LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Posted April 27, 2020
Dear Editor:
I appreciate your sentiment in regards to letter writing and asking for something to be done. However, the time for asking the government for our liberties is over. It is time, to look at some facts and ask ourselves some questions.
I’m aware there has been some recent legal action towards Governor Pritzker. The success rate of going through the courts is minimal, up against the state and a billionaire. Fortunately for the state of Illinois and its citizens we ultimately need to thank former Governor Rod Blagojevich. Due to his illegitimate abuse of his political position, and that of many other previous Governors of this state, we now have the Constitutional power to recall the Governor.
I know there are a lot of you who feel voiceless in this crisis but be ecstatic that your frustrations can be solved sooner than you think. Article Three of the Illinois Constitution, the one we all learned in 7th grade, discusses the election process and has an Amendment that’s been added since Governor Blagojevich has left office. Section Seven of this document is titled: INITIATIVE TO RECALL THE GOVERNOR
(a) The recall of the Governor may be proposed by a
petition signed by a number of electors equal in number to
at least 15% of the total votes cast for Governor in the
preceding gubernatorial election, with at least 100
signatures from each of at least 25 separate counties. A
petition shall have been signed by the petitioning
electors not more than 150 days after an affidavit has
been filed with the State Board of Elections providing
notice of intent to circulate a petition to recall the
Governor. The affidavit may be filed no sooner than 6
months after the beginning of the Governor's term of
office. The affidavit shall have been signed by the
proponent of the recall petition, at least 20 members
of the House of Representatives, and at least 10 members
of the Senate, with no more than half of the signatures
of members of each chamber from the same established
political party.
(b) The form of the petition, circulation, and
procedure for determining the validity and sufficiency
of a petition shall be as provided by law. If the
petition is valid and sufficient, the State Board of
Elections shall certify the petition not more than 100
days after the date the petition was filed, and the
question "Shall (name) be recalled from the office of
Governor?" must be submitted to the electors at a
special election called by the State Board of Elections,
to occur not more than 100 days after certification of
the petition. A recall petition certified by the State
Board of Elections may not be withdrawn and another
recall petition may not be initiated against the
Governor during the remainder of the current term of
office. Any recall petition or recall election pending
on the date of the next general election at which a
candidate for Governor is elected is moot.
(c) If a petition to recall the Governor has been
filed with the State Board of Elections, a person
eligible to serve as Governor may propose his or her
candidacy by a petition signed by a number of electors
equal in number to the requirement for petitions for an
established party candidate for the office of Governor,
signed by petitioning electors not more than 50 days
after a recall petition has been filed with the State
Board of Elections. The form of a successor election
petition, circulation, and procedure for determining
the validity and sufficiency of a petition shall be as
provided by law. If the successor election petition is
valid and sufficient, the State Board of Elections
shall certify the petition not more than 100 days
after the date the petition to recall the Governor was
filed. Names of candidates for nomination to serve as
the candidate of an established political party must
be submitted to the electors at a special primary
election, if necessary, called by the State Board of
Elections to be held at the same time as the special
election on the question of recall established under
subsection (b). Names of candidates for the successor
election must be submitted to the electors at a
special successor election called by the State Board
of Elections, to occur not more than 60 days after
the date of the special primary election or on a date
established by law.
(d) The Governor is immediately removed upon
certification of the recall election results if a
majority of the electors voting on the question vote
to recall the Governor. If the Governor is removed,
then (i) an Acting Governor determined under
subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article V shall serve
until the Governor elected at the special successor
election is qualified and (ii) the candidate who
receives the highest number of votes in the special
successor election is elected Governor for the balance
of the term.
(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November
2, 2010.)
Focusing first on (a) only, “15% of the total votes cast for Governor in the preceding gubernatorial election.” Let’s take a closer look at the actual math that would be required to recall Governor Pritzker and personally, I have to thank the good folks of Illinois, for NOT showing up for the most recent election. Out of a state, in 2018 with 12.72 million residents reported, only 4.2 million actually voted in the 2019 gubernatorial race. Governor Pritzker received 2,479,746 votes. Former Governor Rauner received 1,765,751, both according to a basic internet search. So let’s break this down to what it would actually take to recall the Governor who is crimpling the state economy.
Only needing 15% of votes cast, is actually pretty minimal when you figure in the overall population or even if you look only at the losing votes. Fifteen percent of 2,479,746 is only 371,962 people upset by the shutdown. This is easily achievable. So who's running?
Jonathan Deutsch
Taylorville
