Fate of Bloomington Election Commission on hold

Voting booth
Signatures may not be enough to change fate of the Bloomington Election Commission (WJBC file photo)

 

By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON- A McLean County judge has until this Friday to rule whether or not McLean County voters will decide the fate of the Bloomington Election Commission on this November’s ballot.

A hearing held Monday heard both Republican and Libertarian petitioners along with challenger and Democrat Denise Williams present their arguments to Judge Paul Lawerence. A reported 1,300 petition signatures were collected, but Williams and her lawyer stated 10 objections that say over 500 of the signatures should be discounted because they don’t meet proper voting requirements within the city. Connie Beard and Norma Brown represented the petitioners, as they disagreed with the number of invalid signatures.

The judges’ final decision on whether the item makes the ballot is required by August 30th. Stay tuned to WJBC and WJBC.com for more updates on this story.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…