Legal Glitch Snarls Bush's Spot on Illinois Ballot

[newyawker99]

CHICAGO (Reuters) - For want of a small change to the Illinois election law, President Bush's name is not supposed to be on the state's November ballot, but officials said one way or another, it will be there.

The glitch arose because the Illinois legislature adjourned earlier this week without extending the Aug. 30 deadline for presidential candidates to be certified by the state elections board and qualify for the Nov. 2 ballot.

The relatively late dates of this year's Republican Party convention, running Aug. 30 to Sept. 2, mean that Bush will not be the official nominee until after the deadline set in state law. Eight other states had the same problem but fixed the date. As a result Illinois, is the only state where Bush could be left off the ballot.

But Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, indicated the problem must be fixed somehow. "President Bush has to be on the ballot," he said.


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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13440-2004Jun3.html

[iamjoy]

1. Don't Fix It!

would serve them right for having their convention so late!
:evilgrin:

[gatlingforme]

7. Bush had his so late to he could rack up the money in

campaign contributions. They should have looked into each states policies regarding election laws. Money grubbing bastards is what they are. With no brains.

[maxpower]

2. Doesn't Matter

Illinois is solidly Dem. He doesn't stand a chance.

[benburch]

3. Matters a lot.

If Bush is off the ballot, no Republican will stand a chance. GOP turnout will be miniscule.

I hope that the Illinois Libertarian Party succeeds in its attempts to keep him off the ballot.

[maxpower]

4. Good point

However, He still won't stand a chance. And if he's not on the ballot, the repugs won't show up in the numbers he needs to make a showing as a write in.

[benburch]

5. Illinois has very restrictive write-in rules.

You can no longer just write somebody in!

To be legally written in you must file signatures with each and every county in which you will be a write-in, and those signatures must be on file quite some time prior to the election. I don't think Bush could mount a state-wide write-in candidacy, either.

[mopinko]

6. fuck bending the rules

why should we be bending the rules for these fuckers. fuck them!

[Bluzmann57]

8. 100 pct. agreed

they were "letter of the law" during the Clinton years, so why aren't they that way now? Hypocrites.

[metisnation]

9. agreed

put it to a special vote of the people rod let it be the will of the people in IL that Bush is off the ticket and maybe he will be on. we would be doin him a favor by keeping him off the ticket GW will be embarrassed in IL.

[lil-petunia]

10. Either way its ok with me

unless we start using Diabold Voting machines.

then, look out, honey, better strap yourself in.

[gatlingforme]

11. We also have to remember that is when he takes his vacation,

I mean even a war will not stop Bush from clearing brush at his ranch.