EDITORIAL: Election season -- again -- intrudes on lazy, hazy days of summer
Souped-up candidates are soliciting petition signatures, and voters should hope they do a bang-up job of following the rules so as to avoid those tiresome petition challenges political parties and individual candidates use to try to knock their opponents off the ballot.
Petition challenges are one of the tactics both parties use to try to win elections before a single vote is cast. On one hand, it's anti-democratic, but on the other, candidates owe it to their supporters to handle that aspect of their campaigns with care.
Tuesday was the first day to collect signatures. The filing period runs from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3 as the prelude to the March 17, 2026, primary and the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
The 2026 midterm election features many important offices at the federal, state and county levels.
At the federal level, Illinois voters will elect a replacement for retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin as well as members of the U.S. House.
At the state level, legislative candidates will be running. But that's mostly an illusion because gerrymandering of General Assembly districts has for the most part, eliminated voter choice.
On a statewide basis, candidates for governor, state treasurer and comptroller will be on the ballot.
The latter two offices, for the sake of efficiency, should be combined. But that's politically off limits because it would mean one fewer state office available to the politically ambitious.
Illinois' statewide office situation is unique. Majority Democrats have a plethora of candidates seeking their party's nominations for various offices while Republicans are having a horrible time coming up with credible alternatives to incumbent Democrats.
On a county basis, the treasurer, sheriff, and county clerk and recorder's offices, as well as county board seats, will be on the ballot.
Illinois' political calendar is obviously front-loaded, and it's fair to ask why it's rushed. The answer, of course, is that those who wrote the rules decided it was to their advantage to shorten the decision-making period for those who might consider running.
Why hold a primary in cold-weather March when the general election isn't held until November — eight months later? Why not schedule a primary somewhere between June and August?
There is simply no need — other than that of self-interested politicos — to front-load the process in such a heavy-handed way.
Then again, there is no real need to hold local elections for school boards, city councils or townships in off years, when voter participation dramatically declines.
There is much wrong with government in Illinois, most spectacularly the pervasive corruption.
But the election system is tilted away from serving the public interest to serving narrow party interest. That makes it all the more important for the public to pay close attention to government at all levels and those who run it.
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a few seconds ago
- Yahoo
China Commerce Ministry Expert Sees Uncertainty Despite US Truce
(Bloomberg) -- Trade ties between the world's two biggest economies remain vulnerable to uncertainty even though President Donald Trump extended a pause for elevated tariffs on Chinese goods for another three months, according to a senior researcher at the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing. A better outcome for China would include a mechanism to ensure both sides make good on bilateral agreements, said Zhou Mi, an expert at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, a think tank that operates under the aegis of the ministry directly involved in the trade talks. Sunseeking Germans Face Swiss Backlash Over Alpine Holiday Congestion New York Warns of $34 Billion Budget Hole, Biggest Since 2009 Crisis To Head Off Severe Storm Surges, Nova Scotia Invests in 'Living Shorelines' Chicago Schools' Bond Penalty Widens as $734 Million Gap Looms A New Stage for the Theater That Gave America Shakespeare in the Park The Trump administration 'frequently sends out a range of signals, often through its negotiation tactics and public statements — some of which even contradict each other,' Zhou said in an interview on Tuesday. 'This creates a climate of uncertainty that makes businesses and markets increasingly concerned about the stability and outlook for economic and trade policies between China and the US, as well as the US and other countries,' he said. The measured tone is a reminder of the threats that linger as China and the US try to hammer out a more lasting agreement. With ties still in flux, companies will likely find it difficult to plan for long-term development, or accurately assess potential returns and risks, Zhou added. Trump's order, signed just before a tariff hike set for Tuesday, prolonged the truce through Nov. 10. The decision came weeks after negotiators from the two countries agreed to a preliminary agreement on the delay in Sweden. Despite the pause, US tariffs on Chinese goods are already at 55% on average, much higher than the rates imposed on other countries. It's a discrepancy that's caused a slump in shipments to America this year even as Chinese exports soared to other markets. Ideally, Zhou said, China would like to bring US tariffs down through negotiations to their level prior to Trump's first term as president, which was at the most-favored-nation rate in low single digits. Restrictions in other areas — such as investment, technology collaboration and cultural exchange — should also be reduced to 'lower the costs of cooperation,' he said. Importantly, stable institutional safeguards need to be established, to 'ensure that current commitments and mutual agreements are fully implemented and minimize the chances of major changes or disruptions in the future,' Zhou added. Why It's Actually a Good Time to Buy a House, According to a Zillow Economist Bessent on Tariffs, Deficits and Embracing Trump's Economic Plan The Social Media Trend Machine Is Spitting Out Weirder and Weirder Results Klarna Cashed In on 'Buy Now, Pay Later.' Now It Wants to Be a Bank The Game Starts at 8. The Robbery Starts at 8:01 ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rep. Nancy Mace brings SC governor campaign — and protesters — to Rock Hill
