UNION LEADERSHIP WILL JOIN US
TOMORROW NIGHT.
>> IN A TYPICAL YEAR ILLINOIS
WOULD BE DEEP IN THE THROES OF
CAMPAIGN SEASON.
THE PRIMARY WOULD BE TAKING
PLACE NEXT WEEK.
INSTEAD ELECTION SEASON IS JUST
GETTING UNDERWAY THE FIRST DAY
CANDIDATES WERE ABLE TO FILE TO
RUN INTO A JUNE PRIMARY.
AMANDA VINICKY JOINS US WITH
MORE.
>> YEAH, PARIS IT WAS COLD AND
SNOWY IN ILLINOIS' CAPITAL CITY
BUT NO MATTER.
FOLKS SCORES REALLY SPENT HOURS
OUTSIDE AND ALIGNED IN A
NON-DISCRIPT STRIP MALL WHERE
THE ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF
ELECTIONS IS BASED.
SIMILAR HOW FOLKS USED TO CAMP
OUT AND BUY CONCERT TICKETS.
THESE WERE NOT JUST RANDOM
ANYBODIES.
SOME WERE PROMINENT POLITICIANS
OTHERS ARE ASPIRING TO BE.
>> THAT'S DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
IT IS A SPECIAL DAY.
AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AND
THIS IS HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE.
>> I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AN
IMPORTANT PHASE IN THE PROCESS
OF GETTING YOUR NAME ON THE
BALLOT AND IT STARTS WITH THE
PETITIONS.
I'M HONORED TO HAVE PEOPLE HELP
ME CIRCULATE MY PETITION.
>> WE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE FROM
VOTERS AT THE DOORS AND YOU WILL
SEE THAT WEE WE FILE OUR
PETITIONS.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT CAMPAIGN
SEASON 2022.
>> THAT IS A CUSTOM TO GET MEDIA
ATTENTION AND A CHANCE FOR A LEG
UP.
ANYONE IN LINE TO FILE PETITIONS
BY THE TIME ELECTION AUTHORITIES
OPEN THEIR DOORS THIS MORNING
HAD A CHANCE TO BE LISTED FIRST
FOR THEIR RACE ON THE BALLOT.
A POSITION THAT COULD MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IF THERE IS A CLOSE
CONTEST N ORDER TO MAKE IT ON
THE BALLOT ILLINOIS CANDIDATES
HAVE TO COLLECT SIGNATURES FROM
REGISTERED VOTERS.
THE AMOUNT VARIES, BUT FOR
STATE-WIDE CANDIDATES THOUSANDS
OF SIGNATURES ARE REQUIRED.
SOME CANDIDATES FILING FOR LOCAL
OFFICE HERE IN COOK COUNTY
SOUNDED LESS THAN ENTHUSED.
>> THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT
ELECTION I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
IN.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS CHICAGO.
THIS IS WINTER, THERE IS A
PANDEMIC.
THEY SQUEEZED US USUALLY WE HAVE
90 DAYS WE HAD 60 DAYS TO GET
PETITIONS.
PEOPLE DID NOT ANSWER THEIR
DOORS.
LOVE RING CAMERAS THEY DON'T
WORK FOR US.
>> THIS IS THE MOST CHALLENGING
PETITION DRIVE WE'VE HAD IN
LARGE PART BECAUSE OF WEATHER
AND THE SHORTENED TIME PERIOD.
AND THE PANDEMIC I MEAN
EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF MADE
IT MORE CHALLENGING.
>> COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT
TONI PRECKWINKLE HAS DONE THIS
ROUTINE BEFORE AND IS RUNNING
FOR A FOURTH TERM OF OFFICE SHE
HAS HELD SINCE 2010.
AND PRECKWINKLE IS CHAIR OF THE
COOK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY SO
SHE HAS RESPONSIBILITIES TO
INSURE THAT PETITIONS FOR OTHER
CANDIDATES SLATED BY THE PARTY
ARE IN ORDER.
