McHenry County Blog

Based on two precincts in Crystal Lake, McHenry County Auditor challenger Richard Kelly’s home town, it appears that incumbent Auditor Pam Palmer is headed to re-election.

In Algonquin 7, the results were 45-33 in live voting.

Algonquin 19’s totals were closer, 42-39.

Adding the two together and Palmer was getting almost 55% of the vote.

I figure for Kelly to win, he had to carry Crystal Lake.

Countywide, totals from 15 of the 212 precincts, presumably excluding the two Crystal Lake precincts mentioned above, Palmer was leading by a lesser amount—52% to 48%, so, maybe, I’m speaking too soon.

Maybe the two Algonquin Township precincts voting at my polling place were atypical.

Based on two precincts in Crystal Lake, McHenry County Auditor challenger Richard Kelly’s home town, it appears that incumbent Auditor Pam Palmer is headed to re-election.

In Algonquin 7, the results were 45-33 in live voting.

Algonquin 19’s totals were closer, 42-39.

Adding the two together and Palmer was getting almost 55% of the vote.

I figure for Kelly to win, he had to carry Crystal Lake.

Countywide, totals from 15 of the 212 precincts, presumably excluding the two Crystal Lake precincts mentioned above, Palmer was leading by a lesser amount—52% to 48%, so, maybe, I’m speaking too soon.

Maybe the two Algonquin Township precincts voting at my polling place were atypical.

Despite the fact that Democrats “won” the early balloting, getting over 52% of those voting to cast Democratic Party ballots, in visible signs they are way behind.

There is a contested primary contest for president in Illinois, yet I have only seen two signs

Both were in the same yard on McHenry Avenue in Crystal Lake.

Both were for Barack Obama.

On Ackman and Miller Roads in Lake in the Hills on developers’ property I saw signs supporting Robert Abboud for Congress.

Abboud is unchallenged in the primary and will fact 16th district Congressman Don Manzullo.

Undoubtedly there are so few signs because there are no countywide primary elections for the Democrats.

The Republicans have two:

• Lou Bianchi versus Dan Regna for state’s attorney
• Pam Palmer versus Richard Kelly for county auditor

Despite the fact that Democrats “won” the early balloting, getting over 52% of those voting to cast Democratic Party ballots, in visible signs they are way behind.

There is a contested primary contest for president in Illinois, yet I have only seen two signs

Both were in the same yard on McHenry Avenue in Crystal Lake.

Both were for Barack Obama.

On Ackman and Miller Roads in Lake in the Hills on developers’ property I saw signs supporting Robert Abboud for Congress.

Abboud is unchallenged in the primary and will fact 16th district Congressman Don Manzullo.

Undoubtedly there are so few signs because there are no countywide primary elections for the Democrats.

The Republicans have two:

• Lou Bianchi versus Dan Regna for state’s attorney
• Pam Palmer versus Richard Kelly for county auditor

I don’t know where Carolyn Cox lives, but I do know that I received a recorded telephone call from her Thursday containing the same supportive message of McHenry County State’s Attorney as was found on a direct mail piece I received late last week.

Her sign supporting Lou Bianchi has been ripped off its backing right in front of her home.

Strangely, a small yard sign for Richard Kelly for McHenry County Auditor remains standing. (Click to enlarge. It is close to the mailbox,)

Pictures have been sent to me of what replaced the Bianchi sign by the Cox driveway.

Its hand lettered message says,

Do you think some supporter of Dan Regna, Bianchi’s opponent, was so disturbed at the Cox support for Bianchi that he or they wanted to deliver a not-so-subliminal message of “We know where you live?”

If so, I hope she has a couple of junk yard dogs roaming around her home.

Well, there may be more signs taken down the night before the election.

That was the threat made, wasn’t it, when property owners took down Regna signs next to Bianchi signs for which Regna supporters did not have posting permission?

And some of us know who made the threat.

Monday night I assume that Sheriff Keith Nygren,

who send an endorsement letter for Regna in the mail last week and another door-to-door in my Algonquin 7 precinct Saturday,

will make certain his patrols are on the lookout for the type of people who might try to violate the Freedom of Speech rights of people to post signs of political support on their own property.

I left the Regna literature at the doors where I found it, by the way. A couple of people said they had no desire to look at it, however, just as I am sure that some homeowners would not want to look at my precinct letter, entitled,

= = = = =
My friend Jim Bishop stopped over to chat about the state’s attorney’s race when he saw me and my wife out shoveling the driveway. He is a supporter of Regna and gave me his best arguments.

