In Ill., 2 votes to fill Obama's old Senate seat

[July 30, 2010]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Vote early, vote often. It's an old joke about Illinois politics but state residents will be choosing twice in November to fill President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

Gov. Pat Quinn filed paperwork Thursday for a special election before lawyers went to court to try to finalize the details of what that ballot will look like.

A lawsuit said Quinn should have scheduled a special election to fill the seat after he succeeded the impeached Rod Blagojevich, who had appointed Democrat Roland Burris to serve the rest of Obama's term.

So now people will vote for someone to serve a six-year term in the regular election and someone to serve the final weeks of Obama's term in the special election. A judge is sorting out who will appear on the special election ballot.

[Associated Press]

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