ELECTION GUIDE MONDAY October 31, 2016
THE DAILY ILLINI The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Vol. 146 Issue 21
What to know on Election Day BY CLAIRE HETTINGER NEWS EDITOR
November 8 will be many University students’ first opportunity to cast a vote in a presidential election and may be the first time they vote at all. The process is simple, but there are a few things students should know when preparing for Election Day.
1
Voting locations
Know where to vote in Champaign, Urbana or on campus. To fi nd voting locations and times on Nov. 8, visit champaigncountyclerk.com
2
Voting times
Polling places are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m on Election Day, Nov. 8. There may be lines to vote, so plan accordingly.
3
Identification
If voting in Illinois for the first time, a state ID is required at the polling place. If this isn’t the first time voting, then an ID is not required.
4
Political promotion
5
Casting a vote for a write-in candidate
Voters can’t wear a shirt or other article of clothing inside the polling place that endorses a specific candidate. It counts as political promotion and is not allowed within 100 feet of the polling place. So, people hoping to show pride for their candidate, just wear a jacket over the political paraphernalia or put it on after voting. Voters may write or print the name of a candidate in the blank space below the office, if they wish to vote for a someone not on the ballot. Fill in the oval opposite the name with the marking device provided. Write-in votes are counted only for those candidates who file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.
For the most up-to-date information about voting and election day go to www.champaigncountyclerk.com and stay with The Daily Illini for updates and coverage. BILLY GALANT THE DAILY ILLINI
hettngr2@dailyillini.com
STUDENTS WEIGH IN
Who do you support? What was the tipping point for your choice?
Alondra Floras Junior in LAS
“I definitely don’t want Trump to win and so that’s one and also just a lot of ways that she (Clinton) wants to help the economy and wants to bring jobs and opportunities for underprivileged people that don’t have those opportunities yet.”
TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
Rep. Tammy Duckworth and Sen. Mark Kirk shake hands after their debate on Oct. 3 in the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board room. The two have campaigned against each other for Illinois’ U.S. Senate seat.
Senate race heats up amid controversy This drew an awkward pause from the debate audience and gained national attention after the debate. Media outlets across the nation condemned Kirk’s statements, and the Kirk campaign quickly apologized. H i s r e m a rk s cost him endorse m e n t s from the Human Rights C a m paign, a gay-rights organization and Americans for Responsible Solut i o n s which is an anti-gun violence committee.
BY MICHAEL SEMACA STAFF WRITER
With so much focus on who will be sitting in the Oval Office next, it’s easy to forget that there are many other political races occuring. The state of Illinois is no exception. One of its U.S. Senate seats is up for grabs on Nov. 8, when Republican incumbent Mark Kirk will face Democrat Tammy Duckworth. Republicans currently hold 54 Senate seats, compared to Democrats’ 44. And, as a traditionally “blue” state, pollsters across the nation have speculated that Kirk’s seat is one of the most vulnerable Republican seats in the upcoming election. Polls have reflected this sentiment as well; RealClearPolitics’ polling average currently puts Duckworth up seven points.
Tom Bristow Junior in Engineering
“Yeah, I’m voting for Hillary. I don’t know if I ever really considered voting for Trump, or Stein or Johnson. Primaries I voted for Bernie; I liked him better than Hillary but compared to Trump I don’t know if that’s really even a question.”
Jerome Williams Junior in LAS
“There’s some candidates who should have never of gotten as far as they have. But I think for the future, it definitely is going to put a different light on how Republicans choose their candidates and how both parties choose their candidates, because there’s big issues with both candidates that people are trying to point out.”
Kirk’s seat is one of the most vulnerable Republican seats in the upcoming election.
Debate Controversy
The Incumbent: Mark Kirk
Sen. Kirk and Rep. Duckworth engaged in a policy debate Thursday night at the University of Illinois at Springfield. The debate was a tense and highly contentious, with Kirk accusing Duckworth of lying about a discrimination lawsuit. At one point in the debate, Duckworth mentioned her family’s military history and referenced how she can trace her lineage to the Revolutionary War. “I had forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington,” Kirk said in response to Duckworth’s comments.
Amanda Maher Freshman in Engineering
“I think I may vote for Gary Johnson. Politics have become so polarized, which is why I want to vote Gary. I also consider myself a Libertarian.”
Drew Minik Senior in Business
Kirk has served since winning in the 2010 midterm elections. Kirk, born in Champaign, served in the U. S. Navy reserve in the 1990s and was recalled to active duty in 1999 during the Yugoslav Wars. He then won the race for the Illinois 10th district House of Representative seat in 2000, serving northern Chicago suburbs such as Waukegan and Highland Park. Kirk served the district until winning the 2010 Illinois U.S. senate seat, defeating Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. During his tenure in the
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Rep. Duckworth, on the other hand, is currently representing Illinois’ 8th Con-
NEWS
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The Challenger: Tammy Duckworth
gressional district, which includes northwest Chicago suburbs like Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates. She has served the area since winning the seat in 2012. Duckworth was born in Bankgok, Thailand, the daughter of a U.S. Army veteran. Duckworth’s family heritage can be traced back to the American Revolutionary war. She moved to Hawaii when she was 16. She joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 1992, and was deployed to Iraq in 2004. Duckworth lost both of her legs after her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, becoming the first female double amputee in the war and received a Purple Heart. Duckworth first ran for Congress unsuccessfully in 2006. The same year, she was appointed director of the Illinois department of veterans affairs by thenGov. Rod Blagojevich. In 2009, she was nominated by President Obama to serve in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where she remained until resigning in 2011 to focus on her second run for Congress. Policy-wise, Duckworth is more of a traditional Democrat. She supports comprehensive immigration reform, is in support of President and wants to move the country to a more energy independent future. She also wants to increase government investment in infrastructure.
OPINIONS
Our endorsements
“I’ll be voting for the Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump. The tipping point for me was the way that I saw him attack establishment politicians on the left and the right.”
House and Senate, Kirk gained a reputation for being a centrist. Socially, Kirk’s voting record indicates he is a moderate: he has consistently held pro-choice positions, is pro-gun control and is pro-marriage equality. Kirk is also one of the few Republican senators to propose giving a hearing to President Obama’s r e c e n t Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have refused to put the president’s nominee to a vote, drawing significant criticism. He also denounced the Republican Party’s nominee for president, Donald Trump, in June, saying he was “too bigoted and racist.” Kirk said he would write in David Petraeus, former CIA director, instead. Kirk suffered a stroke in January 2012 while serving as senator, causing him to leave the Senate for a year. He returned in January 2013 and has made a full cognitive recovery.
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