Looks like Duckworth will win...barely

[Hailtothechimp]

http://www.dupageresults1.com/results/2006_03_results/dem-1.htm

These numbers have been ahead of most other sites all night long. Sorry if the link doesn't show up.

Only 6 precincts left...looks like a recount either way it goes.

[bluestateguy]

1. I'm still not conceeding

this race is still up in the air.

[IrishBloodEngHeart]

2. does the winner need 50% to avoid a runoff, or is just plurality?

[Hailtothechimp]

3. plurality, I think.

Cegelis' only hope is a recount at this point. Sucks.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Cook County Looks To Be Hung Up

This shows 399 precincts...the entire district is 526...thus 125 are in Cook County and my bets are those are the ones that are still out. Those are the areas using the new touch-screen machines and we could be in for a long night.

I worked Cook County during the 80's elections when the old system was phased in...we rarely got a final tally until at least 2am. If there's a hang-up in Cook County this race could go well into the morning.

Hang in there Cegalis folks...

[Nailzberg]

5. Cook County is at 62.2% reported.

79 of 127 precincts


Christine Cegelis 1578 37.50%
Lindy Scott 538 12.79%
L. Tammy Duckworth 2092 49.71%

[KharmaTrain]

6. This Could Take All Night

I used to work election nights where we had to compile numbers from several counties...Cook...especially in the farthest precincts always took forever to come in. With a new system in place that appears to be creating chaos, it could be a while for this to get out. I remember several nights where we still didn't have an "official" tally at 4am.

[WCGreen]

7. Isn't it an automatic recount if there is less than 1% separating

the winner and loser....

[Nailzberg]

8. Plus there are absentee balots outstanding.

They have 14 days after the election to arrive. I just got my ballot from the Cook County yesterday. (I'm in the 10th, and my horse came in)

[Stout_Drinker]

9. from the tribune,

U.S. House - District 6 - Dem Primary - Illinois 472 of 526 Precincts Reporting - 89.73%
Name Party Votes Pct
Duckworth , Tammy Dem 12,603 43.17
Cegelis , Christine Dem 11,947 40.92
Scott , Lindy Dem 4,644 15.91

[Nailzberg]

11. I highly suspect that will hold.

Duckworth has had better margins in Cook County than in Dupage. Still is gonna be a waiting game with the absentees and the possiblity of a full recount.

[WCGreen]

10. Here in Ohio they have to be at the BOE by 7:00PM election day...

[Nailzberg]

13. Well, I could be wrong, because that info was on the return envelope.

Since I don't have that in front of me, I can't verify it, but I could have sworn it said the ballot must be postmarked no later than the election day, and that to be counted it needs to arrive at the BOE within 14 days after the election.

I haven't worked on a campaign in two years, so I'm rusty on my election laws. Either way, Dan Seals the IL 10 came in tonight very strong. The IL 10th wasn't close, so they'll probably just throw my ballot in the trash.

[WCGreen]

14. Post marked.....

That is cool.....

I didn't get that from your orignial post....

Sorry...

[Nailzberg]

15. I didn't include that in the origianl post.

I just looked up the voter laws, after your last reply, and it states fourteen days after election as long as the ballot is postmarked by 11:59PM on election day. Had to double check.

[kevsand]

24. There are no automatic recounts in Illinois.

Someone has to ask (and pay) for it.

[Cadfael]

12. I'm surprised DuPage has only 6 precincts out

I was an election judge at polling location 73 (Milton 39 and 90) and returns tonight were a nightmare! It took 45 minutes just to park and when I left the County building after 10 pm returns were still making their way in to the building.

[Caro]

16. We’re starting to beat the machine, friends.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Duckworth has slight lead

Iraq war vet Tammy Duckworth led by a narrow margin in the Democratic 6th Congressional District primary race to run against Republican state Sen. Peter Roskam for the west suburban seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde.

Duckworth of Hoffman Estates had received 43 percent of the vote; software engineer Christine Cegelis had 40.9 percent. Wheaton College professor Lindy Scott had received about 15.9 percent of the vote. Nearly 90 percent of precincts had reported…

I believe some Chicago precincts are still to be added in to this race, and Cegelis has not conceded. But if these percentages hold, one thing is clear. PROGRESSIVES OUTVOTED THE MACHINE, 57% to 43%. Too bad Scott didn’t throw his support to Cegelis. Nevertheless, we must keep fighting. We must keep working. We must replace money power in political campaigns with people power.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[tritsofme]

18. This district does not touch Chicago.

It includes a very suburban portion of Cook.

