Another campaign season has officially begun. Monday, Dec. 12, marked the opening day of the week-long petition-filing period for the March 21 primary.
More than 100 people stood on icy sidewalks in snow flurries outside the board offices and crowded inside its doorways at 8 a.m., assuring they would at the least take part in a lottery to determine who gets the top ballot position in various races, the Tribune reported. Petitions on behalf of about 400 candidates were filed by the 8 a.m. deadline; the first contender in line was a Springfield alderman seeking the Democratic nomination for a state legislative seat.
Three of four announced Republican candidates for governor filed by 8 a.m.: businessman Jim Oberweis, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka and State Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington. Chicago businessman Ron Gidwitz was waiting until the last day of the filing period to turn in his papers along with his lieutenant governor preference, State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin. An attempt by Oberweis to forge a strong conservative team was dealt a setback when Salvi, wife of unsuccessful U.S. Senate and secretary of state candidate Al Salvi, decided to file as a candidate in the GOP primary for the 8th Congressional District. The seat is currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean of Barrington, who also filed for re-election.
Petitions for Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich were filed along with those of the Democratic Party's slate of statewide candidates, including incumbents Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, Secretary of State Jesse White, Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, Comptroller Dan Hynes and slated treasurer candidate Paul Mangieri of Galesburg, Knox County's state's attorney.
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner candidate Debra Shore filed more than 20,000 signatures in her bid to become the first conservationist in more than 24 years elected to the board of one of the largest wastewater treatment agencies in the nation. ( She needed just 8,000 to qualify for the ballot. ) Shore is also endorsed by the national gay/lesbian political organization, The Victory Fund, and is backed by Ald. Tom Tunney and State Rep. Larry McKeon.