Primary setback means quiet spring…maybe

Most Illinois political types are usually gearing up their campaign engines about now, with the anticipation of a spring primary.

But this year, they have to adapt a strategy used by their friends across the river in Missouri for a summer primary.

The Illinois Primary is June 28 this year. June 28. Illinois primaries have always been…flexible. Back in 2008, it was moved to accommodate the junior Illinois senator from Chicago who many thought was tilting at windmills in running for president again Hillary Clinton, who had already been coronated by many (wouldn’t be the last time that would happen).

Oh, and keep your birther comments to yourself. When he lived in Illinois before becoming president, Barack Obama lived in Chicago. Do your rabbit hole on your own time.

The later primary certainly helps Governor JB Pritzker. The many Republicans running for the nomination have to spend more money beating each other up before the primary and will have less money to go up against Pritzker in the general.

Of course, it doesn’t matter when the primary is because Pritzker would outspend and all of them combined regardless of the date.

Now the official reason for moving what would have been the March 15 primary to June 28 was because census data was delayed by the Corornavirus pandemic and that data was needed to redraw district maps.

The legislation that Governor Pritzker signed on Friday also makes curbside voting a permanent fixture, creates polling places in certain jails to allow prisoners awaiting trial to vote and makes the Nov. 8 general election a state holiday.

But with all 21 Adams County Board races up following redistricting as well as a sheriff’s race, state representatives and statewide offices, 2022 still promises to be busy. But if not for the pushed-back primary, we would already be off and running.

So the election cycle for this year now looks like this:

• January 13: Candidates begin circulating petitions.
• March 7-14: Petitions filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections.
• March 30-June 23: Requests for mail-in ballots
• May 19: Early voted begins for June 28 primary.
• June 28: Primary.
• November 8: General election.

November 8 is also my wife’s birthday. Guess I’ll ask her if she wants to hang out with me on Election Night for her birthday.

And that probably means we’re having pizza.

J. Robert Gough is the publisher/general manager for Muddy River News.