Posted on 07/25/2010 9:11:54 PM PDT by Graybeard58
State elections officials are still in a holding pattern after a federal appeals court this week again indicated the state needs to hold two elections for U.S. Senate in November.
One would be for a full six-year term, as currently planned. The other would be to fill out the remaining weeks between Nov. 2 and Januarys swearing-in for the seat once held by President Barack Obama. Roland Burris holds the seat now.
The appeals court ruling sends the case back to a federal district court in Chicago for further hearings that are scheduled to take place Monday.
By itself, (the opinion) doesnt mean a second election, said Ken Menzel, a counsel for the Board of Elections. It does seem to indicate there ought to be one. The district court will be operating under that guidance from the appellate court. It will color its deliberations.
At a Friday news conference on another matter, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said, I do this for a living, and Im confused.
If I understand it, what the federal court has said is that we have to elect, in the first week of November, a senator to serve until the first week of January, literally two months, Durbin said.
Our office has been in touch with the attorney generals office and others to talk about how this is going to be done. No one knows.
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals previously issued an opinion that the federal Constitution requires a special election be held to fill a U.S. Senate vacancy a decision it affirmed this week.
Illinois didnt hold an election after Obama was elected president and resigned his U.S. Senate seat. Instead, then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed Burris to fill the seat, and is now on trial for allegedly trying to sell the seat.
Illinois law stipulates that a U.S. Senate vacancy be filled by temporary appointment until the next congressional election. In this case, thats the upcoming Nov. 2 general election.
Two men sued, arguing a special election had to be held earlier than that.
The appeals court ruled the U.S. Constitution requires a special election when a Senate vacancy occurs, and state law takes a back seat to the federal Constitution.
The court said Gov. Pat Quinn has to issue a writ for a special election, while acknowledging the only choice for such an election date now is Nov. 2. The winner of that election would serve only until early January, when a new Congress is sworn into office and the winner of the regular election takes the seat.
Quinns office said Friday that lawyers are reviewing their options.
If the lower court orders a special election to fill out the Obama/Burris term, there are still issues to be resolved, including who will be allowed to run. Normally, a field of candidates is weeded out in a primary election. The board estimated the cost of the special election process will be at least $30 million if the state is required to hold a primary.
Menzel said that without a primary, the extra election in November will cost, but it will not be anywhere near as costly as running a special statewide (primary) election.
However, that means figuring out a way to accommodate what could be a large field of candidates who want to run.
Were waiting for the court to order someone to do something, Menzel said. Everybody is kind of stuck on waiting on the federal court.
In an earlier interview Friday, Durbin said, The obvious answer might be to say all of the candidates nominated for office in the November election from every party are automatically the nominees for the special election.
With ballot certification required by Aug. 20, Durbin added, To have a real open primary now and let every party file petitions
I dont think its realistic.
Illinois’ screwed up politics ping.
*IL Politics Ping*
At a Friday news conference on another matter, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said, I do this for a living, and Im confused.Yea, no $hit. What's new?
But what was the other matter?
This will be done in such a way to make sure the RATS keep this seat. Count on it!
Stop this nonscene and just let Burris finish out the remainder of the damn term.
Well, it ain’t like Kirk’s gonna win...
However, that means figuring out a way to accommodate what could be a large field of candidates who want to run.Simple. Put all the names on 2 seperate ballots. One ballot for the special election and the other ballot for the general election.
Who ever gets the most votes (+1) wins.
If there are seperate winners, so be it. If not, then...so be it.
I told ‘em not to vote for Obama.
At a minimum, all of Burris’ votes must be ruled invalid, and any legislation deemed to be passed solely by his invalid vote must be deemed as not having passed.
Personally I think the combine Powers That Be (Madigan/Daley/etc.) are trying to elect Marky because they know Alexi will be a powerless laughing stock and won't last... but the insane moonbats in the Daily Kos/ANSWER crowd are pushing hard for Alexi and can't stand Kirk for the same reason the moonbats in CT couldn't stand Lieberman (voted for the war and hugged Bush in some photo-op).
And it's possible the GOP and Dems could nominate totally different candidates for the Nov. - Jan. seat warmer job. Maybe our RINO state party chairman will slate Roskam, Lauzen, or Rauschenberger for U.S. Senate(knowing they'd gone in Jan.) and then say "Seeeeeee? We BIG TENT moderates in the ILGOP gave the conservatives the candidate they WANTED, but they're still not happy!"
Randy Stufflebeam (CON) 29%
Alexi Giannoulias (DEM) - 27%
Mark Kirk (REP) - 24%
LeAlan Jones (GRN) - 17%
Mike Labno (LP) - 2%
Other - 1%
Would be nice...
URGENT: For any FREEPER who knows Mark Kirk, who would support Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan for a lifetime appointment. Joining Lindsay Goober Graham and Dick Lugee Lugar
Campaign Update from US Senate Candidate Randy Stufflebeam
July 23, 2010
http://www.runrandyrun.com/Messages/CampaignUpdate-20100723.htm
RECORDS (BINDER) CHECK
Monday, July 26, @ 9:30 a.m.
Dear Family, Friends and Fellow Constitutionalists,
The Constitution Party has finally been scheduled for a Records Examination. This is where the objections will be gone through line by line (Signature by Signature) to determine if they will be thrown out.
We have been slated for Monday, July 26, at 9:30 a.m. to begin going through the signatures. According the hearing officer, 12 -15 terminals will be made available to go through the objections. They expect that it could take up to five days to go through the entire process.
This will be done at the Illinois Board of Elections Headquarters located at:
1020 S. Spring St.
Springfield, IL 62704
WE NEED YOUR HELP ! !
Verify/Clarify - We need to complete our verification/clarification prior to Monday. We have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to go through another thousand petitions. This is an on-line process and you can do it from home. Please contact
Candidate: Randall C. Stufflebeam
618-355-0737 (Office)
618-978-3946 (Cell)
StufflebeamRC@RandyForUSSenate.com
Campaign Manager: Marshall Swing 618-566-0888 (Office)
618-581-8917 (Cell)
MSwing@RandyForUSSenate
Candidate: Michael L. White
Office Sought: Governor
Phone: 224-636-7898
Constitution Party of Illinois
Contact: Jeff Trexler
Email: Trexler@cp-il.com
Phone: 618-203-4406
Beginning Monday, July 26 through Friday, July 30, we will be in Springfield defending our signatures.
As you all know, we turned in about 34,000 signatures, where 25,000 were required for ballot access on June 21. On June the 28th, Heffernan and Nekic filed an objection in which they are contesting 17,000 signatures. For the past several weeks we have been in the process of Clarifying and Verifying that most of the signatures are valid Illinois voters living where they say they did.
Please contact me if you can help by volunteering your time in Springfield.
Those two months could actually be significant if the Rats follow through with their Lame Duck session threat.
There is a GOD!
ALL things ARE Possible with God.
Randy Stufflebeam is a STRONG believer.
I have been praying. If it can ever happen, the time is NOW!! Keep the Faith!
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