Illinois candidates make final push

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By Kurt Erickson | Tuesday, November 7, 2006 1:13 AM CST | () comments

SPRINGFIELD — The candidates for governor kept their frantic pace of last-minute campaigning Monday, making numerous appearances across the state on the eve of today’s election.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his Republican challenger, Judy Baar Topinka, made whistlestop visits to almost every region of the state trying to rally their supporters.

Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney spent Monday attempting to rein in any supporters who might be getting cold feet about voting for a little-known third-party candidate.

The Carbondale attorney said he wasn’t running as a “spoiler” candidate but as a viable alternative to Blagojevich and Topinka.

“You cannot spoil something that is already rotten,” Whitney told reporters during a stop in Springfield.

At a rally in Williamson County, Blagojevich was greeted by about 150 supporters, as well as Democratic state lawmakers.

State Sen. Gary Forby of Benton praised Blagojevich, saying the governor has been responsible for freeing up funds for the Sparta shooting complex and a minor league baseball stadium in Marion.

“I want four more years so I can keep saying ‘yes’ to Gary Forby,” said Blagojevich, who was elected governor in 2002.

At a stop in Springfield, the governor spoke to a crowd of union members and state employees, telling them he wants to raise the minimum wage and keep his pledge not to raise taxes.

Topinka, too, made a frenetic dash to several cities, stopping in Quincy, Champaign, Peoria and Carbondale, before sprinting back north to Chicago for an evening event in the suburbs.

The three-term state treasurer has trailed in the polls and in fundraising but says voters are ready to make a change.

The state Board of Elections says 7.3 million voters are eligible to cast ballots, a record number for a non-presidential election.

Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or (217) 789-0865.

NUMBERS, SITES

To find your polling place or report voting problems:

Iowa

Cedar County: (563) 886-3168 or www.cedarcounty.org

Clinton County: (563) 244-0568 or www.clintoncountyiowa.com/auditor

Jackson County: (563) 652-3144 or www.co.jackson.ia.us

Louisa County: (319) 523-3371 or www.louisacountyiowa.org

Muscatine County: (563) 263-5821 or www.co.muscatine.ia.us

Scott County: (563) 326-8631 or www.scottcountyiowa.com

Illinois

Carroll County: (815) 244-0221 or www.fidlar.com/results/us/il

Henry County: (309) 937-3575 or www.henrycty.com

Mercer County: (309) 582-7021; no Web site

Rock Island County: (309) 786-8683 or www.ricountyclerk.org

Whiteside County: (815) 772-5189 or www.whiteside.org