Dozens of protesters chanted 'Nancy Mace is a disgrace, wasting time and spewing hate,' outside of a brewery Monday night as the South Carolina Republican congresswoman brought her gubernatorial campaign to Rock Hill. The demonstration continued throughout the evening near the venue entrance. Meanwhile, inside Hoppin', off of Dave Lyle Boulevard, Mace delivered a speech focused on her campaign promises and congressional record, kicking off with a few jabs at the protesters outside, calling them 'lunatics' and using a transphobic slur. 'These are the people who are very confused,' she said. 'They're all messed up.' Mace said she welcomed the protests and open dialogue. However, some protesters, including one who showed The Herald a screenshot of her ticket, said they registered for the event and were denied entry. 'They're hiding behind a mask because they're too scared to show their face,' Mace said. 'They're not man enough to come into the room and ask the tough questions.' Protesters said they opposed Mace's anti-LGBTQ stances, many of which she touted during her event, including strict bathroom rules and defunding schools that recognize transgender students' pronouns. Brian, a South Carolina resident who organized the protest and declined to provide a last name, said the protesters planned on showing up to every Republican campaign event possible leading up to the election. Inside the brewery, attendees mostly supported Mace. During her Q&A period when one protester took the microphone to ask about Trump's executive orders, two attendees shouted 'nobody likes you,' and 'we came here for Nancy not you.' When Mace called abortion 'murder' after being questioned about defunding medical care for women, attendees applauded. As the protester left the room, Mace told the woman to tell the other protesters 'hi,' again using a transphobic slur. What would Mace do as SC governor? Last week, Mace joined U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, South Carolina Sen. Josh Kimbrell and Attorney General Alan Wilson in the crowded Republican primary field to succeed term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster. Norman, notably, is the Rock Hill area's congressman. Mace led an early South Carolina Policy Council poll with 16% of Republican respondents saying they would vote for her in a primary as of July 28. Still, 52% said they were undecided. On Monday she called the Republican primary a 'two-man race' between her and Wilson. Mace reiterated multiple times her support for President Donald Trump and hope that he would endorse her run for governor. Trump supported Mace in her campaign for Congress in January 2024, and she supported his 2024 presidential campaign over that of former Gov. Nikki Haley, who endorsed Mace two years earlier. On Monday, one of her first public stops since announcing her run, Mace told an audience of around 60 people she would fire anyone bringing undocumented people into the country, veto funding for any school that 'thinks men can get pregnant,' and be tougher on crime. 'I'm going to hold the line against illegal immigrants. I'm going to hold the line against DEI. I'm going to hold the line against this woke agenda that's being pushed,' she said. Mace unveiled her 'path to prosperity' for South Carolina, stating she would lower state income tax to zero over five years by capping general fund spending, cutting state agencies and eliminating some departments. She also promised to push for anti-immigration policies such as fining businesses that hire undocumented workers, working with the federal government to deport undocumented immigrants and ending 'sanctuary loopholes.' Mace said she would take a tough approach to crime, implementing the death penalty for people who rape children and enforcing strict laws against people experiencing homelessness. Mace's educational pitches focused largely on anti-LGBTQ measures. She said she would 'ban pronouns,' and 'child porn in libraries.' She also advocated for school choice and expanding the number of charter schools in the state. Mace said she opposes the Silfab Solar manufacturing facility in Fort Mill because she knows local residents do. 'I share the anger of local residents who feel like they've been duped,' she said about the facility. 'As governor, this would not happen on my watch.' What did attendees say? Wayne Collinson said that he came to the Monday night rally to understand how Mace reconciles her relationship with Trump and what her claim of being 'Trump in heels' means for the people of South Carolina. Some attendees told The Herald they support Mace because they think she brings new ideas to the Republican party. 'I think it's really good to have women's views in the Republican caucus,' said attendee Matt Mikkelson. 'She's a small business Republican in a small, limited government. Hopefully she will talk about fiscal issues and she will be smart with money and careful of taxpayer dollars.' Stephanie Neuman said she thought Mace shared strong points with the crowd but there's a way to get a point across while also being kind. 'I am not in the camp where spewing names towards people gets you any other respect or results,' Neuman said. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump Says He's Calling Musk's ‘Big Balls' After Bloody Attack
President Donald Trump called teenage ex-DOGE staffer Edward Coristine a 'beautiful, handsome guy' and said he was going to personally check in on him after a brutal carjacking. The 19-year-old, who goes by the nickname 'Big Balls,' was left bloodied after an alleged carjacking in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. The president posted a gruesome photo from the crime scene on his Truth Social account on Tuesday, before threatening a federal takeover of D.C. to lower the crime rate. Coristine was approached by at least two teenagers at around 3 a.m., according to a police report. Metropolitan Police arrested a 15-year-old male and 15-year-old female, both of Hyattsville, Maryland, and charged them with unarmed carjacking. Trump posted on his Truth Social account on Tuesday, referencing how the teen was 'beaten mercilessly by local thugs.' He did not name Coristine, but called him an 'incredible young man.' On Wednesday, Trump revisited the topic, again appearing to reference the staffer known as 'Big Balls', who now works for the Social Security Administration after leaving DOGE. 'We have a capital that's very unsafe,' Trump said in a press conference at the White House. 'You know, we just almost lost a young man, beautiful, handsome guy that got the hell knocked out of him the night before last and, uh, I'm going to call him now. We wanted to give him a little recovery time.' Trump continued, 'We just put a call into him. They're calling back in a little while, but he he went through a bad situation to put it mildly, and there's too much of it. We're going to we're going to do something about it.' The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia for an update on Coristine's recovery. The teen made headlines earlier this year when he was hired by Elon Musk to overhaul the federal government as part of DOGE, his ballsy nickname coming from his LinkedIn profile. He left in June, after working on projects including Trump's 'gold card' visa, which was created to sell U.S. citizenships for $5 million apiece. DOGE worker Marko Elez paid tribute to 'my friend Big Balls' calling him a 'hero' on Tuesday. Elez wrote that he took the photo Trump posted. As of Wednesday, Elez has pinned the post, which is now the only post on his entire X account. Speaking at the press conference, Trump continued his threat to take federal control over Washington, criticizing everything from graffiti and roads to the crime rate. 'We're going to beautify the city,' Trump said. 'We're going to make it beautiful. What a shame the rate of crime, the rate of muggings, killings and everything else... He added, 'This has to be the best-run place in the country, not the worst-run place in the country and it has so much potential and we're going to take care of it. You're going to be you're going to be safe. You're going to be safe walking down streets. You're not going to get mugged.'
