ALMOST 900 candidates for state executive, legislative, judicial, and other offices filed nominating petitions for the March 16 primary with the State Board of Elections in Springfield. Heading the list were these candidates for nomination to executive offices:
Governor— Democrat: Michael J. Howlett , now secretary of state; W. Dakin Williams, Collinsville attorney; Daniel Walker, the incumbent. Republican'. James R.. Thompson, Chicago, former U.S. district attorney, and Richard H. Cooper, Winnetka, a businessman. Williams was ruled off the ballot by the board but filed an appeal.
Lieutenant governor— Democrat: Neil F. Hartigan, Chicago, the incumbent; Joanne H. Alter, Chicago, a trustee of the Chicago Metropolitan Sanitary District. Republican: Joan G. Anderson, Western Springs, also an MSD trustee, and Dave O'Neal, Belleville, sheriff of St. Clair County.
Attorney general — Democrat: Cecil A. Partee, Chicago, president of the Senate, and Roland E. Stackler, Leiand Grove (a Springfield suburb), director, Illinois Department of Registration and Education. Republican: William J. Scott, the incumbent.
Secretary of state — Democrat: Alan J. Dixon, state treasurer (his term has two years to run), and Vince Demuzio, Carlinville, a state senator, also in midterm. Republican: William C. Harris, minority leader of the Senate.
Comptroller — Democrat: Michael J. Bakalis, Downers Grove, the last elected state superintendent of public instruction, 1971-75, and Roland W. Bums, Chicago, director, Illinois Department of General Services. Republican: George W. Lindberg, Crystal Lake, the incumbent.
Howlett, Hartigan, Partee, Dixon and Bakalis were endorsed by the regular Democratic organization. Alter, Stackler, Demuzio and Burris are running with Walker on what the latter has termed a "team."
Others filing during the period December 8-20 included 70 candidates for the 24 congressional seats, almost 500 state legislative candidates, almost 200 judicial candidates, and more than 40 candidates for multicounty educational service regions and a sanitary district.
The filings for the General Assembly revealed that 11 senators and 31 representatives did not seek reelection to their present posts, but over half of them including Senators Demuzio, Harris and Partee — seek other elective offices.
Among the Democrats, Sen. Michael E. Brady, Chicago, is running for representative in the district he now represents in the Senate; Reps. Arthur L. Berman and Joseph R. Lundy, both of Chicago, vie for his seat. Also running for the Senate are Reps. Samuel C, Maragos, John D. Merlo, and Harold Washington, all of Chicago, and George E. Sangmeister, Joliet. Reps. Jack Beaupre, Kankakee, and James T. Londrigan, seek circuit judgeships. Rep. Ken Boyle, Cartinville, is a candidate for state's attorney of Macoupin County.
Among Republicans, Sen. Harris W. Fawell, Naperville, is running for the Supreme Court in the second judicial district. Rep. James R. Washburn, Morris, House minority leader, is a candidate for Congress. Reps. Webber Borchers, Decatur; Max Coffey, Charleston; John E. Grotberg, St. Charles, and Ronald K.. Hoffman, Westchester, filed for the Senate. Borchers was ruled off the ballot by a five-judge panel on the basis that a conviction of theft and official misconduct had made him constitutionally ineligible to hold office.
Reps. Brian B. Duff, Wilmette; Charles J. Fleck, Jr., Chicago; and Romie J. Palmer, Blue Island, seek circuit judgeships. (Fleck is seeking a Democratic nomination, although he has been a Republican in the legislature.)
Senators not filing for reelection were: Democrats — Kenneth W. Course, Daniel Dougherty and Ben E. Palmer, all of Chicago. Republicans — Terrel E. Clarke, Western Springs; Clifford B. Latherow, Carthage; Tom Merritt, Hoopeston; and Howard R. Mohr, Forest Park.
Representatives not seeking reelection were: Democrats — Joseph Fennessey, Ottawa; John J. "Jack" Hill, Aurora; Charles F. Keller, Effingham; Robert F. McPartlin, Taylor Pouncey, and Gerald W. Shea (his party's majority leader), all of Chicago; Leiand H. Rayson, Tinley Park; and Paul Stone, Sullivan. Republicans — Donald E. Arnell, Chicago Heights; J.W. Carroll, Park Ridge; John C. Hirschfeld, Champaign; Leo D. LaFleur, Bloomingdale; Paul Randolph, Chicago; and Thomas C. Rose, Jacksonville.
Forty of the 59 Senate seats are up for reelection this year, and ail 177 House seats. Winners in the March primary will compete in the general election November 2.
February 1976/Illinois Issues/9