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Legislative Action



Moving the primary election




By BRETT D. JOHNSON

On January 14, 1987, Todd Sieben stood in the chamber of the Illinois House of Representatives and took the oath of office as the new representative from the 73rd district. Eight months later he began circulating petitions to run for reelection. Campaigns must begin that early in Illinois because primary elections are held in March.

Primary dates in Illinois

1910 First primary election established on the second Tuesday in April.
1913 Primary election date changed to the first Wednesday after the second Tuesday in September, keeping April for electing delegates in presidential years.
1921 Primary election date changed back to the second Tuesday in April.
1965 Primary election date for all officials moved to the second Tuesday in June.
1970 Primary election date changed to the third Tuesday in March.

Source: Legislative Research Unit.

For first term representatives, that presents a problem. Sieben said the first year tends to be a time for newcomers to learn the mechanics of the General Assembly, leaving little time for any major action. But because of the early date, candidates have to file ballot petitions in December. "As an incumbent you would have your record to run on," Sieben said. "As a freshman, I have not been involved in leadership on any controversial issues."

Sieben is not the first legislator to recognize this problem. Several proposals have been made to move the primary to later in the year. Yet three years after the Governor's Commission on Election Reform concluded that the primary needed to be moved, the election is still held in March. Proponents cannot agree on a new date for the primary, political leaders will not force the issue, and opponents fear a later primary will benefit their political enemies.

"Incumbent legislators like the March primary because it helps them," said Patrick Quinn, the crusader who led the fight for the Cutback Amendment in 1980. A March primary requires circulation of petitions in November and campaigning in January and February. Quinn said that makes it difficult for insurgent candidates to be elected.

Although he did not challenge an incumbent, Sieben faced two opponents in the 1986 primary election. "I did a lot of door-to-door campaigning," he said. "That's not easy to do in March in northwestern Illinois." Besides the cold weather and snow that hampered his efforts, Sieben also noted the difficulty of putting up yard signs when the ground is frozen.

Political parties also have a stake in the fight. "The present system plays into the hands of the political parties," said James M. Banovetz, professor of public administration at Northern Illinois University. He said if a primary is held later in the year, the successful candidate can just continue the motion started for the primary election. An early primary creates a period of reduced activity, giving the party a chance to get involved. Banovetz also said that reluctance to pass legislation moving the primary may be based on suspicion because "the politicians and voters generally are very wary of the unknown."

The lack of a consensus on a date is a major cause for the defeat of the various proposals. Problems have been cited with every date between April and September. Either the election would fall too close to the end of the spring legislative session, during summer vacations or too close to the general election. While Senate President Philip J. Rock (D-8, Oak Park) has supported moving the primary to September, House Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D-30, Chicago) won't make any commitment. "It's a sensitive issue among Democrats who are in power, as well as Republicans," said Gary J. LaPaille, Madigan's chief of staff. LaPaille said proponents of moving the primary need to form a consensus as to a date before the bill will receive the speaker's support. "It's not a priority issue," he said.

Rep. John W. Countryman (R-76, DeKalb) a member of the House Election Law Committee, said Madigan does not want any bill changing the election code to be called for second reading on the floor, where amendments might be added. If amendments are added that change the election code against the speaker's liking, then House Democrats will have to go on record against what might appear to be election reform, Countryman said.

Gov. James R. Thompson will not work to find a compromise date either. "I don't see him selecting a date and dictating it to the General Assembly," said Thompson spokesman Jim Bray. But Bray said Thompson would probably sign a bill approved by the General Assembly, unlike his predecessor, Gov. Dan Walker, who vetoed a 1975 bill that would have moved the election to May.

Banovetz said the positions of Madigan and Thompson are typical when political leaders don't support an issue. "Endorse the issue and then take steps to make sure it never happens," he said.

A May primary would shift the filing date for candidates past the Christmas holidays, reduce the chance of bad weather on election day and shorten the time between the primary and the general election, said former Gov. William G. Stratton, co-chair of the 1985 election reform commission. "I support any plan they come up with that would shorten the campaign period and push back the filing date," he said "These campaigns are too long and too costly. We have to do something about it. Moving the primary would be a step in the right direction."

Five bills were introduced in last year's General Assembly session to move the election to later in the year, but none of them was approved in committee or called for floor debate in either chamber. But Senate President Rock believes that the problem is mainly in the House. "We've passed it three or four times and it never got out of the House," Rock said. "There are some people in the House who don't want to tinker with it." Rock suggests the


March 1988 | Illinois Issues | 25


Democrats fail to oust LaRouche from ballot

Following two key victories by followers of Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr., the state Democratic party has abandoned a fight to keep LaRouche out of its Illinois presidential primary. The fight ended February 3 in a circuit court, when a Cook County judge upheld an earlier decision by the State Board of Elections. During the challenges LaRouche disciples and Democratic party leaders waged a symbolic war of words. Although LaRouche has retained his ballot position, the Democrats feel they have sent a message to the electorate.

