Thread: Are the polls closed yet in IL?

Check our lively thread over here too:

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-102146.html

I posted this at 7:29pm Central Time.

AP: Obama, McCain win Ill. primary

Updated 7m ago


RESULTS: FEB 5, 2008

USAALAKAZARCACOCTDEGAIDILKSMAMNMONJNMNYNDOKTNUT

Illinois
Complete results

Democrats Vote % Del
Obama 0 0 -
Clinton 0 0 -
Edwards 0 0 -
Biden 0 0 -
0% of precinctsUpdated: 8:24 PM

Republicans Vote % Del
McCain 0 0 -
Huckabee 0 0 -
Romney 0 0 -
Paul 0 0 -
0% of precinctsUpdated: 8:24 PM

CHICAGO (AP) — Barack Obama, senator from Illinois, has won the Democratic primary in his home state, while Arizona Sen. John McCain has won the Republican primary there, according to the Associated Press.
Earlier Tuesday, drawn by a historic choice and wide-open tickets, Illinois voters hit the polls in droves as they helped decide one of the richest prizes in the nation in the presidential race.

The high-profile contest to pick the first black or female presidential nominee helped lure tens of thousands of early voters. The weather turned blustery and cold across the state as the evening rush hour arrived, raising concerns that some of Illinois' 7.1 million registered voters might stay home.


RESULTS: The primary in Illinois

The GOP fight for the state's 57 delegates focused on McCain, coming off a strong victory in Florida, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who campaigned here over the weekend.

But all eyes were on the battle between Obama, the freshman Illinois senator who launched his campaign almost exactly a year ago, and Hillary Clinton, the New York senator who grew up in suburban Park Ridge.

At Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School on Chicago's South Side, Obama and his wife, Michelle, were greeted by cheers as they arrived to cast ballots. Obama shook hands with the crowd and shouted, "Are you fired up? Are you ready to go?"

Some 350 miles away, at the southern tip of Illinois, 49-year-old food inspector Willis Jackson of Cairo cast his vote for Obama.

"I think he's somebody fresh," Jackson said. "We need somebody fresh in there."

Illinois traditionally holds its primary in mid-March, when results in early states have often settled the nominees. This year, state lawmakers moved the primary up to give Obama a boost in the battle for some of the state's 153 Democratic delegates — third-most of all Super Tuesday states.

Dan White, executive director of the Illinois State Board of Elections, said no major voting problems had been reported, though Cook County officials said at least two polling places in the Chicago area would stay open an hour later after getting a late start.

In previous presidential primaries, Illinois has had a voter turnout slightly under 30%. But other important races could add to the tally, including congressional seats being vacated by Republicans Dennis Hastert, Ray LaHood and Jerry Weller. Democrats had some key primaries as well, including a field of candidates running against Rep. Dan Lipinski.

In McLean County, officials said turnout appeared to be headed much higher than the 31% for the 2004 presidential primary. The county, anchored by Bloomington, had already set a record for early and absentee ballots.

Jackson County Clerk Larry Reinhardt said his staff had sent out the highest number of ballots ever for a primary election, about 16,000, and some precincts were requesting more on Tuesday.

"That means we're setting records in those precincts," Reinhardt said.

Voters trickled into a polling place at the Eugene Field School in Park Ridge, the same school Clinton attended as an elementary student. Debbie Kelly, 41-year-old a self-employed contractor, said she planned to vote for Clinton.

"I would love to see a woman in office," she said. "Other countries have done it and I think it's time for the U.S."

McCain, meanwhile, may have benefited from crossover voting. Steve Greenberg of Grayslake, a registered Democrat, couldn't decide between the top two candidates on that slate and thought his vote would be more valuable on the Republican side.

"I like both Hillary and Obama," said Greenberg, 39. "I went with McCain because if the Democrats lost, I'd be more comfortable with him."

Others said they were keeping their Republican allegiance.

In the St. Louis suburb of Columbia Lee, Thompson — a registered Republican and finance officer at a Harley-Davidson dealership — gave Romney his vote, calling the former Massachusetts governor "a very squared-away guy" and problem-solver.

Thompson's example: Romney's work in resurrecting the Salt Lake City Olympics after they became mired in a bid-rigging scandal and financial troubles.

"From the Olympics to what he's done in life, he's done it on his own," Thompson said.

Casey Beck, a 19-year-old sophomore at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, said he cast his first-ever vote for Obama — and against Clinton, who called a product of Washington. Obama, he said, is "not like a Washington guy."

Beck said his top issue of concern was the war in Iraq, where a few of his high school classmates are serving.

"I want us to get out of Iraq ... (but) I don't want us to just leave Iraq and it turn back the way it was," he said. "I don't think Barack would do that."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/e ... mary_N.htm

I've been involved with elections for many years and I have never seen anything like this!

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

I've been involved with elections for many years and I have never seen anything like this!

W

It certainly is stomach turning.

In Illinois it isn’t so much the presidential candidates as much as it is the delegates that get votes. Yes we vote for the delegates here as well. You can vote of total 4 delegates. (2 regular and 2 alternate delegates) You know which delegate to vote for by the presidential candidate name that fellows the delegate.

Example: Deleagate_name (president candidate name).

You can actually vote for Romney and also for Mc Cain delegates. I do not who or why anyone would want to do that, but we can here. And it’s the delegate count that they are calling the winner on, not really the presidential candidate.


McCain won a huge Hispanic vote; actually the majority of Hispanics that call themselves Republicans are liberal Republicans type.

I'm with you, W. I have never seen such a goofy election year. All the crooks and special interests must be working overtime to get things to swing their way.

Yes! My man for Senate won.

Steve Sauerberg 7,948 = 62.10%
Andy Martin 3,433 = 26.82%
Mike Psak 1,418 = 11.08%

Steve is our best chance at ousting Dirtbag Dick Durbin.


Steve Sauerberg’s radio ads are the only ones that stated “Stop Durbinâ€

[quote="MadInChicago"]Yes! My man for Senate won.

Steve Sauerberg 7,948 = 62.10%
Andy Martin 3,433 = 26.82%
Mike Psak 1,418 = 11.08%

Steve is our best chance at ousting Dirtbag Dick Durbin.


Steve Sauerberg’s radio ads are the only ones that stated “Stop Durbinâ€