Tag: Election 2022

Budzinski flips 13th Congressional District from red to blue

SPRINGFIELD – Voters in Illinois’ recently redrawn 13th congressional district elected a Democrat on Tuesday night. Republican congressman Rodney Davis represented the district for 5-terms. But now the district will flip blue after first-time candidate Nikki Budzinski secured victory by more than 20,000 votes. Budzinski is a former aide to Governor JB Pritzker and President

JB Pritzker declares victory over GOP challenger Darren Bailey

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker declared victory in his reelection bid over Republican downstate state senator Darren Bailey — in an apparent victory that also clears a path to any future political aspirations. The Associated Press called the race at 7 p.m., based on exit polling. With 20% of precincts reporting, Pritzker led Bailey 60.6% to

Sen. Tammy Duckworth cruises to a second term over Republican challenger Kathy Salvi

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Tuesday coasted to a second term, fending off a challenge from Republican challenger Kathy Salvi to extend her historic Senate career another six years. A spokesperson for Salvi’s campaign said the challenger had called to concede less than an hour after the polls closed. Duckworth declared victory shortly before

Security expert questions election official’s claim of cyber-attack

URBANA – The Champaign County Clerk’s offices reported Tuesday that they seemed to be the victim of a cyberattack on Election Day. The attack, according to a media advisory, resulted in “connectivity issues and computer server performance.” The advisory stated: “These cyber-attacks are a strategic and coordinated effort to undermine and destabilize our democratic process.

Danville election officials adapt to new laws, report a smooth day of voting

DANVILLE – Election officials in Danville said they had to adapt to new voting laws during this year’s midterms on Tuesday. In June, Illinois Senate Bill 825 allowed for several changes to state voting laws. One allows voters to get absentee ballots every year if they sign up just one time. Vermillion County Supervisor of

University of Illinois students report spending hours attempting to vote

CHAMPAIGN – There were long lines for voting across the University of Illinois campus as polls came to a close for the midterm elections Tuesday.  Some voters have said they waited for one or two hours to vote at the university’s Activities and Recreation Center, Sibel Center for Design and Illini Union. “We went to

Champaign-Urbana voters wait an hour or more to cast their ballots

CHAMPAIGN – Polling places in Champaign County saw varied turnout early on Election Day.  Locations including Church of the Living God and the Douglass Center Annex in north Champaign were off to a slow start around 9:30 a.m., with only a few voters at each site.  However, around an hour later, the Good Shepherd Lutheran

First-time voters cast their ballots at the University of Illinois

URBANA – Hundreds of University of Illinois students and other local residents gathered at polling places across campus Tuesday to vote in this year’s midterm election. The university’s Illini Union was filled with lines of voters, with some students bringing their friends to vote for their first time.  “I feel kind of crazy, like why am

State investigators monitoring elections as early voting sets records

URBANA – In Illinois, Election Day is a state holiday to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot. And state officials say you should be able to do it safely. Attorney General Kwame Raoul says more than 170 teams of investigators and assistant attorneys general will monitor elections throughout Illinois. If you witness any illegal

Candidates make final push to get out the vote

SPRINGFIELD – Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker was crisscrossing the state Monday while his Republican challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, focused on the Chicago suburbs as they both made their final pitches to voters ahead of Tuesday’s general election. Pritzker, along with other Democrats at the top of the ticket, held get-out-the-vote rallies at union halls

IL13th Congressional District candidates both expect victory

URBANA- Both candidates in Illinois’ redrawn 13th congressional district say their messages are connecting with voters.  Republican Regan Deering and Democratic candidate Nikki Budzinski both expect victory in Tuesday’s election. Deering says her team spent the last week visiting all the counties in the district. The former educator says cutting crime will be one of her

Right-wing ‘zombie’ papers attack Illinois Democrats ahead of elections

SPRINGFIELD — Since late summer, many Illinois residents have been receiving newspapers that they haven’t paid for nor, in many cases, even heard of. Each paper bears a clear-cut tagline: Real data, real news. And each publication that shows up in driveways and mailboxes carries a partisan punch that’s blatant, but not formally disclosed. “They

Truth Test: Did Nikki Budzinski ‘cash in’ as a political consultant?

CHICAGO — A recent report from the Better Government Association, a nonpartisan watchdog group, called congressional candidate Nikki Budzinski into question for ‘cashing in’ as a political consultant. Budzinski is a Democrat running in Illinois’ 13th congressional district against Republican Regan Deering. “We looked at a powerful government official, state government official, who welcomed and