A reader writes in:"Just thought I would write you about my poll experience this morning. I was voting at Lawrence House (Lawrence and Kenmore) and, as I was going through the line, a woman brought an issue to the attention of one of the judges there. The issue was that the public questions (referenda) for the 46th and 48th wards were not on the ballot. The judge was very helpful; he checked their other ballots and then called Voter Central. Voter Central, apparently after checking with their "top guy", they were told that the questions were struck from the ballot (even though the judge said they were on the ballot when he did early voting). The judge pressed the Voter Central rep. on the phone, but they stood by this story. He explained all this to the woman voter, but still encouraged her to call her voter rights number."
i voted early and the referendum was on there.
ReplyDeletemaybe they didn't like how the early results were tallying up.
Isn't it possible that the voter didn't live in one of the few hand-picked precincts? Remember most of us don't get to vote on the Uptown referendum.
ReplyDeleteTheir was a guy passing out vote 'YES' to the TIF referendum little slips of paper to everyone in line @Truman early this morning.
ReplyDelete~Heard interesting conversation in line between 2 guys behind me in line about how Alderman Shiller is screwing over the poor people at Wilson Yard ....how it is gone from low income to luxury condos at over a thousand dollars rent per month. I was going to jump in this conversation but honestly it probably would of sounded like I was defending Shiller if I told them the facts, I think they would of been all for it as is. Intrestingly enough it sounds as if no one trusts her, not even her own constituents.
I voted at Truman college early this morning and saw a man campaigning for the 40% TIF $ for affordable housing referendum outside the building.
ReplyDelete"Their was a guy passing out vote 'YES' to the TIF referendum little slips of paper to everyone in line @Truman early this morning."
ReplyDeleteisn't campaigneering illegal at the polls?
I heard a very interesting piece on NPR this morning about federal money being made available to buy up abandoned and foreclosed properties and redevelop them as "affordable housing."
ReplyDeleteApparently the funds have been allocated to cities (Miami and Chicago being the top two largest recipients), but they have not decided which communities will get their share of these funds.
Isn't one of the referenda about this issue? The money will be given out to specific developers to use while naming the social service organizations that will manage the properties. This is why there is a vote option out in our neighborhood.
This is equally if not more meaningful to us than the TIF issue. IMHO.
There were flyers inside of my mid rise building from Northside Action for Justice urging tenants to "Vote Yes" on the survey. They were in front of every door INSIDE THE BUILDING.
ReplyDeleteNAJ Flyer
Outside the polls at Truman College, SEIU employees were handing out this flyer, also from NAJ.
SEIU NAJ Flyer
As of 8AM at Truman, for the 42nd Precint of the 46th Ward(In survey precint), the polls were open for 2 hours, 43 ballots had been cast, and 19 of them were provisional ballots(that's 42% of the ballots. Typical rate is 20%). I sat there with 5 other people and 3 of them had to be issued provisional ballots for "NO REASON". That is what is actually printed on the provisional affidavit.
Someone has challenged a lot of voter registrations and a majority of the election board supported these challenges. This is very interesting.
Electioneering is not allowed within 100 feet of the polling place. If you have seen something illegal please report it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.math.uic.edu/~takata/prevent_election_fraud/info.html
On another note, I have been humming U2's "Beautiful Day" all morning. :)
isn't campaigneering illegal at the polls?
ReplyDeleteElectioneering is illegal. It's 75 feet from the entrance and the exit of the polling facility.
The SEIU workers handing out yes on the survey were not electioneering. They were beyond the 75 feet.
There was some other electioneering though. There's a bicycle outside Truman with an "Obama/Biden" yard sign attached to it. It's been there since last night. It's locked to a bike rack. Surrounding the bike are now yard signs for Steans, Alvarez, and Schakowsky.
These signs are INSIDE the 75 feet, but they're likely placed there by campaign foot soldiers that don't know the law and just saw the Obama/Biden sign and figured it was OK.
If you want to report this electioneering you can call 312-269-7870 and tell them there are signs posted within the blue cones outside Truman College.
I can't believe elections are so shady in this country.
ReplyDeleteWow, those flyers are about as much of a "puff piece" as I've ever seen, especially the second one!
ReplyDeletehttp://i35.tinypic.com/30b0kqs.jpg
"Vote Yes, for a better Uptown" Give me a break...
falco_esq
ReplyDeleteI can't believe elections are so shady in this country.
Really? I know that our system is far from perfect but honestly, we actually have pretty clean elections. Here you don't disappear if you vote for the wrong guy.
I am angry that I won't get to vote on the referendum because I live on the wrong side of Wilson. Literally, I live on the north side of Wilson and the south side gets to vote on it. But I also realize that if you look at the TIF district map, the referendum map follows is pretty closely so people whose money is going towards this are the ones voting on it.
