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Question of the day

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Illinois

* January of 2009…

Gov. Pat Quinn said Friday that Illinois’ political campaign season should be condensed, so he wants lawmakers to push back the primary election date by seven months, from February to September.

“We don’t need perpetual campaigns and perpetual campaign fundraising in Illinois,” he said. “I think the campaign schedule, the election schedule, is one that too often contributes to that problem of perpetual campaigning.” […]

Sangamon County Clerk Joe Aiello said a shorter campaign season “might be good for everybody.” But a September primary would be “a little too close to the November election” from an administrative standpoint, he said.

David Morrison of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform said his group would favor a later primary date.

The end of June is just about the latest we can hold a primary and still comply with federal laws. September would be out of the question these days. This year’s primary was moved to late June because of Census issues.

But, as always, be careful what you wish for. While the June 28th primary date has somewhat shortened the fall campaign season, it has greatly elongated the primary season.

* The Question: Do you favor keeping the primary in late June or moving it back to March? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

online polls

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 12:52 pm

Comments

The door-to-door work is a hell of a lot more enjoyable in April, May and June than January, February and March. I think once people get used to the late June date, we’ll be better off.

Comment by Illinois Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 12:56 pm
I voted for move it back to March. No one knows a primary is happening right now and we can tell that from the early voting numbers.

Comment by hmmmm Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 12:57 pm
March is fine. Plus, it gives more time to think about the general election candidates.

Comment by Steve Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 12:57 pm
Please move it back to March. I am so sick of listening to this and to the crazy candidate commercials. The one I most especially despise is the Richard Irvin ads they are simply the worst I have encounter. I cannot wait for this to be over it is endless and useless. Maybe I am the only one who thinks this?

Comment by clec dcn Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:00 pm
Voted keep it June. Let’s try it for a few cycles.

BTW, Joe Aiello is the Sangamon County Treasurer and former Clerk. Don Gray is the current Clerk.

Comment by don the legend Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:01 pm
Split the difference; make it late April or early May. Weather is usually better for campaigning and voting.

Comment by thisjustinagain Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:06 pm
Let’s keep moving it every cycle to satisfy political needs of the day — early primary to help Barack, back to March, push to June for census/map reasons, move to Feb. for JB and “early presidential primary” reasons, then…

Consistency is overrated.

Comment by OneOpinion Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:06 pm
Move it back. Same reason as other posters. These ads suck the life out of me. Especially because they exist between Cub futility in my household.

Comment by AlfondoGonz Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:07 pm
Neither. I favor a nearly in between compromise.

Move the primary to the Tuesday which follows the second Monday in May. After the latest possible date that Eastern Orthodox Church’s Easter can fall, out of respect to their congregants in Illinois, which is May 8.

So a primary date that falls between May 9 and 15.

And in off years move the Local elections to that same date range. So there will be an election on the Tuesday after the second Monday in May every year under my idea (primary or Local).

Comment by Just Saying Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:07 pm
Move it as close as possible to the general election. Give these candidates less time to change their extreme right or left primary message to a moderate general election message.

Comment by Groucho Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:09 pm
===late April or early May===

lol

Yeah, at the height of the session. Right. There are two choices in the poll.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:12 pm
Late June. I am being selfish, it is much more pleasant to knock doors in May and June that it is Feb and March.

Comment by Guzzlepot Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:14 pm
Later is better with one huge caveat. Last time there was a June primary in the 1970s, turnout was down by 40%. I expect the same this time. If that happens, there will be some very unpredictable and potentially problematic results. For that reason, I voted back to March.

Comment by New Day Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:15 pm
Move it back
Too many people out of town on vacation at the end of June.

Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:15 pm
Move it back and set a date when candidates may campaign. Anyone campaigning before that date are forbidden to run.

Comment by Retired Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:16 pm
As an election official, June’s my preference for safety reasons. There’s more daylight early and late, and no icy conditions for transport, sign setup, and curbside voting.

Comment by yinn Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:18 pm
Move it to March. That way we can actually affect the presidential primary when there are still several candidates in the race. I am frustrated with my preferred candidates dropping out after the first three states. States who shouldn’t have so much power when they are such a small number of people compared to the National
population.

Comment by thoughts matter Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:19 pm
Back to March. I’m feeling even less interest than usual because people have so much to do this time of year.

-“I think the campaign schedule, the election schedule, is one that too often contributes to that problem of perpetual campaigning.”-

And if anyone is an expert on perpetual campaigning, it’s Pat Quinn.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:25 pm
I know our area is hurting for election judges as many are away on vacation. Keep it in March.

Comment by God's Country Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:27 pm
People saying move it back are clearly not people knocking doors in March

Comment by People’s Republic of Oak Park Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:27 pm
How about both and pols pick results they like best

Comment by ANNON'IN Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:27 pm
Voted late June but… mid-June would be better. This is too close to July 4th vacation windows and only if session keeps ending before May. Session into Memorial Day + June primary would be [banned words & punctuation].

Comment by ChicagoBars Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:32 pm
I’m for action in warm weather. it’s so much easier.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:33 pm
Move it back. Voters seem to be more used to a spring primary, we can have more of an influence in the presidential years, and I think I’d prefer a shorter primary season than general season.

Yes, I’m aware that knocking on doors in late winter isn’t fun.

Comment by Tim Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:35 pm
Who’s Pat Quinn?

Comment by Lydia Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:41 pm
Move it back to the 3rd Tuesday in March would be my preference of those two listed, unless Illinois becomes a First Five state.

