Governor
JB Pritzker & Juliana Stratton
Democratic
1
Chris Kennedy & Ra Joy
Democratic
2
Daniel Biss & Litesa E. Wallace
Democratic
3
Bob Daiber & Jonathan W. Todd
Democratic
5
Tio Hardiman & Patricia Avery
Democratic
6
Robert Marshall & Dennis Cole
Democratic
7
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I'm writing off Marshall as a kook. Why would a Democrat want to divide Illinois into three states - two of which would send Republican senators to Washington ? Then I'm writing off Hardiman as under qualified for doing anything other than violence prevention, and I'm writing off Daiber because he seems under qualified for anything other than running a county school system. And if he's really good at it -- can't he do more good by staying there? I'm writing off Pritzker because he appears under rqualified for anything other than spending his family's money.
That leaves me with Kennedy and Biss. Kennedy's policy-wonk website would make me lean towards him. Pritzker's ads address a voter who is stupid and self serving. Kennedy addresses a voter who is intelligent and idealistic. But Pritzker's ads against Biss have put Biss at the top of my list. He has attacked Biss for trying to reduce some pensions -- but that does not horrify me. Nor am I upset with Biss' support for charter schools. I'm glad that there are public service unions - but government leaders should prioritize the interests of citizens not government workers. I'm glad that we have a candidate who does not conform to all the current norms of left wing politics. I'm also glad we have one who is not afraid to advocate BDS to balance American support for an ethnocentric state (Israel).
So Biss it is.
I'm writing off Marshall as a kook. Why would a Democrat want to divide Illinois into three states - two of which would send Republican senators to Washington ? Then I'm writing off Hardiman as under qualified for doing anything other than violence prevention, and I'm writing off Daiber because he seems under qualified for anything other than running a county school system. And if he's really good at it -- can't he do more good by staying there? I'm writing off Pritzker because he appears under rqualified for anything other than spending his family's money.
That leaves me with Kennedy and Biss. Kennedy's policy-wonk website would make me lean towards him. Pritzker's ads address a voter who is stupid and self serving. Kennedy addresses a voter who is intelligent and idealistic. But Pritzker's ads against Biss have put Biss at the top of my list. He has attacked Biss for trying to reduce some pensions -- but that does not horrify me. Nor am I upset with Biss' support for charter schools. I'm glad that there are public service unions - but government leaders should prioritize the interests of citizens not government workers. I'm glad that we have a candidate who does not conform to all the current norms of left wing politics. I'm also glad we have one who is not afraid to advocate BDS to balance American support for an ethnocentric state (Israel).
So Biss it is.
Attorney General, State of Illinois
4 Year Term , Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
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Pat Quinn
Democratic
8
Renato Mariotti
Democratic
9
Scott Drury
Democratic
10
Nancy Rotering
Democratic
11
Kwame Raoul
Democratic
12
Jesse Ruiz
Democratic
13
Sharon Fairley
Democratic
14
Aaron Goldstein
Democratic
15
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Quite a long list. So far, based on their websites and who is NOT endorsing them, I'm favoring
Sharon Fairley and Renato Mariotti.
Against Lisa Madigan, I've voted Republican in the recent general elections -but now, with a Trumpian federal government, a Republican AG is no longer a viable option.
I have two concerns regarding this office:
1. Which candidate is least committed to serve party leaders instead of the public.
2. Which candidate is most likely to identify important issues and pursue them effectively.
Fighting crime is not my number one priority -- but that doesn't mean that I want a candidate, like Kwame Raoul, whose campaign website is primarily concerned with the rights of the accused.
Perhaps he figures that pitch will get him more votes - but still - it's lost him this one - even though I have a friend who knows him as a very intelligent, competent statesman.
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Quite a long list. So far, based on their websites and who is NOT endorsing them, I'm favoring
Sharon Fairley and Renato Mariotti.
Against Lisa Madigan, I've voted Republican in the recent general elections -but now, with a Trumpian federal government, a Republican AG is no longer a viable option.