The fight was over LaRouche's right to have his name listed on the presidential preference ballot, better known as the beauty contest. Although the results have no impact on the election of delegates to the national nominating convention, state Democratic chairman Vince Demuzio announced in January: "It is our intention to send Lyndon LaRouche a message that we will not be a haven for fringe candidates."

Demuzio found grounds to challenge LaRouche's ballot petitions: They had 5,378 signatures which is over the statutory maximum of 5,000.

LaRouche supporters countered that challenge with their own symbolic message. Announcing the newly formed International Commission to Protect Human Rights, LaRouche backers brought to Springfield a member, Dr. Ricardo Martin Mora, a former deputy attorney general of Peru. They claimed that by attempting to knock LaRouche out of the race, the Democratic party was violating citizens' rights to choose the candidates. "I am upset I have to come to the United States to bring to attention these bad politicians' efforts moving the United States to a police state like the Soviet Union,'' Mora said through an translator.

The State Board of Elections ruled in late January that LaRouche would be listed on the ballot, basing its decision on an Illinois Appellate Court case, Richards v. Lavelle, that removal from the ballot was too severe a penalty for filing too many signatures.

After the circuit court upheld the board, the Democratic party reversed its stand on further appeals. Demuzio said: "We made our point." Brett D. Johnson


problems lie with Chicago Democrats. "I have heard that precinct captains in Chicago favor the colder weather to deter non-organization candidates from circulating petitions," he said.

But some Chicago Democrats disagree with Rock's assertion. "It would not be injurious, in my opinion, to hold the primary in July," said Cook County Democratic Chairman George W. Dunne. Although the Cook County Democratic party has no official position on the issue, Dunne said he supports the measure: "I certainly think it would be better to have a shorter campaign period." Yet Rep. Douglas Huff Jr. (D-19, Chicago), chairman of the House Election Law Committee, does not push for a change. "I would leave it just where it is, just where tradition has set it," he said.

Rep. Robert J. Piel (R-79, South Holland) would like to see the primary held in April. "May is bad becauses leases in the city of Chicago are up and people move," Piel said, noting that many Chicago renters would not be able to register in time to vote in a May primary. Piel also noted that a May primary would fall during planting season for farmers, thereby making it hard for them to vote. This view was also included in Gov. Walker's veto message of the 1975 bill. But given better roads and modern machinery used in the farming process, this is no longer seen as a major problem. "Really, there aren't that many people involved in the farming process anymore," said John M. Kuntz, clerk for rural Iroquois County.

Some legislators fear a later primary date would lower Illinois' clout in presidential election years. In fact Sen. Harlan Rigney (R-35, Freeport) introduced a bill last session to move the primary up one week. "I wanted to get Illinois in Super Tuesday," Rigney said. Former Gov. Stratum sees the later primary as a benefit in presidential years. He noted that a large state like Illinois is more influential if delegates are elected later since many candidates falter after the early primaries.

Sen. Dawn Clark Netsch (D-4, Chicago) has pushed for a plan that answers the fears of those afraid of losing clout in presidential elections, yet moves the primary for local officials to September. Her proposal retains the March primary in presidential years solely for electing delegates the national nominating conventions. "A lot of states have September primaries with no consequence," Netsch noted.

With primary elections in September, there would be some problems with the general election only two months later. Under current law election materials must be sealed for 60 days after the primary. This creates a problem with a September primary since absentee ballots must be printed 40 days before the November general election. Fred Spier, director of elections for Sangamon County, warned that contested primary could upset the schedule. "There's a risk of not getting ballots printed on time," he said.

Netsch said she has met with county clerks and would introduce legislation to simplify procedures for election officials if her proposal is approved. Yet none of these changes are provided for in her current bill, so the County Clerks Association continues to oppose her proposal.

Interest groups, such as the League of Woman Voters, have voiced concern that a September primary would complicate efforts at public education. "It would be very difficult for groups like ours to get information out to the voters before the general election," said Mary Ellen Barry, president of the Illinois chapter.

Yet other states, notably New Hampshire, have a system similiar to what Netsch has proposed. This year three states participating in Super Tuesday on March 8 will nominate state officials as well, one week before Illinois. But all other states participating in Super Tuesday will hold later primary elections for state officials.

Summer primary dates are considered out of the question, since vacations might lower voter turnout. This view is held by several legislators, although the Illinois Legislative Council (now the Illinois Legislative Research Unit) concluded in a 1985 report that the month the primary is held has no significant effect on voter turnout.

Rep. Carol Moseley Braun (D-25, Chicago) has, since her first term in 1979, introduced legislation to move the primary to the first week of May. "I frankly would like to see some debate on when would be the best time for a primary," Braun said.

But until sponsors like Braun really push for their proposals, no debate will take place. And representatives like Todd Sieben will have to continue starting their campaigns 11 months before the general election. □


March 1988 | Illinois Issues | 26



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