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No decision on possible two elections for U.S. Senate seat
Pekintimes.com ^ | Jul 23, 2010 | Doug Finke

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 January’s 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) doesn’t 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 I’m 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 general’s 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 didn’t 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, that’s 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.

Quinn’s 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.

“We’re 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 don’t think it’s realistic.”


TOPICS: Extended News; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS:
Whadda mess!
1 posted on 07/25/2010 9:11:55 PM PDT by Graybeard58
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To: Impy; firebrand; BillyBoy; fieldmarshaldj; chicagolady; spintreebob

Illinois’ screwed up politics ping.


2 posted on 07/25/2010 9:13:33 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. Eccl 10 v 19)
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To: sarasota; BillyBoy; chicagolady; Dr. Sivana; Graybeard58; Impy; BlackElk; PhilCollins; TitansAFC; ..

*IL Politics Ping*


3 posted on 07/25/2010 9:20:17 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Amber Lamps !"~~)
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To: Graybeard58
At a Friday news conference on another matter, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said, “I do this for a living, and I’m confused.”
Yea, no $hit. What's new?

But what was the other matter?

4 posted on 07/25/2010 9:21:58 PM PDT by lewislynn (What does the global warming movement and the Fairtax movement have in common? Disinformation)
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To: Graybeard58

This will be done in such a way to make sure the RATS keep this seat. Count on it!


5 posted on 07/25/2010 9:23:46 PM PDT by teletech (Say NO to RINOS!)
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To: Graybeard58
IMO, it's a worthless waste of time to add an extra "special election" Senate race to the November ballot for a position that will only last from Nov. to Jan. They had a chance to let voters choose Obama's replacement, they blew it. I don't want to see another Dean Barkley seat warmer. And I certainly wouldn't want to see Kirk seated early so he can deliver socialist legislation wrapped in a big bow for Obama as a Christmas gift.

Stop this nonscene and just let Burris finish out the remainder of the damn term.

6 posted on 07/25/2010 9:24:47 PM PDT by BillyBoy (Impeach Obama? Yes We Can!)
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To: BillyBoy

Well, it ain’t like Kirk’s gonna win...


7 posted on 07/25/2010 9:28:00 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Amber Lamps !"~~)
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To: Graybeard58
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.

8 posted on 07/25/2010 9:29:51 PM PDT by lewislynn (What does the global warming movement and the Fairtax movement have in common? Disinformation)
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To: Graybeard58

I told ‘em not to vote for Obama.


9 posted on 07/25/2010 9:34:17 PM PDT by REDWOOD99
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To: Graybeard58

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.


10 posted on 07/25/2010 9:42:26 PM PDT by sourcery (Let's not use the word 'terrorist.' Instead, let's use 'Islamic Supremacist')
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To: fieldmarshaldj
The latest numbers say both he and Alexi have about a 7% approval rating and a 42% disapproval (if you add together "somewhat disapprove" and "strongly disapprove"), with everyone else "undecided or unsure". I don't think they can sink any lower. The Green Party loon is polling 14% despite spending no money and having no name recognition. Anything could happen in this circus atmosphere.

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!"

11 posted on 07/25/2010 9:45:51 PM PDT by BillyBoy (Impeach Obama? Yes We Can!)
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To: fieldmarshaldj; Impy; PhilCollins; chicagolady
Of course in an ideal world, THIS would be the outcome in November:

Randy Stufflebeam (CON) 29%

Alexi Giannoulias (DEM) - 27%

Mark Kirk (REP) - 24%

LeAlan Jones (GRN) - 17%

Mike Labno (LP) - 2%

Other - 1%

12 posted on 07/25/2010 9:58:46 PM PDT by BillyBoy (Impeach Obama? Yes We Can!)
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To: BillyBoy

Would be nice...


13 posted on 07/25/2010 10:18:28 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Amber Lamps !"~~)
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To: BillyBoy

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.


14 posted on 07/25/2010 10:30:28 PM PDT by Steelers6
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To: BillyBoy

Those two months could actually be significant if the Rats follow through with their Lame Duck session threat.


15 posted on 07/25/2010 11:37:15 PM PDT by Chet 99
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To: BillyBoy

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!


16 posted on 07/26/2010 5:39:19 AM PDT by chicagolady (Mexican Elite say: EXPORT Poverty Let the American Taxpayer foot the bill !)
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