[Caro]

26. But it was the Chicago machine...

... that gave Duckworth her "campaign in a can", as Lynn Sweet called it. Rahm Emanuel was behind her, and he made his bones as a Daley operative. He got all that national publicity for Duckworth, including her announcement on Rahm's buddy George Stephanopolous' show, and got Durbin (who initially suggested to Duckworth that she get into politics), Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Kerry to go after their mailing lists to support her.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[dogman]

20. Machine?

That's a laugh. The machine in that District is the GOP. BTW, a lot of Progressives voted for Tammy. But a lot of hard-working people worked for all three camps and kudos to all. The only way to replace money is true finance reform and I'm all for that, but unless it applies equally, across the board, it wont work.

[freefall]

17. I just turned on the radio and NPR is reporting that Tammy Duckworth won.

My heart is heavy.

Peace,

freefall

:argh:

[DanCa]

19. Hang in there

Look at it this way, Cegalis was out spent and Tammy had all the heavy hitters pinch hitting for her. I think she did fantastic considering everything. It's a moral victory if nothing else.

[dansolo]

21. How is it a moral victory?

All it showed was the the Democratic Party is willing to spend more time, money and effort to defeat Progressives than they are to beat Republicans.

[DaveinMD]

22. they supported Duckworth not to beat progressives

but because they believe she has the best chance to win the seat. There is no crusade to beat progressives.

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. Some people need to imagine sinister motives of their opponents to

justify the righteousness of their own cause.

[dansolo]

34. I don't ascribe any sinister motives to Duckworth

The problem I have is with Rahm Emmanuel. He was the one who chose to oppose Christine instead of supporting her. And do you honestly believe that DuPage county Republicans will vote for Tammy? Whether they would be willing to vote for a Progressive like Christine may be debatable, the odds of them wanting to vote for someone who is going to be cast as a pawn of the Democratic Political Machine is very slim.

[Caro]

27. I don't believe that...

... for a minute. Emanuel wanted a candidate who, if she wins in November, will be beholden to him and to others in the power base. He's building up for future campaigns for higher office. I'll give odds.

This race showed more than anything that the DC mob sticks together, but they're going to have to spend more and more and more money to defeat us.

Because WE THE PEOPLE WILL NOT GIVE UP!

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[LSK]

32. so a severely pissed off grassroots system will help us win how???

[DanCa]

25. Because the race was a cliffhanger and not a landslide.

With all that money that they spent in the campaign I am an awe that it was as close as it was.

[wndycty]

28. Cegelis has an effective and impressive grassroots operation. . .

. . .I'm hoping that in time she will help us get Tammy elected. Its not about one person, its not about DFA/PDA vs. DCCC its about turning the 6th district blue!

[DanCa]

29. I share your optimiism.

I hope the left unites against Topinka as well and the see through her illusion as a moderate. I mean come on do people really think JBT will stand up to the right wing of the repuke base? If anything Burkett will be the power behind the throne. I hope people will be smart enough to see thru this farce on vote for Blago.

[wndycty]

30. The first thing is DUers need to see the stark differences. . .

. . .between Roskam and Duckworth.

[minvis]

33. Let's see what Duckworth's strategy will be

I saw Duckworth's speech last night and she bent over backwards complimenting Cegelis and her campaign. I commend her for that. The question will be what kind of campaign is Duckworth going to run for November. Will she be doing door-to-door canvassing or will it be like it was in the primary, tons of mass mailings, robo-calls and media buys?

I can tell you this. Most Cegelis supporters are pretty pissed right now. If Duckworth is smart, she will come to Cegelis and ask what she can do so that her supporters will come out and work for Tammy in November. I would think that the demand should be for beefing up the democratic township organizations in the 6th District which have been mostly ignored until 2004 when Christine first ran. Also, there has to be an outreach to grassroots organizations like DFA, PDA, etc. or else I'm afraid there won't be enough ground troops to get much more than the 44% that Christine got in 2004.

[LSK]

31. thats the message Im getting