Four candidates are running for two seats in the Democratic primary for the Champaign County Board in District 6. Michael Richards now sits on the board; the other three would be newcomers. The candidates and their website and/or e-mail addresses are:

• Michael Richards (countyboarddistrict6@gmail.com)
• Pattsi Petrie (pattsi2@gmail.com)
• Debby Auble (debbyauble1@gmail.com)
• Joshua (Josh) Hartke (jthartke713@yahoo.com)

It’s great to have choices. Check out the candidates, ask them questions, and make your choice on February 2!

Three candidates are running for two seats in the Democratic primary for the Champaign County Board in District 9. All three would be newcomers to the board. The candidates and their websites are:

• Chris Alix
• Scott Bennett
• James Quisenberry

It’s great to have choices.  Check out the candidate’s websites, ask them questions, and make your choice on February 2!

Here are the most requested dates & deadlines for the general primary election on February 2, 2010. For complete information, and to verify your voter status, visit the County Clerk’s site.

First day for absentee ballots: Thursday, December 24, 2009.
Last day to register: Tuesday, January 5, 2010.
First day for early voting: Monday, January 11, 2010.
Last day for early voting: Thursday, January 28, 2010.
Last day for absentee ballots: Monday, February 1, 2010.
ELECTION DAY: Tuesday, February 2, 2010.

Note: Starting with this election, voters do NOT have to specify a reason for requesting an absentee ballot. Absentee voting is available for everyone.

The 2009 Democratic Fall Dinner will be served Sunday evening, October 11, 2009 at the I-Hotel and Conference Center on St. Mary’s Road at the corner of First Street in Champaign.

US Senate candidate David Hoffman and Congressional Candidate (15th) David Gill will discuss federal issues in the 2010 election.

We are honored to welcome Governor Pat Quinn and State Comptroller Dan Hynes as featured speakers. They both seek nomination in the February 2, 2010 Primary Election as our candidate for Governor next Fall.

State Representatives Art Turner (9th) and Mike Boland (71st), State Senator (30th) Terry Link, and union electrician Thomas Castillo, candidates for Lieutenant Governor, will also address us.

Former State Representative (38th) Robin Kelly and former TSA offical Justin Oberman will speak in support of their candidacies for State Treasurer.

Former Deputy State Treasurer Raja Krishnamoorthi will speak as candidate for State Comptroller.

Also scheduled to join us are State Senator (52nd) Michael Frerichs, State Representative (103rd) Naomi Jakobsson, and State Rep Candidate (110th) Dennis Malak. These candidates are not opposed in the Primary Election.

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and hear these candidates in person in the good company of your fellow Democrats!

Check this post occasionally for the latest speaker information, and use it to invite your friends and associates to participate.

Follow this link to obtain a copy of our Fall Dinner Flier and Reservation Form for your use. See you at dinner!

When: Noon Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009.
Where: Large Pavilion at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana.

Meat, soft drinks, and table service will be provided. Please bring a dish to share. Donations are welcome.

Volunteers are needed to set up, serve, and clean up. Please contact picnic chair Dorothy Neumann at neumando3530@yahoo.com or 344-1427 if you can help.

Mahomet will hold its annual River Festival and Parade this weekend (August 28-29, 2009). There will be entertainment and activities starting Friday afternoon on Main Street, and the Champaign County Democrats will have a booth along with the Sangamon Valley Alliance. Come, visit and listen to the great lineup of bands that will be playing both Friday and Saturday.

The Parade kicks off at 10:30 am at the Lincoln Trail School lot on the corner of State and Division, and there will be a float for the Democrats and the SVA. Meet up with us after 10 am Saturday and hop on the float for a ride through Mahomet!  The event is well attended and for all you early candidates this is a good time to get in front of the western Champaign County crowd.