I would vote NO in a heartbeat if it was on my ballot and realize that even though I am not in the TIF district, the future of what goes on in Wilson Yard and the rest of the neighborhood directly affects me.
Well, after years of republicans reaping the benefits of illegal election activities,(Bush vs Kerry)so far this election is leaps and bounds ahead as far as turnout and just practices at polling sites.I will be at Grant park tonight,celebrating the best and most exciting thing to happen in my lifetime and longer.hope is within reach,and change is here!!!!!
ReplyDelete-power to the people-
OBAMA/BIDEN---TNT
If you were voting at Lawrence House, you were not in a precinct that had the referenda on the ballot, at least the ones that made reference to TIF funds.
ReplyDeleteLawrence House is part of the district that was (should be illegally) denied their constitutional right to vote on referendums that would affect them more than those it would benefit. There are rich Republican, bad apple condo owners that live there. Why should they get to vote whether or not their property taxes should be raised to pay for the needs of poor people? I mean really! It's their 'Patriotic duty' to 'Spread the wealth' right?
ReplyDeleteUggh. Farrell are you being sarcastic?
ReplyDelete"Lawrence House is part of the district that was (should be illegally) denied their constitutional right to vote on referendums"
It's a referendum not a law. It's more like a survey. I'm not a fan of the way things were parceled up and limited, but no rights are in violation. Here's a copy of the constitution.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.overview.html
"There are rich Republican, bad apple condo owners that live there. "
Stereotype much?
"Why should they get to vote whether or not their property taxes should be raised to pay for the needs of poor people?"
Condo owners are paying the taxes that pay for the community services renter and others don't pay for but are free to utilize.
"I mean really! It's their 'Patriotic duty' to 'Spread the wealth' right?"
Morally people may be compelled to spread the wealth - and I sincerely believe that we are here to help each other and share our blessings - but no one is patiotically obligated to do so. America a capitalist society. Democracy does not mean everyone gets their share.
we live south of Wilson (35th precinct) and we didn't get to vote on the referendum either. also, the seiu guy was definitely closer to the polls this morning passing out the flyers than the parked bike with the Obama-Biden sign taped to it.
ReplyDeleteSunny, Yes, I'm being sarcastic. And if you have been keeping up at all with UU and the comments that have been PRINTED about what Shiller has said, you know the following statements have come out of her mouth:
ReplyDelete-Rich Republicans - "These are just a bunch of rich Republicans that want to turn Uptown into Lincoln Park."
-Bad Apples - Her term for condo owners who do not agree with her warehousing the poor into Uptown like diseased cattle.
-Evil Condo Owners - is how her tag team Couraj refer to those of us who invested our hard-earned money into Uptown.
The other comments - "Our Patriotic Duty" came out of Senator Biden's mouth - as in, paying more taxes is our Patriotic Duty.
Spread the wealth, unless you've been living under a rock, came out of Senator Obama's mouth. Which is why he started getting called socialist. While he may not be a full-on socialist, that comment is encouraging the practice.
I'm fully aware of the Constitution. I was one of a handful of students who got 100% on that test when I took it in Junior High (we were required to pass it to graduate from the 8th grade).
I believe that these kind of 'surveys' as you called them, should be illegal. They are not surveys when they are being placed on a voting ballot. Shiller uses those numbers to push through her agenda. Everyone who lives in Uptown has the right to speak their mind on what should happen in Uptown. Those residents who fall under certain jurisdictions, (those that coincidentally, will pay for Shiller's programs through higher property taxes) are not allowed to comment. Is it legal? Unfortunately yes. Is it Chicago politics at its best? Yup, Shiller learned well at Daley's knee. Do I think it should be illegal? You bet, which is why I made the comment I did. This is America, and I'm still allowed to have an opinion, right?
As far as democracy is concerned, I believe that our entire government needs a total overhaul. I don't trust either party. I believe that America has turned too far away from the democratic fibers it was formed with. I believe there is corruption throughout, and our government is more concerned with power and greed, than they are with the people.
Between the bailout, Shiller's tactics, Stroger, Blago, Daley, Bush... Cheney...I am beyond disgusted with both parties, and I don't trust any politican as far as I can throw one.
Let me clarify... referendums, or surveys, are FINE as long as everyone who lives in the area that pertain to the referendum, are allowed to submit their 'vote' or opinion. I don't think they should be part of a Presidential voting ballot, and they should be done separately. I think the practice of denying certain sectors of a Ward the opportunity to share their opinion should be illegal. Not the referendums themselves.
ReplyDeleteFarrell, I'm in complete agreement with you, as I'm sure 90% of everyone on here is. Just misunderstood your tone and am not a fan of sensationalism.
ReplyDeleteThis whole thing is shifty, but sadly legal. Onus is on us to keep an eye on what is done with this information.