Ready ... set ... debate the big issues of 2010
Just when you had recovered from 2008 election fever ... a new strain arrives!
As difficult as it is to believe, the 2010 election cycle is officially here.
And in Illinois, “here” comes a little sooner than normal.
That’s because the Illinois Legislature (at least its Democratic members) wanted to give Barack Obama some early momentum in his 2008 presidential bid. So, the primary election that year was moved up to the first week of February.
Apparently, it didn’t hurt.
What might hurt is trudging through 2 feet of snow next Feb. 2 to vote in the primary election, since we’re apparently stuck with an early primary for eternity.
But it you’re going to involve yourself in Illinois politics, you might as well be wearing boots.
DON’T BE alarmed.
Our preview today of the 2010 election on Pages 1 and 5 does not mark the onslaught of wall-to-wall coverage of the campaign.
Political filings begin Monday, so we thought it was important to drop the green flag at the official beginning of the race.
This newspaper will follow developments as politicians formally file their candidacies next week, and when candidates hit the campaign trail in the weeks and months ahead (some are already out there).
But concentrated coverage of the primary won’t likely start until you voters really begin to get interested in the primary: About a week or so before the election.
If a local candidate does or says something especially newsworthy – good or bad – you will read about it this newspaper.
But the candidate profiles and issue statements are lost on the vast majority of voters if we publish them too early.
So we will ramp up coverage as the interest of readers peaks in the days before the election.
OF COURSE, THAT assumes the primary election will have contested races to pique the interest of readers.
Most public offices are likely to be uncontested when Democrats and Republicans decide on Feb. 2 just who will be on their ballots for Nov. 2.
Election Day in November will hold considerably more interest. Sheriff’s races, for example, always draw a crowd.
But those offices certain to be contested in the primary – governor, U.S. Senate, some congressional districts – are not the kind to excite many voters.
It often is a challenge to convince people that they should vote in a primary election that has few – if any – local contests.
Especially when there’s 2 feet of snow.
OUR PLAN is to make the voting process as understandable as possible.
Along with our coverage in the print edition, we will maintain information on saukvalley.com to help acquaint you with the candidates, present you with the issues, and otherwise offer you an online, 24/7 resource for information you need and want to participate fully in the 2010 election.
We want to prevent any voting booth surprises that leave you unprepared to make decisions you need to make during those few minutes you spend at the polls twice each election year.
The 2010 ballot will include local, state and federal offices. We will elect a governor next year, as well as a U.S. senator for Illinois. Not to mention (and hardly anyone does) regional school superintendents.
PRIMARY ELECTIONS are really political party functions where even non-partisans get to play.
In the primary, you have to declare a Democratic or Republican ballot if you want to help one of those parties to select nominees for its November ballot. That function might best be left to the political organizations themselves.
But somewhere in the 20th century, many states became infected with the populist notion that government ought to run the nomination process for the parties so that everyone could participate. Voters have responded with a resounding yawn.
What’s not to like about voting for precinct committeemen and state central committeemen? Lots, apparently.
Primary elections often struggle to attract 20 percent of registered voters.
Imagine the turnout if it snows 2 feet.
AS YOU MIGHT have read elsewhere in this section, changes in state law are designed to encourage voting.
You no longer have to make up an excuse – or even have one at all – to vote an absentee ballot by mail.
The deadline to register and vote has been extended 3 weeks beyond the registration deadline.
And the state has expanded the minimum hours and sites for the final weekend of early voting.
At a time when many states are enacting measures that seem designed to discourage voting (e.g., strict identification requirements), the Illinois approach seems downright democratic (small “d”).
Maybe that will offset some of the vote-suppressing cynicism that naturally grows amid a culture of political corruption for which Chicago and Illinois are infamous.
Maybe.
AS ALWAYS, WE welcome comments (online) and letters (in print) about the candidates and the campaign.
A newspaper is the foremost facilitator for political debate within almost any community.
Online capacity is unlimited, and we will devote extra columns in the print edition to accommodate election letters.
We have more than 40,000 daily print readers and (in September) 96,000 unique monthly visitors online who look to this newspaper for information.
What better place to start a debate?
Whenever you’re ready.
