PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2010
Contact: Willard R. Helander
(847) 377-2308
Illinois Special Election for U.S. Senate Seat
WAUKEGAN, Illinois - Illinois voters will see the U.S. Senate race on their ballot twice this fall; and it will not be a mistake. The U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division issued an order requiring a special election as part of the regular November 2010 ballot. The special election is to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy created by the resignation of Barack Obama in November 2008.
Citing Jackson v Ogilvie 7th Cir. (1970), the U.S. District court held that the same candidates who were nominated by the established political parties in the primary shall stand in the special election. The court further ruled that the full term U.S. Senate contest shall appear first on the ballot and be followed by the unexpired term contest.
Pending the November election, U.S. Senator Roland Burris will continue to serve as the appointed Senator filling the vacancy created by Obama's election as President. The special election results will be final once the Illinois State Board of Elections certifies the election results. The State Board of Elections expects to canvass the special election sometime in late November. The candidate who wins the race for the unexpired term will serve from late November through January 2, 2011.
The full term U.S. Senate contest will be listed on the November ballot first, before the special election contest. The candidate elected to the full term will serve from January 3, 2011 through January 2017.
For more information on County Clerk services and election news, visit
LakeCountyClerk.info, follow us at twitter.com/ClerkWillard, join our page at facebook.com/CountyClerk, subscribe to our e-newsletter or call (847) 377-2400.
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