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Race For The Presidency
Winning the 2008 Nomination
By Rhodes Cook |
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Illinois has the chance to boost the presidential fortunes of its junior Democratic senator, Barack Obama, from its
new primary perch on Feb. 5. the last time Illinois voted for one of its own was in 1988, when Senator Paul Simon won the Illinois Democratic primary. But with the voting in mid-March back then, victory came too late to revive Simon's faltering campaign.
As in most other states, Illinois Democrats use the presidential preference part of the primary ballot to allocate delegates. For Republicans, though, it is a nonbinding "beauty contest." the votes that really count in the GOP primary are for district delegates, which are identified on the primary ballot by their presidential preference. At-large delegates are chosen in June by the Republican state convention and are not required to reflect the primary results.
Illinois does not have party registration, so any registered voter can participate in the primary of their choice. As of November 2006, there were 7,375,688 registered voters in Illinois.
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DEMOCRATS |
REPUBLICANS |
| THE CALENDAR |
Primary Date
(polling hours) |
Feb. 5
(6 a.m.-7 p.m.) |
Feb. 5
(6 a.m.-7 p.m.) |
| Filing Deadline |
Nov. 5, 2007 |
Nov. 5, 2007 |
| Filing Procedure |
Candidates must submit petitions signed by at least 3,000 registered voters (who are expected to vote in that party's primary) to the state board of elections. |
| THE DELEGATES |
| Number (% of national total) |
185 (4.2%) |
70 (2.9%) |
| Distribution: |
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By district |
100 (from 4 to 8 per district) |
57 (from 2 to 4 per district) |
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At-Large |
33 |
10 |
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Pledged PEOs |
20 |
— |
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RNC members |
— |
3 |
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Superdelegates |
32 |
— |
| Method of Allocation |
Proportional—15% of vote needed to win a share of statewide or district delegates. |
Direct election of district delegates; district winner-take-all possible. At-large delegates chosen at the state convention are not required to reflect the primary vote. |
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