Schock’s fall from grace, and soon to be resignation from Congress, is forcing
Illinois into an almost
Once Schock is officially out of office — that happens March 31 — Gov. Bruce
Rauner has five days to set a special election, which must happen within 115
days.
Candidates have to gather signatures to get on the ballot, and the state
requires five days for ballot challenges. Then comes the likely primary. Primary
ballots must be printed early enough to give veterans and overseas voters 45
days to receive them. And those veterans and overseas ballots can come in up to
two weeks after the election and still be counted.
The process is repeated for the general election, Illinois State Board of
Elections lawyer Ken Menzel said.
“If you add 45 days up twice and put those 14 days in, you’re at 104 days,”
Menzel told Illinois Watchdog. “You’re talking about 115-day window after (the
governor’s special election order) … it doesn’t add up to enough time.”
Illinois has twice been sued over the same problem.
Both lawsuits ended, Menzel said, with consent decrees between Illinois and
Justice.
Menzel said another lawsuit this summer “wouldn’t surprise me.”
McLean County clerk Kathy Micheal said no one should be surprised about the
problems, or the lawsuits.
“(These) things are written in statute, in law, for us to do, but we don’t see
how we can administer the laws as they are written.”
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Micheal said this is what happens when lawmakers with good
intentions write bad laws.
“These special elections sometimes happen. It’s in our Democracy,
it’s in our Constitution. We have to have (the election),” Michael
said. “But, again, we have to consider costs.”
Michael figures it will cost her county between $50,000 and
$100,000 to hold the special election, probably in July.
“We are dead broke. We’re 50th out of 50 in states,” Michael said,
exasperation rising in her voice. “Is the Tooth Fairy going to bring
you down the money to pay for this?”
Illinois continues to add to unfunded election mandates.
State lawmakers used the final moments of a December 2014 special
session day to hammer through a new same-day registration/same-day
voting law.
Starting in June — just in time for the special election, Michael
notes — all counties will have to allow voters to register and vote
on Election Day, at every polling place.
“I call it a feel-good law,’ Michael said. “It was rushed through …
I don’t think anyone read the fine print.”
Michael said it will cost her county another $300,000 for same-day
registration in 2016.
[This
article courtesy of
Watchdog.]
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