Even
for those of us whose communities have municipal elections (or those of us on
the Far South Side) who have a chance to have a do-over election for a member
of Congress, it will be thought of as just another Tuesday.
THAT’S
BECAUSE WAY too many of us have that bit of Archie Bunker in us – as in actor
Carroll O’Connor’s character whose many traits included a reluctance to vote
for anything other than president.
Voter
turnout for the special election to replace Jesse Jackson, Jr., in Congress is
expected to be down.
One
such report indicated that of the roughly 250,000 registered voters in the
district (which stretches from 53rd Street in Chicago to the
Kankakee/Iroquois county line), at most maybe 50,000 of them will actually
bother to cast ballots.
Kankakee
County officials say they expect about 10 percent of their registered voters to
actually bother to turn out at the polling places.
I’M
SURE THE weather forecasts calling for a 90 percent chance of rain on Tuesday that
turns to snow with temperatures just barely over 30 degrees (which means
freezing) will do more than their part to persuade many people who have the
chance to cast ballots to think it’s not worth the bother.
This
is an odd election cycle.
We
have a campaign that is attracting national attention. It involves the
replacement of a nationally-known name in Congress. It has gained the attention
of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg – who sees it as a chance to undermine the
political influence brandished by the National Rifle Association.
Yet
I can’t help but wonder; do Noo Yawkers care more about this campaign than most
people here?
THIS
ELECTION CYCLE also is odd because we don’t have an Election Day mode going
across the Chicago area. Some suburbs have municipal offices up for grabs – but
most of those are non-partisan elections taking place come April 9.
As
for Tuesday, there are a few towns such as Cicero or Calumet City where there
is feisty attempts at campaign activity taking place. But a few stray towns
just doesn’t get many people to believe that the future of our Republic is at
stake on this day.
As
for me, I didn’t cast any ballot for Tuesday. I live just outside of the
Illinois Second Congressional District, which means I voted for my member of
Congress (Bobby L. Rush) back in November. I don’t have to think about this
until next year.
So
in Chicago proper, this IS the only election going. Federal and Cook County posts
were up for grabs last year, while state government offices will have their day
come next year.
AS
FOR THE city government positions, we picked Rahm Emanuel to be our mayor two
years ago. He and the aldermen will have to regain our support in 2015. So 2013
is the year Chicago voters get a break.
Unless
they have to pick from amongst 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale,
former Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson from Crete, former state Rep. Robin Kelly
from Matteson or any of the other minions who comprise the more-than-a-dozen
people wishing they could get the Democratic nomination for the post on Capitol
Hill.
I’m
sure whichever candidate winds up being able to make a “victory” speech Tuesday
night will claim to be expressing the “will” of the people. Yet with all the
people who likely will sit on their duffs and do nothing, perhaps we ought to
consider that the true “will” of the public.
We
thought so much of this election that we couldn’t be bothered to vote. Perhaps
that’s why we jokingly call it the Election Daze.
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