PRECKWINKLE DID NOT MENTION
ANOTHER REASON THAT VOTERS MAY
NOT BE KEEN TO SIGN PETITIONS.
BUT THEY MIGHT BE FED UP,
DISGUSTED WITH POLITICS.
PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF
WEDNESDAY'S INDICTMENT OF FORMER
ILLINOIS HOUSE SPEAKER AND
FORMER DEMOCRATIC STATE PARTY
CHAIR MICHAEL MADIGAN.
>> THE CHARGES ARE AGAINST
SPEAKER MADIGAN.
HE IS THE ONE WHO IS TO BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE.
>> DO YOU THINK VOTERS RECOGNIZE
THAT, THOUGH?
>> YOU KNOW I'M HOPEFUL THAT IS
THE CASE IT'S TO BE DETERMINED I
SUPPOSE.
>> PRECKWINKLE DID NOT VOICE
CONCERN ABOUT MADIGAN BEING A
DRAG ON DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS
ARE SURE TO SPEND THE NEXT THREE
MONTHS TRYING THEIR DARNEDEST.
>> I'M HEARING THAT THEY BELIEVE
CRIME IS OUT OF CONTROL UNDER
J.B. PRITZKER.
CORRUPTION IS OUT OF CONTROL.
AND OUR RESIDENTS OF ILLINOIS
WANT A DIFFERENCE THEY WANT
SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO LOOK
OUT FOR THEIR INTEREST.
WHAT MAKES THIS EXCITING FOR US
IS THAT KNOW THAT WE HAVE A
DISTINCT MISSION.
PRITZKER AND THE DEMOCRAT PARTY
HAVE FAILED ILLINOIS.
BEEN SERVING FOR THREE YEARS
NOW.
PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THAT.
THE GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT IS ALIVE
AND WELL WE HAVE 20,000
SIGNATURES TO TURN IN AND WE'RE
PROUD OF THAT AND WE THINK THAT
REFLECTS OUR MOVEMENT.
>> WHAT WE NEED TO REMEMBER IS
SPEAKER MADIGAN IS THE SYMPTOM
HE IS NOT THE CAUSE OF
CORRUPTION IN ILLINOIS.
WE NEED A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN
OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM AND IT
STARTS REALLY WITH VOTERS
ELECTING CANDIDATES AND
OFFICIALS THAT ARE TRUSTWORTHY.
>> REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR
ILLINOIS' GOVERNOR IS AMONG THE
CROWDED CONTESTS YOU SHOULD SEE
ON THE BALLOT.
BUT THERE ARE RACES FOR
CONGRESS, FOR SECRETARY OF
STATE, AND ALSO FOR COOK COUNTY
SHERIFF.
ONE CHALLENGER RUNNING FOR
SHERIFF GOT TEARY TALKING ABOUT
THE GRAVITY OF SUBMITTING THE
ELECTION PAPERWORK AND WHAT IS
AT STAKE IS HER CAMPAIGN IS NOW
REALLY BEGINNING.
>> THIS IS A HUMAN JOB.
THIS IS A POSITION ABOUT PEOPLE.
IF YOU LOSE, THAT EMPATHY, YOU
CANNOT CONNECT.
>> THAT FIRST TIME CANDIDATE
EMOTIONAL, EXCITED BUT AS WE
NOTED EARLIER, SOME CANDIDATES
HAVE REALLY BEEN SAYING IT'S
BEEN TOUGH TO GET THE REQUIRED
SIGNATURES AND THAT IS
ESPECIALLY THE CASE OFTEN FOR
FIRST-TIMERS WHO LACK MONEY AND
WHO LACK POLITICAL
ORGANIZATIONS, HELPERS TO GO
DOOR-TO-DOOR TO GET THE
SIGNATURES.
THOSE CANDIDATES HAVE ANOTHER
WEEK TO GET THAT JOB JOB.