Illinois--Details

ILLINOIS

22 Electoral Votes

Voting problems in Chicago and Cook County >

Bush-Cheney	Gore-Lieberman
Campaign	Campaign
Bush-Cheney State Chairman: Gov. George Ryan Communications Director: John Pastuovic ...runs a consulting firm in suburban Chicago. Had a similar role in Dole's campaign in 1996. First campaign worked on was Republican candidate for county sheriff in Cook County in 1986. Assistant: Rachel Bogart Coalitions: Adam Aschmann Office: 1480 Renaissance Drive #408, Park Ridge Victory 2000 Exec. Dir: Rich Juliano llinois Republican Party Chairman: Rich Williamson Exec. Dir.: Brad Goodrich	Gore-Lieberman State Director: Shelly Loos ...MW regional desk for Gore's Leadership '98 political action committee; field person for Gore campaign in southeastern Iowa for the Iowa caucuses starting Oct./Nov. 1999 ; then to California; ran the March 21 Illinois primary campaign; convention floor manager at the Democratic National Convention in L.A. (two months working on floor operations); returned to Illinois in late August. Field: Kathy Keenan, Resha Johnson Press Secretary: Yvonne Gonzalez Office: 325 N. LaSalle, Suite 304 Coordinated Campaign Director: Matt Hynes Democratic Party of Illinois Chairman: Michael J. Madigan Exec. Dir.: Tim Mapes
Candidate Travel (Aug. 1-Nov. 7) GWB: 7 trips DC: 7 trips	Candidate Travel (Aug. 1-Nov. 7) AG: 5 trips JL: 4 trips
Nov. 2 -- GWB and LB, DC and LC on "Bringing America Together" tour in Victory 2000 rally at College of Du Page, Glen Ellyn.	Nov. 2 -- AG rally, Daley Plaza, Chicago.
Oct. 30 -- DC Victory 2000 rally at The Gateway Building (Riverfront), Peoria.
Oct. 24 a.m. -- GWB, as part of "Barnstorm for Reform," visits Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights (Northwest suburbs of Chicago).
Oct. 19 -- DC remarks at Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills (Chicago area).
Oct. 11 -- 1. DC and LC arrive at O'Hare, preview "Agenda for America's Greatest Generation" at Centre at North Park, Franklin Park. 2. DC and LC visit Victory 2000 Headquarters in Park Ridge. 3. DC and LC attend debate watch rally at Concorde Banquets, Kildeer.
Oct. 6 -- GWB and LB Victory 2000 rally at Williamson County Regional Airport in Marion (Southern Illinois).
	Sept. 23 -- 1. AG DNC reception, Cadillac Palace Theatre, Chicago ($). 2. AG DNC reception, Hotel Allegro, Chicago ($). 3. AG and JL DNC reception, Cadillac Palace Theatre, Chicago ($). Sept. 24 -- JL speaks to American Israel Public Affairs Committee leaders in Chicago.
Sept. 18-19 Sept. 18 -- GWB meeting with the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #7 at FOP Lodge #7 in Chicago. Sept. 19 -- 1. GWB appears on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Chicago. 2. GWB and LB hold discussion on improving school safety, Beethoven Elementary School (25 W. 47th St), Chicago.
	Sept. 11 -- 1. AG appears live on the Oprah Winfrey Show on WLS Channel 7, Chicago. 2. AG town hall meeting on education, Westhaven Elementary School, Belleville.
	Sept. 5 -- JL holds discussion about tax cut proposals, Kaffee Haus, West Peoria.
Sept. 3-4 Sept. 3 -- GWB airport arrival, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago. Sept. 4 -- GWB and DC attend Labor Day rally at Naperville North High School [scene of open mike exchange about NYT's Adam Clymer], participate in Naperville Labor Day Parade, Naperville. Sept. 4 -- DC and LC attend Taste of Polonia Festival at Jefferson Park in Northwest Chicago.
	Aug. 28 -- 1. JL attends an interfaith breakfast, South Shore Cultural Center, Chicago. 2. JL rally on Medicare and prescription drug benefit, Plumber's Hall, Chicago.
Aug. 22 -- GWB Leadership Forum on Education, Harrison Primary School, Peoria.
	Aug. 20-22 AG and JL "Setting Course for America's Future" Riverboat Tour Aug. 20 -- Tour: Remarks at 15th Street and River Drive, Moline. Aug. 21 -- Tour: Rally, Clat Adams Park, Quincy. Aug. 22 -- 1. AG speaks to 38th General Convention of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, Lakeside Center, Chicago. 2. AG DNC dinner at private residence, Winnetka ($).
Aug. 11 -- DC visits Illinois Employment and Training Center in Moline.
Aug. 5-6 Aug. 5 -- GWB and LB, DC and LC airport welcome, Chicago. Aug. 6 -- GWB and LB, DC and LC Victory 2000 "Change the Tone Tour": 1. Attend church, Sharon Methodist Church, Plainfield. 2. Rally, Joliet Union Station, Joliet. 3. Rally, Normal Amtrak Station, Normal. 4. Rally, Springfield Amtrak Station, Springfield.
	Aug. 4 -- 1. AG addresses International Association of Fire Fighters, Sheraton Chicago, Chicago. 2. AG addresses National Association of Letter Carriers, McCormick Plaza, Chicago.

