’m not a sports person and inferred incorrectly. Apologies.

Comment by FIREDup! Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 12:48 pm
==I never knew that a tax record site would gave pending sales ==

It doesn’t say pending sale, it says pending owner. It shows a sale date of 10/22/21 and a filed date of 10/22/21. And looking back at the original WCIA article it does actually say “Records filed with the Sangamon County Assessor’s office show that Budzinski is the pending owner of a home in Springfield after a new transaction last month.” so I take back my original post implying that WCIA didn’t dig enough.

Comment by Occasional Quipper Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 1:20 pm
==This is laughable. Please see the “Adding” section if this post.==

In what way is it laughable, starting with negative headlines really is not a good start, especially starting with being outed that you are moving to a district strictly to run for office. It can be spun 100 different ways that she does not care about her constituents, only personal gain and power.

I am not sure what you are trying to infer, an establishment democrat and former union organizer gets union support? That is not a shock and certainly is no sign of a good or bad start.

My real point is there are a lot better democrat candidates that could/should have thrown their name in the ring. With the way things are currently going with the right republican candidate I think Nikki could have a run for her money, ultimately I believe a democrat will win but it’s not to say without a tough fight.

Comment by PopSmoke Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 1:45 pm
===With the way things are currently going===

You can’t be serious.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 1:52 pm
… unless you’re talking the national scene.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 1:55 pm
==unless you’re talking the national scene.==

Primarily speaking on the national scene, but that can be indicative of trends. Isn’t the new 13th only a D+3 district looking at the 2020 presidential? A great candidate, great messaging, and great grassroots effort could move that needle.

Comment by PopSmoke Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 2:07 pm
===Isn’t the new 13th only a D+3 district looking at the 2020 presidential?===

No. Not even close. Sheesh https://twitter.com/ILElectionData/status/1453884048519143433

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 2:16 pm
Just a reminder, voter registration is not proof of residency.

Comment by Chucktown Jay Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 4:50 pm
===Not even close===
Rich, shouldn’t your cited twitter chart also include the 2018 or 2020 Congressional Democratic vote in the new thirteenth? I’ll bet the true baseline is a lot lower than the top of the ticket.

Comment by Bad Goya Vitch Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 4:57 pm
Budzinski seems to already reside in Danny Davis’s district. When she worked for the State of Illinois, ’twas in Chicago.

The new IL-07 is no longer a Black supermajority district so why not retire Danny Davis and save two realtor fees?

Comment by Bad Goya Vitch Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 5:04 pm
Carpetbagger candidates have faced serious issues in recent congressional races.

Comment by JP Altgeld Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 5:56 pm
=Carpetbagger candidates=

Good Lord, she ain’t no carpetbagger. She’s from downstate, she’s lived in Springfield. So she lived in DC and served a President, and then moved back home to run for Congress. Not an exceptionally rare path to the body, even in IL. See: Davis, R., and Kinzinger, A.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:00 pm
Excuse me, neither Davis nor Kinzinger worked for Presidents. They worked for Congressmen there

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Nov 4, 21 @ 10:01 pm