If there is one race that Kendall County Republicans need to have in the win column, it is the race between Debbie Gillette (R) and Patricia Feeley (D) for County Clerk and Recorder. During the Monday night meeting of the Kendall County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC), Chairman Keith Wheeler emphasized how important it will be to get out the vote for Gillette.
“It’s critical for all of us to realize just how important every vote counts,” Wheeler said. “When President Bush won the state of Florida in 2000, he won by only 537 votes. That equates to 0.009 percent of the total amount of votes cast in that state. If it is that close in Kendall County for the Clerk and Recorder’s race, it could come down to less than 5 votes.”
Wheeler’s math is correct. In a race decided by one thousandth of a percent, average voter turnout totals of 20,000 in Kendall would mean that two votes might potentially separate winning from losing, and if voter turnout doubles as some are predicting, then four votes may make the difference in who takes this hotly contested race.
In fact, it is not only GOP leaders in Kendall who look at this race as vital, but so do State of Illinois GOP officials. Wheeler announced during the meeting that the KCRCC requested and received funding from the state party’s election coffers in order to subsidize the cost of a 20,000 piece county-wide mailing on behalf of Gillette’s campaign bid.
The mailer, unveiled at the meeting, contains a photo of each Kendall County elected government office holder (all Republicans) standing with Debbie Gillette in support of her campaign. The two-sided piece states, “The success of this community is due to the tremendous Republican leadership that holds most every office.” And it goes on to point out that Feeley’s relationship with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley could mean that Kendall elections may be in the hands of a former Cook County Democrat, who learned her politics during Chicago-style elections. The mailer states, “The last thing Kendall County needs is Chicago-style politics.”
Constitutional Convention Referendum
In other news, a significant amount of discussion took place regarding the state-wide referendum on the November 4 ballot that asks Illinois voters if they wish the state to conduct a convention in order to revise the state’s constitution. The question, which is put to the state’s registered voters every 20 years, is getting a lot of attention since Illinois last held a constitutional convention in 1970.
Some lawmakers are saying that certain constitutional item on the books from 1970 are inappropriate in today’s day and age, while even older laws need to be looked at again. Opponents to the referendum say that the cost of conducting such a convention would reach as high as $100 million and in an era of economic crisis is foolhardy. Still others say that the election of convention delegates would be tainted since the Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in the House and Senate and the convention would enable certain lawmakers to push for a specific liberal agenda.
Yorkville attorney Carlo Colosimo said, “The referendum is meant to take our eye off the ball and the more important issues that face our state. There is nothing wrong with the current Illinois constitution. What we need to change are the members of the General Assembly that are not doing their jobs. They each took an oath to uphold the constitution. We just need to put the right people in state-wide office that will uphold the constitution, not change it to their liking.”