I have two concerns regarding this office:
1. Which candidate is least committed to serve party leaders instead of the public.
2. Which candidate is most likely to identify important issues and pursue them effectively.
Fighting crime is not my number one priority -- but that doesn't mean that I want a candidate, like Kwame Raoul, whose campaign website is primarily concerned with the rights of the accused.
Perhaps he figures that pitch will get him more votes - but still - it's lost him this one - even though I have a friend who knows him as a very intelligent, competent statesman.
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U.S. Representative, 7th Congressional District
2 Year Term , Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Danny K. Davis
Democratic
22
Anthony V. Clark
Democratic
23
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My wife's progressive friends have put a Anthony Clark sign in our front yard - but I think he
can do more good as a community organizer than as a U.S. congressman.. I see no independent thinking on his website -- it's 100% politically correct.
On the other hand - one pundit has written: "Had Davis, first elected in 1996, retired as expected in 2017, a brutal primary would have ensued, with the likely winner being Alderman Walter Burnett (27th), a protege of Secretary of State Jesse White, and not Boykin. The quid pro quo for giving Preckwinkle a pass will be Davis's nomination resignation in the summer of 2018, and Boykin's selection as candidate for the seat"
Ouch.
Maybe I'll vote for Clark after all.
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Democratic State Central Committeeman, 7th Congressional District
4 Year Term , Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
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Danny K. Davis
Democratic
32
Anthony V. Clark
Democratic
33
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I'll leave this ballot unmarked.
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Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
6 Year Term , Vote For 3
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Marcelino Garcia
Democratic
61
Debra Shore
Democratic
62
Kari K. Steele
Democratic
63
Martin J. Durkan
Democratic
64
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Looks like there will be three winners and one loser.
Starting with Durkan, who has no qualifications other than political. There's no point in voting for him.
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Board President, Cook County
4 Year Term , Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
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Toni Preckwinkle
Democratic
71
Bob Fioretti
Democratic
72
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Fioretti's website raises no issues other than taxes.
Preckwinckle stands accused of promoting the diabolical soda drink tax.
If that is her only crime -- she's a saint.
Fioretti is a joke.
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Clerk, Cook County
4 Year Term , Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
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Karen A. Yarbrough
Democratic
73
Jan Kowalski McDonald
Democratic
75
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Yarbrough is a political hack.
Apparently Jan Kowalski is running for this office just to promote her legal practice.
She didn't even put up a campaign website - and she's been knocked off the ballot
However - there is a write-in candidate: Joy Jackson
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Treasurer, Cook County
4 Year Term , Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
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Peter Gariepy
Democratic
78
Maria Pappas
Democratic
79
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The only issue that Gariepy raises is educational: he promises to publish more information and answer more questions.
So it looks like Pappas is doing a good job.
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Assessor, Cook County
4 Year Term , Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
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Joseph Berrios
Democratic
80
Frederick 'Fritz' Kaegi
Democratic
81
Andrea A. Raila
Democratic
82
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This is the most important race in this primary -- at least for those who pay property taxes.
Under Berrios, properties have been systematically over-assessed ---- offering a lucrative opportunity for tax relief attorneys to trim them back. I have paid thousands of dollars over the years for their services.
The only hope that Berrios has to stay in office is to split the opposition -- so he got Raila, a tax relief attorney, to be his second opponent.
Let's hope the courts can keep Raila off the ballot.
Admittedly, I would vote for a yellow dog if that was the only alternative to Berrios --but it does appear that Kaegi is a non-politician do-gooder.
Hope he wins.
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This is the most important race in this primary -- at least for those who pay property taxes.
Under Berrios, properties have been systematically over-assessed ---- offering a lucrative opportunity for tax relief attorneys to trim them back. I have paid thousands of dollars over the years for their services.
The only hope that Berrios has to stay in office is to split the opposition -- so he got Raila, a tax relief attorney, to be his second opponent.
Let's hope the courts can keep Raila off the ballot.
Admittedly, I would vote for a yellow dog if that was the only alternative to Berrios --but it does appear that Kaegi is a non-politician do-gooder.