I asked him about the Regna sign that was there and then not. He told me its support posts had been bent over to the ground.

Guess there are unethical folks playing sign games on both sides of the contest.

I don’t know where Carolyn Cox lives, but I do know that I received a recorded telephone call from her Thursday containing the same supportive message of McHenry County State’s Attorney as was found on a direct mail piece I received late last week.

Her sign supporting Lou Bianchi has been ripped off its backing right in front of her home.

Strangely, a small yard sign for Richard Kelly for McHenry County Auditor remains standing. (Click to enlarge. It is close to the mailbox,)

Pictures have been sent to me of what replaced the Bianchi sign by the Cox driveway.

Its hand lettered message says,

Do you think some supporter of Dan Regna, Bianchi’s opponent, was so disturbed at the Cox support for Bianchi that he or they wanted to deliver a not-so-subliminal message of “We know where you live?”

If so, I hope she has a couple of junk yard dogs roaming around her home.

Well, there may be more signs taken down the night before the election.

That was the threat made, wasn’t it, when property owners took down Regna signs next to Bianchi signs for which Regna supporters did not have posting permission?

And some of us know who made the threat.

Monday night I assume that Sheriff Keith Nygren,

who send an endorsement letter for Regna in the mail last week and another door-to-door in my Algonquin 7 precinct Saturday,

will make certain his patrols are on the lookout for the type of people who might try to violate the Freedom of Speech rights of people to post signs of political support on their own property.

I left the Regna literature at the doors where I found it, by the way. A couple of people said they had no desire to look at it, however, just as I am sure that some homeowners would not want to look at my precinct letter, entitled,

= = = = =
My friend Jim Bishop stopped over to chat about the state’s attorney’s race when he saw me and my wife out shoveling the driveway. He is a supporter of Regna and gave me his best arguments.

I asked him about the Regna sign that was there and then not. He told me its support posts had been bent over to the ground.

Guess there are unethical folks playing sign games on both sides of the contest.

In an editorial entitled,

the Chicago Tribune takes more than half the editorial to endorse McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi for re-election.

State’s Attorney: Incumbent Republican Louis Bianchi and challenger Daniel Regna have been trading barbs in a race that has split the county Republican establishment. Bianchi has taken some heat since the county auditor questioned several hundred dollars his office spent for candy to pass out to children, along with anti-drug literature, at a parade. That wasn’t a smart move by Bianchi; he should send the next candy bill to his campaign fund. But the Illinois attorney general’s office found no basis for a criminal investigation.

So let’s talk about qualifications: Bianchi of Crystal Lake has a solid record of achievement in the office. One highlight: He helped establish a mental health court that provides help for mentally ill defendants under strict court supervision. He has developed a reputation for being a tough prosecutor and for perturbing some local defense attorneys by insisting on taking cases to trial rather than accept a plea. He has done an effective job of managing the office and working with the County Board.

Regna of Woodstock is a capable challenger. He left the state’s attorney’s office in 2004 after nearly 10 years there and served in almost every position in the criminal division. He has the endorsement of several Republican Party leaders in the county, as well as Sheriff Keith Nygren and several of the larger police unions. He had a close working relationship with many of the rank-and-file police officers during his stint in the state’s attorney’s office. But this spat seems to be more about politics than law enforcement. Bianchi is endorsed.

The editorial also endorses Pam Palmer for re-election as County Auditor, asking,

Here’s what was said:

Auditor: Why can’t McHenry County Republicans all just get along? Who knows, but because of the infighting you have a heated primary for, all of things, county auditor. The Republican incumbent, Pamela Palmer, took over in 2006 when auditor Ruth Rooney retired in midterm. Palmer has strengthened the internal auditing staff and pushed a fraud, waste and abuse hot line. She’s doing more departmental auditing than earlier administrations did. And she has a solid working relationship with the County Board. Palmer of Union also is working to develop more easily understood county financial information to be released to the public.

Her opponent, Richard Kelly of Crystal Lake, is an accomplished lawyer who has served on the McHenry County Zoning Board of Appeals since 1994 and as chairman since 1997. But he doesn’t make a case against Palmer. Her experience — serving in the auditor’s office since 1998 — gives her the edge. She is endorsed.

