Turnout for Municipal & Township Primaries Could Be Immense

When I heard that U.S. Senator Dick Durbin's suggestion that the Illinois General Assembly hold a special election to replace President-Elect Barack Obama, I thought it was an interesting idea.

Certainly, very few think Governor Rod

"Let's Make a Deal"

Blagojevich should be allowed to be the only one with a say.

Then, watching a couple of hours of news programs last night, I figured out that the idea was gaining steam.

But, there are other possibilities and immense implications for local February primary elections.

House Speaker Mike Madigan seems to have signed on to a spring primary and general election, as have Senate Democratic Party leaders.

And Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna expressed his support as well.

Sounds almost like a done deal, except for Governor Rod Blagojevich, and his opinion pretty much doesn't count anymore.

Any veto would be overridden, if there is a consensus among legislators.

There are other possibilities, of course.

Before the William Lorimer (R-Summer Home in Crystal Lake) scandal, members of the Illinois General Assembly made the appointment. They appointed Stephan A. Douglas over Abraham Lincoln after the legislative elections in 1858, for instance.

But after the Lorimer scandal in the early 1910's, Congress passed and state legislators ratified a constitutional amendment requiring direct election of U.S. Senators.

The General Assembly might be able to take back that power for interim appointments or allow the governor to nominate, but require State Senate confirmation or enact some other scheme.

If they took back the power themselves, then a present day Lorimer could bribe Democratic Party House members the way Republican Lorimer did in 1909. Or vice versa.

The logical dates for a primary election would be the same date as the township and municipal primary elections on February 24, 2009. Likewise, with a United States Senator's seat at stake, the April 7th local elections, including the five McHenry County Republican Party primaries, would have a much higher turnout.

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The luminary seen above in Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna. Disgraced Republican U.S. Senator William Lorimer is seen in the black and white photo. His Crystal Lake summer home across from Crystal Lake's Main Beach is near the bottom of the article.

Published first on McHenry County Blog.

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