The County Fair is underway and we have a tent on the midway for Democrats to visit, get informed and rest up from all the rides and food at the fair. If you would like to visit or even better volunteer for a time or two, contact Sandra Hansen: 217-469-2418, or <shansen1@sbcglobal.net who is available to slot you into a shift at the tent. Sandra is best reached by phone in the evenings so give her a call.  It is lots of fun, you meet many folks and do not forget Democrat Day is July 28th . The fair runs from Friday July 24th to Saturday August 1st.

Special Events: Tuesday July 28 is the Fair’s “Democrat Day”, with Harness Racing on the half mile, when our candidates are introduced to the crowd at 12:30 and/or 7 pm. New this year, we are declaring Wednesday, July 29 as “Senior Democrat Day”, when seniors (age 60+) get free gate admission to the fair until 4pm, and Democratic seniors are invited to congregate at our tent.

Also new this year, the fairgrounds will be open to the public for lunch until 1 pm on weekdays.

See you at the fair!

The summer is here and parade season marches in with all the fanfare and floats one could ask for. The Champaign County Democrats will march in four parades celebrating Independence Day, 2009. All Democrats need to get their shoes laced and their wave perfected, it’s all in the wrist by the way, and come on out to walk and show your support.

Parade times below are start times; arrive a half hour early to help set up. Wear or display your favorite Democratic (past, present, or future) candidate’s regalia!

GIFFORD: Saturday, June 27, 2:00 pm, south side of town. (DONE)

RANTOUL: Saturday, July 4, 10:00 am, Maple Grove Shopping Center, #22. (DONE)

URBANA: Saturday, July 4, 1:00 pm, Illinois Street & Lincoln Ave, #83. (CANCELLED)

HOMER: POSTPONED to 6:00 pm SUNDAY, July 5th, Grade School on First Street.

Please come out and enjoy! Who can resist showing party unity and strength in what looks to be the beginning of a very interesting primary season.

Democratic County Chairs in the 15th Congressional District received the following announcement this morning (6/3/2009) from David Gill.

After a great deal of thought, I have decided to run once again for our 15th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. While I failed to win the seat in 2004 and 2006, I made a great deal of progress, with the help of many people throughout the district. I relocated to McLean County in 2007, and I am very excited about the prospects of victory in 2010.

Dr. Gill has been considering this for some time, and has been working to develop a strategy for victory in 2010. All “Friends of Gill” can reach him at docgill37@yahoo.com.

Petitions for David Gill will generally be available for signature at all Champaign County Democratic events this fall, such as the Urbana Farmers Market each Saturday morning.

See and listen to Dr. Gill in clips from his earlier campaign. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vduwg9PkmY0

With several recent news items regarding conflicts between County and Township entities, one wonders if the multilayer nature of Illinois Government is a thing of the past. There is a real need to be cost effective these days, and more than ever the function of a Township, especially an urban one, may be an added burden no longer relevant. Once the only real form of rural representation, most of the work in the township short of the road maintenance may best fall on a more central form, with the opportunity for more uniform coverage.

Recently the conflict was once again seen at the county level when a local Township supervisor, John Jay of Mahomet, who is also a County Board member from District One, had to abstain from a vote at the county level because his township protested the Wind Farm Ordinance. Had Mr. Jay not been in both positions he would have had an opportunity to vote for his District, he chose to be in several places at once and in doing so served none.

The same could be said for a bulk of what happens daily, the filter of controls now steps slowly through these many layers, some with very different mindsets, before the rubber hits the road. Does Newcomb Township need a plan commission? They serve no planning function and only seem to serve to protest County actions. Likewise, does Mahomet Townships plan commissioner, a Realtor and developer, have the best interests of the Township or his income in mind when their function again is only to protest.

Why so much overlap? There seems to be little cohesiveness between townships and their operation, and with plan less plan commissioners and poorly attended township business meetings, with little public access to the information they are acting on, perhaps it is time to pull the strings a little tighter and save some resources everywhere we can.

Please discuss.