Hope he wins.
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Commissioner, 1st County Board District
4 Year Term , Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
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Richard R. Boykin
Democratic
91
Brandon Johnson
Democratic
92
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Johnson has suggested that it is racist to pinch pennies with government payroll since government jobs have traditionally been the best opportunity for African Americans to enter the middle class.
But more African Americans are taxpayers than government workers -- and if elected officials don't represent the interests of taxpayers -- who will ?
On the other hand, Boykin's crusade against a soda pop tax was more self serving that civic minded.
I'm not going to vote on this one.
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of Brewer), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
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Oran F. Whiting
Democratic
121
Kathryn Maloney Vahey
Democratic
122
John Maher
Democratic
123
Lisa A. Copland
Democratic
124
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Kathryn Maloney Vahey is the only Public Defender among the above -and she has also been
a social worker.
And that's what I want in a judge.
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Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of Clay), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Kathaleen Theresa Lanahan--------------------Tribune
Democratic
126
Jonathan Clark Green
Democratic
127
Michael I. O'Malley
Democratic
128
Lori Ann Roper
Democratic
129
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Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of Dooling), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Tom Sam Sianis
Democratic
130
Timothy John Leeming------------------- pick
Democratic
131
Corri Diane Fetman
Democratic
132
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money = justice in America ----- so I'm voting for Leeming who has spent three decades as a public defender of those cannot afford attorneys.
Sianis appears to be a political hack, while Fetman, "the Lawyer of Love", is a comedian.
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Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of Egan), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
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Rosa Maria Silva
Democratic
133
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of Dunford), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Thomas F. McGuire
Democratic
134
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Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of Flanagan), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Amanda Moira Pillsbury
Democratic
135
Preston Jones Jr......................Tribune
Democratic
136
Keely Patricia Hillison
Democratic
137
Ioana Salajanu
Democratic
138
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None of his opponents seem better qualified than Preston Jones- who is the incumbent - as well as the only Public Defender
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Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of Hartigan), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Cecilia Anne Horan ------------------Tribune
Democratic
139
Keith L. Spence
Democratic
140
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Apparently Spence has issues regarding "his temperament, including a lack of cooperation and a patronizing attitude. "
So Horan it is.
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Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of Jordan), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Clare Joyce Quish
Democratic
141
Jerry Barrido............pick
Democratic
142
Patrick Dankwa John
Democratic
143
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None of his opponents seem better qualified than Barrido- who is the only Public Defender
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Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of McGinnis), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Brian Terrence Sexton
Democratic
144
Peter Michael Gonzalez...............................Tribune
Democratic
145
Bradley R. Trowbridge
Democratic
146
Judge, Cook County Judicial Circuit
4 Year Term (Vacancy of Prendergast Rooney), Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Jack Hagerty....................................... pick
Democratic
147
Mable Taylor
Democratic
148
Democratic Township Committeeman, Proviso Township
4 Year Term , Vote For 1
Candidate Name
Party
Ballot #
Save To Sample Ballot
Karen A. Yarbrough
Democratic
191
Referendums for March 20, 2018 - Gubernatorial Primary
Countywide, Legalize Marijuana
Question
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Shall the State of Illinois legalize the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing, and sale of marijuana and marijuana products for recreational use by adults 21 and older subject to state regulation, taxation and local ordinance?
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Village of Forest Park, Homeowner Grants
Question
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Should the Village of Forest Park continue offering grants to homeowners for flood remediation purposes?
Village of Forest Park, Gaming Revenue
Question
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Should the Village of Forest Park's share of video gaming revenue be used to fund our police and fire pension funds, resulting in lower property taxes?
Village of Forest Park, Plow Sidewalks
Question
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Should the Village of Forest Park continue to plow all sidewalks in the community?
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The above are three "nuisance referenda" designed by businesses to keep an anti video gaming referendum off the ballot. (only three local referenda are allowed on the ballot)
I've never really had a strong opinion on this issue -- until now -- when I see irrefutable evidence of how gambling engenders civic corruption.
The above three issues can just be ignored.
