Q&A: Primary Election Time

The primary election may be months away, and the general election almost a year in the future. But local and state leaders have already filed candidacy petitions, and campaigns are rolling for votes next year.

Q: Is this the final version of the ballot I will see in March?

A: Possibly not. There are candidates having their petitions challenged.

In St. Clair County Board District 6, Christopher Jenkins, of East St. Louis, filed to run as a Republican. He only needed five signatures to get on the ballot as a Republican; he turned in 19 signatures.

However, because his two pages of signatures weren’t numbered, his petitions were challenged, and the St. Clair County Electoral Board granted the objection. Jenkins was removed from the ballot.

On Monday, the St. Clair County Electoral Board, comprised of State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly, Circuit Clerk Kahalah Clay and County Clerk Thomas Holbrook, heard 18 objections. Seven of the cases involve County Board seats. Other cases involved precinct committeemen races. The board denied seven objections, granted two, and has yet to rule on nine objections.

There also are objections pending to the candidacies of State Sen. Napoleon Harris and Elizabeth Diane Pahlke, who are running for U.S. Senate. Harris is running for the Democratic nomination, and Pahlke is running for the Republican nomination.

No objections were filed in Madison County.

Q: There are a lot of candidates who are unopposed. Does that mean no one else can run and that person is automatically elected?

A: There is still a way those candidates could be opposed, according to Madison County Clerk Debbie Ming-Mendoza: if the opposing party chooses to caucus. That means after the primary, the party leaders get together and nominate a candidate without going through the primary.

If, for example, a Democratic candidate has no Republican opponent, the Republican Party could caucus to nominate a candidate. That candidate would have to circulate petitions for the minimum number of signatures and submit them to the clerk’s office by May 31, Ming-Mendoza said.

Also, if a candidate did have a challenger from the other party, but the challenger dropped out after the primary, that candidate’s party could caucus to name a candidate by Aug. 25 — but that candidate would not have to circulate a petition to be slated. That rule only applies if there was a candidate in that party who dropped out after the primary, Ming-Mendoza said.

Q: Why is the state comptroller up for election?

A: When previous comptroller Judy Baar Topinka died before starting her term, Gov. Bruce Rauner appointed Leslie Geisler Munger to fill the office. However, before Rauner took office, state lawmakers scheduled a special election for the statewide executive seat to decide who would serve the last two years of the comptroller term.

Q: What is likely to be the most-watched race in Madison County?

A: Madison County’s biggest race is likely to be the County Board chairman race, as Democrat incumbent Alan Dunstan is challenged by the current treasurer, Kurt Prenzler (R-Edwardsville). Dunstan and Prenzler have a long history of disagreements on a variety of issues, including county finances and projects such as the Madison County Jail renovation.

“I intend to run a positive campaign. This county has done a very good job; I believe we are in better financial shape than any other county in the state,” Dunstan said. “We have a good budget, our levy is down and we have no debt. I imagine the state of Illinois would like to be in the position we are in now.”

Prenzler announced his run last month.

“The chairman has been in county government for 35 years and is a product of the political machine that has controlled this county for decades,” Prenzler said. “The machine works for its own benefit and not for the taxpayers. I want to return control back to the people.”

Q: What is likely to be the most-watched race in St. Clair County?

A: In St. Clair County, Board Chairman Mark Kern is running for a fourth term. In the November general election, Kern is set to face Republican Rodger Cook. The two previously faced off in 1997 when Kern unseated Cook to become Belleville mayor.

Q: When is the primary election?

A: The Illinois primary will be Tuesday, March 15. Early voting begins in February. For more information on voter registration and polling places in Madison County, go to www.madisonvotes.com. For more information on voter registration and polling places in St. Clair County, go to www.countyclerk.co.st-clair.il.us. For more information about voting in East St. Louis, go to www.eslelections.org.

This story was originally published December 14, 2015 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Q&A: Primary Election Time."