Here Come The Petitions, And Petitioners | Progress Illinois

In the basement of the Cook County building at 69 W. Washington this morning, dozens of candidates (or their stand-ins) for Chicago mayor, alderman, city clerk, and treasurer lined the walls, waiting to turn over thick folders -- or cart loads -- of nominating petitions to representatives from the Chicago Board of Elections.

November 15 is day one in a week-long stretch where the candidates can start handing in signatures they've gathered from registered Chicago voters. It's the official kick-off day for an unprecedented city election cycle -- one that does not include Richard M. Daley at the top of the ticket for the first time in decades. 

Today's scene was a mixture of practical politics (turning in petitions puts you in a lottery for ballot order if there are at least two candidates) and political theater (candidates gave interviews to the press, made introductions and offered bullet-point plans). For the would-be Chicago mayor, the number of nominating petitions they hand over is a first and somewhat arbitrary indicator of the strength of their campaigns. Or at least of the prowess of the petition collectors. Rahm Emanuel and Carol Moseley Braun each claimed some 90,000 signatures; candidates Gery Chico and Danny Davis both reported more than 50,000.

Besides the mayor seat, all 50 aldermanic positions are up for grabs next February, and Progress Illinois also tracked down a few City Council candidates in 69 W. Washington to ask about their campaigns. Some candidates weren't shy about hitting incumbents they're challenging on policy differences. Temoc Morfin, who is running against Ald. Danny Solis in the 25th Ward, for example, pointed out he'd support the Chicago Clean Power Ordinance if elected. Valerie Leonard told Progress Illinois she wants to create a committee to address education in the 24th Ward and establish a tax increment financing oversight council. One consistent theme incumbent aldermen and City Council hopefuls alike raised was the possibility that the council will be stronger and more robust in the post-Daley era. Whether that comes to pass remains to be seen.

Here's a selection of clips of aldermanic candidates talking about issues and the relationship between Chicago's mayor and council.

There is, needless to say, much more to come.

via progressillinois.com

Posted via email from Brian's posterous