THE ILLINOIZE: Mazzochi's last chance (maybe)...What I'm thankful for in Illinois
November 22, 2022
Good morning, Illinois.
We’re going to take the rest of the week off, unless, of course, anything crazy pops up. I’ll be filling in Friday from 4-6pm on WMAY in Springfield. You can listen live at www.wmay.com.
I’m on dressing, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie duty Wednesday. We roasted our own pumpkins and made our own stock. You have to bring it on Thanksgiving.
Thanks for all of your support. I’m thankful for you.
Let’s get to it.
SUPREME COURT SIDES WITH MAZZOCHI (FOR NOW)
In a decision late yesterday, the Illinois Supreme Court denied a request from the DuPage County Clerk to continue counting mail-in ballots checking signatures based on their application for a mail-in ballot instead of their registration.
Last week, a DuPage County Judge ordered DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek stop using any signatures on a Vote by Mail application to validate signatures on a VBM ballot. When a voter traditionally goes to the polls, signatures are checked to their voter registration.
The validity of the ballots could determine whether Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) can make up a deficit in her race for re-election. As of Monday, Democrat Jenn Ladisch Douglass leads Mazzochi by 343 votes.
Kaczmarek has not returned messages from The Illinoize.
In a statement, Mazzochi said the Clerk is ignoring the law.
“What is unprecedented is a Clerk who ignores what the Legislature wrote into law, and what our Circuit Court said the law is, to insist that she alone knows best,” Mazzochi said. “The Circuit Court agreed that the law does not allow the Clerk to clear vote-by-mail ballots with a vote-by-mail application signature comparison. The Clerk’s continued refusal to comply with the law and the Circuit Court’s order is sheer arrogance.”
The DuPage County Temporary Restraining Order remains in effect. It isn’t clear whether DuPage County will be able to certify the race today, which is the deadline to count late arriving mail in votes.
WHAT I’M THANKFUL FOR IN ILLINOIS POLITICS
Politics can be pretty sour, especially in an election year.
So, in our last newsletter before Thanksgiving, I wanted to lay out a few things in Illinois politics I’m thankful for.
Politicians get all of the attention, and they give a lot of their time and efforts to the state. Most are in it for the right reasons, but I’m thankful for the staffers who sit through hours of committee hearings, draft and edit and negotiate legislation, and work themselves to the bone trying to win campaigns. They’re the real rock stars in government.
I’m thankful for our history. Lincoln and Reagan and Obama are obvious responses that go down in the history books, but all you have to do is look around our state at the incredible pieces of history, including the Old State Capitol (above), which is my favorite historic site in Illinois.
This state is beautiful. I’m thankful for everything you have to see. We visited Galena for the first time this year. I continue to be amazed at the things Chicago has to offer. Springfield’s history and the majestic natural beauty of southern Illinois continue to amaze. And, you know what? I love the cornfields as you drive up I-57 or I-55. Iowa ain’t got this.
I’m thankful for our future. Sure, things are tough for a lot of families out there and there are many people that believe the state is a lost cause. There are a lot of really smart and committed people trying to make the state better. We may not have the same path to doing, so, but with a little guy who turns one Thursday, I know the future is worth fighting for.
What are you thankful for? Drop me a note at patrick@theillinoize.com.
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