As Obama and Huckabee take Iowa, Illiniois rachets up for our primary on Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008. Here are two voting guides - one for the Democratic primary and one for the Republican - with the ballot listings and links to the official campaign web sites. Now, you can decide if Obama or Huckabee is your choice, too.
2008 Illinois Democratic Primary Presidential Candidates - Ballot and Official Websites
2008 Illinois Republican Primary Presidential Candidates - Ballot and Official Websites
UPDATE: Since I first posted this, I have also put up a Guide to the Illinois Green Party Primary Presidential Ballot 2008.
Barack Obama, at left, and Mitt Romney, at right, will be at the top of the Illinois Democratic Presidential Primary ballot and the Illinois Republican Presidential Primary ballot, respectively.
Obama photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images
Romney photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Comments
Why do we have primaries? Only Republicans and Democrats can vote in them, so if you are neither, you’re left out, disenfranchised, so to speak. As a citizen who is neither, I protest the use of my taxes for this. If the
two parties want a primary, let *them* pay for it, or else include all candidates.
Just to clarify, you are allowed to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary regardless of your point of view or affiliation. There will also be a green party primary this year, too.
I think — but am not sure — that you could even write in your candidate of choice on those ballots.
But, I get that the thrust of your main point is that the primaries benefit and use public resources for established parties only and you’re against that.
Whether or not you agree with the Green Party, do you find it hopeful for your point of view that they have earned a share of those public resources with a primary of their own?
–J
Just let me get this straight…even if your registered as an Independent you can still vote in the Illinois Primaries? I was always led to believe that the Primaries were just for the registered Democrats and Republicans of that state. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Hi Sheila,
I do believe you are wrong for the state of Illinois. In Illinois, you are entitled to show up and choose a ballot from either the Republicans, Democrats, or the Green Parties. I also believe there may be a “non-partisan” ballot that has just the referenda on it and none of the party candidates.
Here is the wording from the Cook County Election Department’s website:
“Illinois law requires voters to select a party preference in order to vote for candidates in primary elections. Non-partisan ballots contain only referenda (with the exception of Winnetka, which has some non-partisan local trustee candidates on the ballot in this election). Therefore, please note that if you request a non-partisan ballot, you will not be able to vote for President or any other office.”
So, my understanding is that “selecting a party preference” is simply telling the election judge that you want a Democratic, Republican or Green party ballot. My guess is that any of these parties would also welcome an independent with open arms! But, if you want to refuse the affiliation with either of these parties, you can and you can vote for the local issues only.
I’m guessing your perception is correct for the way primaries work in other states.
Hope that helps.
Best,
Jennifer Roche
Guide to Chicago
About.com
How exactly do your register yourself as an independent anyway? You don’t! You’re just a registered voter and you consider yourself an independent. The previous poster has it correct. You show up at your polling place, they check your name, etc, on the voting records and then they ask you whether you want a Dem or Repub ballot and then you vote. I guess you could do the non-partisan ballot but really what’s the point? You know, I’ve always been bugged by the concept of “the independent voter”. The media makes them out like they are so special and better than the rest of us. Really, they’re just people who can’t make a decision and prefer to ride the fence. Make all the noise you want about the two party system but it’s the way it’s done. If you have a major problem with it, do something about it rather than grousing on an internet site.
God Bless America!
This link explains it well. You can vote as an independent in the primary but have to pull a democratic OR republican OR green ballot and only vote on those candidates….
http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2008/01/06/news/local/doc4780b9c667a58883421022.txt
This is not true. I am registered as an independent voter and it says so on my card. I don’t know about the primary situation in Illinois, but in some states this restricts the primaries in which I can vote.
The probelm with the two party is that they have slected the poeple for you, you can’t select the person that closely matches you your values. WHY SHOULD WE SETTLE FOR PEOPLE THAT DO NOT REPRESENT WHAT I AND OTHER STAND FOR! The Democrats and the Republicans have a lot of people that are sheep, they will disregard what they believe just to win, they forego what is important to them to be on the wining team, and it is sad that they feel they have to go along to get along!
Why didn’t I get my absentee ballot then for the primary???