Comment by Justin Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 1:41 pm
Keep it in March. The weather is poor, school is till in session and more people are home. Cold weather shapes the mind or, maybe exacerbates boredom.
I have campaigned door to door and doing it now seems worse. Feb. was the absolute worst. My lips froze one year and I could hardly talk. A lady let me in her front door to warm up. I think I got her vote.

Comment by froganon Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 2:13 pm
==The end of June is just about the latest we can hold a primary and still comply with federal laws.==

==And if anyone is an expert on perpetual campaigning, it’s Pat Quinn.==

He should spend less time perpetually campaigning and more time studying federal election laws.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 2:15 pm
Anonymous @ 2:15 was me. Sorry about that.

Comment by Just Saying Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 2:16 pm
Voted June but my preference would be to move it as close to the General as possible. Weather is better for campaigning, there’s so much time between March and the General, and frankly, I’ve always found it unsavory that legislators are actively fundraising and campaigning during session (yes, I understand this will continue during session regardless, but an election smack in the middle of it presents ethical issues, IMO).

To all you folks who said move it back to March because you’re sick of the ads - do you think political candidates don’t advertise in the winter and early spring? To me it’s worse then. The weather is usually so bad you’re forced inside and thus susceptible to more ads.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 2:16 pm
==Yeah, at the height of the session. Right.==

It would not hurt to have the Budget passed by the end of April every year, so agencies can have two months to prepare for the upcoming fiscal year. Especially in lean years where cutbacks and layoffs might be needed.

Comment by Just Saying Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 2:18 pm
It’s hard enough to get voters outside of party loyalists to vote in primaries. When you dilute it even further by putting it in conflict with summer vacations and such, I just think you lose a few more. Also, the best way to get anyone in the habit of anything, is a regular/unchanging routine.

Comment by ddp76 Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 2:23 pm
===passed by the end of April every year===

State had a surplus this year. Budgeting ain’t so easy in April when times are lean.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 2:39 pm
“BTW, Joe Aiello is the Sangamon County Treasurer and former Clerk. Don Gray is the current Clerk.”

And Quinn is not governor nor is it 2009. Your point?

Comment by Lurker Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 2:42 pm
I voted for June because a) it gives me a glimmer of hope that campaigns could, in theory, be shortened, and b) with early voting options, you have several weeks to vote.
That said, I don’t have a strong opinion either way.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 2:47 pm
I voted move it back because I’m hoping we get an early slot from the DNC. Would be so much fun to have the circus in town every 4 years.

Comment by vern Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:05 pm
==And Quinn is not governor nor is it 2009.==

I wonder if like Blago (need we say more), there is a little bit of Pat Quinn who deep down wishes he was still Governor.

Comment by Just Saying Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:17 pm
===I wonder if like Blago===

Rod didn’t want to be governor.

That was half his problem. The other half…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:20 pm
==January of 2009…

Gov. Pat Quinn said Friday that Illinois’ political campaign season should be condensed, so he wants lawmakers to push back the primary election date by seven months, from February to September.==

However, our Pat was able to benefit from the early February 2010 primary, as time ran out on the Hynes campaign right as they had the momentum. If we had a March 16, 2010 primary we could have eventually been saying “Governor Dan Hynes” as Jan. 10, 2011 arrived.

Comment by Just Saying Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:20 pm
==That was half his problem. The other half…==

He wanted to be President, until Obama overtook his spotlight.

Comment by Just Saying Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:22 pm
My vote?

Apologies… “March”

Why? More buzz earlier a year. By now, it’s tiring in a primary, to me… even if on a calendar it “appears to be” the same amount of days (petitions, challenges, etc)

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:30 pm
=== He wanted to be President, until Obama overtook his spotlight.===

(Sigh)

No.

That was the result of both… not wanting to be governor… and leveraging/extorting his office in ways to enrich himself, thus making him corrupt, one who extorts a children’s hospital.

His “office and his oath” were &$@#% golden”… in the end, greed and angst that he was stuck, “broke”… and no one cares about the good he did after… extorting a children’s hospital.

Jealousy and such with Obama was his narcissistic way that fueled his bad.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:34 pm
As for my vote, same here. March. Even if the presidential primary gets moved earlier, keep the statewide races in March.

And in off years, fix the Local election date to the third Tuesday in March too, instead of usually the first Tuesday in April. Unless the election gets bumped later due to Easter and Passover week (as it did on Apr. 17, 2007).

Or better yet, move Local elections in off years to where it is supposed to be–the regular November Election Day.

BTW, I’m surprised that with Election Day now a legal holiday statewide, that there was no push that I am aware of to also make Primary Day a state holiday too.

Comment by Just Saying Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:35 pm
My vote is to go back to March when more people are focused on the election. The summer in June has too many distractions and a lower turnout.

Comment by Redbird Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:42 pm
Keep it in June but move filing date for candidates to March 31

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 3:54 pm
Move it back to March. I don’t need the months of non-stop campaign ads this far into the year.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 4:14 pm
Move back to March for a more hospitable petition gathering climate (even if climate change means who knows what the weather will bring).

Comment by Loyal Virus Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 4:30 pm
March. The sooner we can thin the primary herd, the less we have to listen to them.

Comment by SAP Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 4:34 pm
Keep it in late June so more people can vote w/o having to fight the cold.

Comment by Fivegreenleaves Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 9:27 pm
People travel more in late June. I’d also rather see summer campaigning focus on the general election.

Comment by Yooper in Diaspora Monday, Jun 27, 22 @ 10:49 pm