Monday, April 4, 2011

An Election Primer

A word to the wise:  If you happen to get a phone call today on behalf of one of the aldermanic candidates saying that "Opponent A" has dropped out of the race and wants you to vote for "Opponent B" ... it's not true.  Molly and James are both still in the race.  James wants you to vote for James, and Molly wants you to vote for Molly.

And that, dear readers, brings us to SHENANIGANS !

This is a number to have and hold close to your heart.  Program it into your cell phone now and save time later:
312-269-7870 - The Board of Elections "Election Central" hotline.

If you see anything that doesn't look or feel right, call it.  You can post about it, and we encourage that, but it shouldn't be in lieu of calling the Board of Elections. You can cause someone shame by posting their wrongdoing -- but you can do something about it by calling the Board of Elections.

- If someone tells you your candidate isn't in the race anymore - call 312-269-7870.

- If someone tells you you're not allowed to vote - call 312-269-7870.

- If you are approached by thugs outside the polling place who ask you who you're going to vote for - call 312-269-7870.

- If you see anyone passing out election materials or wearing a campaign button inside the blue cones outside a polling place - call 312-269-7870.

- If someone offers to "help" you vote and you didn't ask for help - call 312-269-7870.

Now, this may not happen to you, but it may happen to people who aren't as informed as you are, the elderly or people who don't speak English well.  Please keep an eye out for them as well.

It's been an eventful enough campaign without adding shenanigans to the roster.  Let the election be won or lost on its own merits.

17 comments:

  1. If only there could be multiple people camped outside every polling place with video cameras handy.

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  2. Just out of curiosity, has the "candidate isn't running" phone call been reported for this election, or just based on previous ones?

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  3. MAKE SURE YOU PAY ATTENTION TO HAND OUTS AS YOU APPROACH THE POLLS tomorrow... Little Birds have let me know that there may be some DEFINITE Shenanigans going to take place on popular walking routes en route to the polling areas... like handouts stating false information... CALL, RECORD, PHOTOGRAPH and report ANYTHING that looks illegal immediately!

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  4. I think you have already written your headline for tomorrow.. Just keep it as the main headline all day... "312-269-7870 - The Board of Elections "Election Central" hotline.

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  5. Thank you SIR!

    Especially anything relating to Molly or that is making an attempt to spread more false truths about James.

    The Molly minions will be out in force. I am taking the day off work to spend on my bike patrolling polling places with phone and camera in hand. BEWARE CAMP PHELAN there will be many eyes on the street tomorrow. Play nice.

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  6. Misleading voters on election day is the lowest of the low.

    Record it all. Report it all.

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  7. I'm voting at the polling place closest to Phelan HQ. It just might be shenanigan central. I'll keep an eye out.

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  8. My guess is a lot may actually take place on the southern end of the ward, the Lakeview and Marine Drive high rise area...please tell your friends in that part of the ward to keep a look out and their camera phones and video phones at the ready! Remember one of the candidates does rent their apartment over there..

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  9. Phelan signs are EVERYWHERE from Lawrence to Hawthorne, side streets, bus stops, medians, buildings, EVERYWHERE! I will be out tomorrow and have the number on speed dial. Gonna get the most out of my smartphone!

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  10. I guess the specter of running for office in Chicago taints all no matter who they are. I've been a friend and a supporter of both James and Molly and have considered both of them my friends and have worked with both of them on many issues regarding the 46th ward. The common thread was what is in the best interest of this ward and the removal of the wicked witch and her brood.
    On election day,I was extremely joyous in knowing that no matter who won the runoff this ward would be better off.
    Now that we are at the 11th hour of the campaign, I extremely disappointed that this has turned into a typical Chicago election, full of crap ! Both sides have allowed their campaigns to get out of control. What are we doing here ? are we proving the alderbeast right ? Both camps have had no problem lying about each other.
    The Cappleman camp has Molly in bead with both Kaplan and the Tea Party , hjow can that be ? The Phelan camp has James shutting out the down and out. How can that be ?
    Both candidates should be ashamed of themselves for allowing their campaigns to spin out of control in the interest of winning at all costs ! Shame on both of you from a friend and conflicted voter.

    Max

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  11. Michele,

    I was out earlier and only noticed a few new targets of opportunity......I mean Phelan signs.

    Now a few days ago they were on dumpsters, post office boxes, utility poles, nearly every enclosed bus shelter etc. I think those that are clearly beyond property lines are getting torn down fairly quickly.

    I'm surprised they put them out this early tonight. Better to do in the wee hours of the morning when the chances of them disappearing quickly are less.


    Oops, I also noticed them on the on and off ramps of LSD the other day. I would snag those myself but the nasty judge won't let me have a driver's license. Something regarding mental competence or the like.

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  12. IP...we can probably work out that mental competence issue...I know a guy who knows a guy;)...I saw them around noon along Marine drive from Hawthorne to Lawrence and even more later this afternoon along LSD. I could drive ya!

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  13. The Cappleman camp has Molly in bead with both Kaplan and the Tea Party , how can that be? - Max

    Max, Phelan has been playing unfair all along, which is why so many of the other candidates have not endorsed her. On election day, she had palm cards suggesting she was endorsed by Rahm Emanuel and that she was the only prochoice candidate. That unfairly swayed many of the undecided voters. That was a lie. She wouldn't follow the rules about posting signs the first time around and she ignores them now as well.

    She continued to state wildly false accusations about Cappleman about him being soft on crime, when among the two, he has been the only one addressing crime (being a CAPS beat facilitator is not addressing crime.) So Cappleman could have remained quiet, which would reinforce that he's not a fighter or he could fight back. As IP said, if someone brings a knife, the other might bring out a gun. Cappleman brought out a shotgun.

    If anything, Phelan has learned the hard way that Cappleman has the cahunas to fight back.

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  14. I'm guessing a virtual rain forest of timber has been destroyed based on the myriad of (questionably) placed Molly signs I've seen. (cozy L.S.D. on ramps? come on)
    It just doesn't sit right.

    I have faith that voters will cut through the visual crap.

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  15. Regarding FOP Endorsement:

    The Police Union is backing Phelan which is a completely misguided endorsement. It is a political connection she has and that's about it.

    The FOP did a robo-call message for her and I'm not sure what it said but that one was a legit recorded phone call by Mark Donahue. However, anyone calling saying they were "associated with the FOP" or calling on the behalf of the FOP is outright lying.

    No live phone calls were made by any members of the Police Union and anyone saying such things could be criminally liable for impersonating an officer.

    The cops that I know who live in the 46th ward are all supporting James Cappleman.

    Molly Phelan cannot be trusted and her staffers cannot be trusted, they are breaking laws and she clearly is allowing such activity in her own campaign.

    Take that into consideration when finalizing your decision to vote.

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  16. Holey Moley,

    While walking past a polling place this morning I was given a palm card for James that featured the headline "Vote James Cappleman to complete the reform agenda!" and had a photo of James flanked by photos of Rahm Emanuel and Toni Preckwinkle.

    This is exactly the type of card to which you take extreme offense in your post above, calling such a card unfair and a lie.

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