A Sampling of More Campaign Activity	A Sampling of More Campaign Activity
Nov. 3 -- "Gore Detectors" Govs. Racicot (MT) and Janklow (SD), Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, former Sen. Alan Simpson and Domestic Policy Advisor Stephen Goldsmith appear at Teske Pet & Garden Center in Moline. Oct. 26 -- Former First Lady Barbara Bush "W Stands for Women" event with Illinois Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood, Illinois first Lady Lura Lynn Ryan and others at the Ambassador Banquet Hall in Elmhurst. Oct. 25 -- Lynne Cheney participates in a rally at Cliffbreakers in Rockford and goes to a women's coffee at a private home in Rockford. Oct. 23 -- "Barnstorm for Reform" tour -- Gov. Racicot (MT) and others at Barkstall Elementary School in Champaign. (Oct. 24 -- "Barnstorm for Reform" event at Arlington Heights includes GWB see above). Oct. 22 -- Former President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush speak at Benedictine University in Lisle, part of the "Great Issues Great Ideas" series. Sept. 27 -- Former President Bush appears at the Farm Progress Show in Cantrall.	Nov. 3 -- On behalf of the Gore-Lieberman campaign African American leaders GOTV rally at Calumet Park in Chicago, part of their seven city, three day "Your Vote Counts, Democratic Unity" Tour. Nov. 2 -- As part of a "24-hour Lieberman women fly-around" Rebecca Lieberman (JL's daughter) and Ariela Migdal (HL's daughter-in-law) speak at a supporter assembly at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Oct. 29 -- Rob Reiner, Martin Sheen, Christine Lahti, Dule Hill and Alfre Woodard rally for Gore on the quad at DePaul University in Chicago (party of a multi-state tour). Oct. 27 -- Comedian Al Franken kicks off Get Out the Vote efforts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign. Oct. 17 -- Tipper Gore, heading to St. Louis for the debate, speaks at John A. Logan Community College in Carterville (Southern Illinois). Sept. 22 -- Haddassah Lieberman meets with seniors, their families and senior service workers at Oak Park Arms senior center in Oak Park. Sept. 20 -- Karenna Gore Schiff and Rebecca Lieberman hold an "At the Table" discussion at Lesar Law Building, then address supporters at Shrylock Auditorium stairs, University of Southern Illinois, Carbondale. Sept. 4 --Tipper Gore and Hadassah Lieberman attend the Chicago Federation of Labor Picnic at Navy Pier, then visit the Taste of Polonia Festival, also in Chicago. Also: Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and former Secretary Henry Cisneros all made visits to Chicago on behalf of the Gore/Lieberman ticket.
Television	Television

Some Newspaper Endorsements	Some Newspaper Endorsements
Chicago Tribune --10/29/00 Chicago Sun Times --10/29/00 * Daily Herald (Arlington Heights-- Chicago suburban) Springfield State Journal-Register --10/29/00 Rockford Register Star Bloomington Pantangraph --10/29/00 Decatur Herald & Review Peoria Journal Star --10/29/00 Waukegon News Sun Quincy Herald Whig --10/28/00 Edwardsville Intelligencer	Daily Southtown (Chicago) --11/1/00

Miscellaneous Notes

According to various news accounts, the Bush campaign curtailed its advertising in the state in late September. This led to spokesman John Pastuovic having to answer many questions about "has George Bush pulled out of Illinois?"

