Comments on Advance Indiana™: The Fix Rates Indy Mayor's Race As One Of Country's Top 10 Races

The Chicago Tribune's John Kass has long writt...

2011-01-15T14:07:19.423-05:00

The Chicago Tribune's John Kass has long written about the Combine between the Republican and Democratic Parties in Illinois. The Republicans don't even compete in the city anymore under the terms of their merger, and they're not doing a good job competing even in the once solidly Republican suburbs anymore.

Here is a site that has some Chicago election resu...

2011-01-15T09:59:07.711-05:00

Here is a site that has some Chicago election results history. If I were living in Chicago, and there were no Republican candidates running in the non partisan or runoff election, I would not vote. Even when I lived in the Chicago area (until I turned 20), I couldnt understand then (and certainly cant now) why there were/are so few GOP votes or voters or candidates for Chicago offices. Bizarre.

http://chicagodemocracy.org/ChooseElection.jsp

From what I can tell, 1995 was the old primary system. My guess is that 1999 was the new non partisan system. 2003 definitely was non partisan.

Yes, I see it has changed. It has been so long sin...

2011-01-15T09:13:56.513-05:00

Yes, I see it has changed. It has been so long since they have had a competitive race it hasn't made any difference. I know it was still partisan when Daley first ran for the office. The race was always over for all practical purposes after the primary under the former system because the Republicans never stood a chance except for when Harold Washington was mayor and so many white voters refused to support him. There were two very competitive races back to back when the Republicans ran Bernie Epton against him and Eddie Vrdolyak. Even though it is technically non-partisan, the major candidates this year are all affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Gary, I was with you but apparently it recently ch...

2011-01-15T08:59:18.056-05:00

Gary, I was with you but apparently it recently changed. Here's something I found explaining the process:

The big procedural change — and here we get to your question, CC — is that Chicago mayoral elections are now officially nonpartisan, meaning the candidates don't declare their party affiliations, not that there's any grave doubt. On the last Tuesday in February, the 22nd, they'll all be listed on the same ballot. If no one gets more than 50 percent of the votes, a runoff election between the top two vote-getters will be held six weeks later, on the first Tuesday in April.

In fact, Chicago has had non partisan mayoral elec...

2011-01-15T00:37:11.273-05:00

In fact, Chicago has had non partisan mayoral elections for some time. There are no primaries anymore. Here is a NYTimes article about the election in 2007, where Daley easily avoided a runoff.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/28/us/28daley.html

2003 was a nonpartisan election too.

Wiki says I am right. http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

2011-01-15T00:33:45.469-05:00

Wiki says I am right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_mayoral_election,_2011

Nope.

2011-01-14T23:48:08.164-05:00

Nope.

I thought the Chicago Mayoral election is a non-pa...

2011-01-14T20:38:46.062-05:00

I thought the Chicago Mayoral election is a non-partisan election like they do in Louisiana.