Bush and Cheney continued to visit. Victory 2000 sent out over one million pieces of mail. Phone banks ran. And, according to Pastuovic, Bush strategist Karl Rove called Victory 2000 director Rich Juliano on Nov. 1 and told him "you guys did your job," namely forcing Al Gore to spend time and resources in the state.

Some of the groundwork for the Democrats' showing was done starting in about May. Democrats waged a major voter registration drive focusing on African Americans, Hispanics and the extended Chicago suburbs under the direction of Speaker of the House/Democratic party chairman Michael Madigan, with assistance from organized labor. The coordinated campaign continued the effort from July through the Oct. registration deadline. According to Matt Hynes well over 100,000 were registered.

Gore's state director, Shelly Loos, who had run the primary campaign but then gone to work on the convention in Los Angeles, returned in August. She observed later that a continuous presence would have been better in terms of keeping the organization built up. Gore's post-convention riverboat tour made stops in Illinois, so there were visits to prepare for right away. However, as the fall campaign progressed, Illinois did not get a lot of visits from the Democratic candidates. Gore did finish with a flourish, holding a huge rally at Daley Plaza in Chicago on Nov. 2.

Nader
Ralph Nader did two events in Chicago on Oct. 10. He spoke to Teamsters at Teamsters Local 705 auditorium and then held a Super Rally featuring John Anderson, Michael Moore and Studs Terkel at the Pavilion of University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC). (Suggested donation $10. Minimum $7). He visited Chicago again on Nov. 1, holding a press conference at the Hampton Inn-O'Hare in Schiller Park.
Nader State Coordinator: Dan Johnson-Weinberger
Office: 59 East Van Buren, 14th Floor, Chicago.

Buchanan.

Browne. Harry Browne visited the Chicago area on Sept. 29-30. On Sept. 29 he made radio and TV appearances and did a fundraiser at Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel. On Sept. 30 he did a morning rally in Rockford and an evening rally in Arlington Heights.

"Florida on Lake Michigan"
Florida was not the only part of the country to experience voting problems. In Chicago and Cook County, where nearly 2 million people turned out to vote, more than 120,000 ballots did not record a vote for president. In the City of Chicago, 7.04 percent of ballots did not record a vote for president (72,366 of the 1,027,627 voters), and in the 30 townships comprising suburban Cook County, 5.2 percent of ballots did not record a vote for president (49,833 of the 954,729 voters). A post-election study of voting in the City by the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners stated, "[T]he number of votes not recorded for President was alarming." Fall-off rates reached 12.6 percent in the largely Hispanic 12th Ward and 12.4 percent in the mostly African-American 37th Ward. Three precincts in Ward 29 had a fall-off rate of 30.0 percent or higher. Improperly punched chads -- hanging, dimpled, indented and otherwise not registerable -- were the leading problem; overvotes were the second biggest category. The study concluded that "persons in disadvantaged social-economic areas, where the education level is lower, had the most difficulty in executing a properly cast ballot." In suburban Cook County, according to a report by the county clerk's office, "Higher fall-off rates were more likely to occur in less affluent townships with large Hispanic and African American populations and less likely in more affluent, predominately white townships." The highest fall-off rates occurred in Cicero Township (8.8 percent), Calumet Township (7.2 percent) and Leyden Township (7.1 percent); a sampling of precincts found one precinct with a fall-off rate of 21.2 percent.

In the 1996 presidential election the fall-off rate in the City of Chicago was 3.71 percent and in the 1992 presidential election it was 3.20 percent. Several factors may have contributed to the deterioration in 2000. This was the first presidential election in which voters did not have the straight party punch option (due to a law passed by the General Assembly in 1997). The Board of Election Commissioners' report notes that, "Many voters were casting a ballot for the first time or after a long absence from the polls." Finally, Cook County voters faced a very long ballot with more than 70 judicial retention races.

The high fall-off rate in the presidential race could have been markedly reduced. The City had a system (Precinct Ballot Counter 2100 by ES&S) which screens punchcard ballots for errors such as undervotes or overvotes at the polling place, thereby allowing the voter to go back and make corrections, but the State Senate refused to allow this to be used.

Postscript
In January 2001 the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against the State Board of Elections and the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, charging that Chicago's voting system violates the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Also, as a result of a Cook County Circuit Court preliminary order, ballot screening was tested in Feb. 27, 2001 special aldermanic elections; voting errors were markedly reduced. In addition, the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners planned an extensive voter education campaign.