In an editorial entitled,

the Chicago Tribune takes more than half the editorial to endorse McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi for re-election.

State’s Attorney: Incumbent Republican Louis Bianchi and challenger Daniel Regna have been trading barbs in a race that has split the county Republican establishment. Bianchi has taken some heat since the county auditor questioned several hundred dollars his office spent for candy to pass out to children, along with anti-drug literature, at a parade. That wasn’t a smart move by Bianchi; he should send the next candy bill to his campaign fund. But the Illinois attorney general’s office found no basis for a criminal investigation.

So let’s talk about qualifications: Bianchi of Crystal Lake has a solid record of achievement in the office. One highlight: He helped establish a mental health court that provides help for mentally ill defendants under strict court supervision. He has developed a reputation for being a tough prosecutor and for perturbing some local defense attorneys by insisting on taking cases to trial rather than accept a plea. He has done an effective job of managing the office and working with the County Board.

Regna of Woodstock is a capable challenger. He left the state’s attorney’s office in 2004 after nearly 10 years there and served in almost every position in the criminal division. He has the endorsement of several Republican Party leaders in the county, as well as Sheriff Keith Nygren and several of the larger police unions. He had a close working relationship with many of the rank-and-file police officers during his stint in the state’s attorney’s office. But this spat seems to be more about politics than law enforcement. Bianchi is endorsed.

The editorial also endorses Pam Palmer for re-election as County Auditor, asking,

Here’s what was said:

Auditor: Why can’t McHenry County Republicans all just get along? Who knows, but because of the infighting you have a heated primary for, all of things, county auditor. The Republican incumbent, Pamela Palmer, took over in 2006 when auditor Ruth Rooney retired in midterm. Palmer has strengthened the internal auditing staff and pushed a fraud, waste and abuse hot line. She’s doing more departmental auditing than earlier administrations did. And she has a solid working relationship with the County Board. Palmer of Union also is working to develop more easily understood county financial information to be released to the public.

Her opponent, Richard Kelly of Crystal Lake, is an accomplished lawyer who has served on the McHenry County Zoning Board of Appeals since 1994 and as chairman since 1997. But he doesn’t make a case against Palmer. Her experience — serving in the auditor’s office since 1998 — gives her the edge. She is endorsed.

Folks are being called by Opinion Factor out of Rhode Island.

Thy’re being asked questions that lead me to believe that McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren wants to know the length of his coattails.

They begin with just a name.

They do not mention what position the people have or office they are running for.

They say:

“Lou Bianchi. Do you recognize the name?”

If you say you do they then ask -
Do you – strongly agree with this person

- strongly agree with this person
- strongly disagree
- no opinion

Then they continue in the same manner with

“Dan Regna”
“Pam Palmer”
“Rich Kelly”
“Marlene Lantz”

The last question gives away the game plan.

“If Keith Nygren and his backers support a candidate, would you be more prone to select that candidate?”

Nygren has already sent out mailing in an envelope with a corner card that looks suspiciously like his official badge.

The recipient who gave it to me also got the anonymous mailing from McHenry County Republican Central Committee Chairman Bill LeFew.

Perhaps the poll is to see if Nygren would burn political capital by supporting his allies, McHenry County State’s Attorney candidate Dan Regna, McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer and McHenry County Coroner Marlene Lantz.

If his candidate for state’s attorney wins, he will have inordinate influence over all the law enforcement offices in county government, plus the person who is charged with stopping inappropriate spending.

Nygren has the biggest war chest in McHenry County. It had $136,247.37 as of the end of 2007.

Folks are being called by Opinion Factor out of Rhode Island.

Thy’re being asked questions that lead me to believe that McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren wants to know the length of his coattails.

They begin with just a name.

They do not mention what position the people have or office they are running for.

They say:

“Lou Bianchi. Do you recognize the name?”

If you say you do they then ask -
Do you – strongly agree with this person

- strongly agree with this person
- strongly disagree
- no opinion

Then they continue in the same manner with

“Dan Regna”
“Pam Palmer”
“Rich Kelly”
“Marlene Lantz”

The last question gives away the game plan.

“If Keith Nygren and his backers support a candidate, would you be more prone to select that candidate?”

Nygren has already sent out mailing in an envelope with a corner card that looks suspiciously like his official badge.

The recipient who gave it to me also got the anonymous mailing from McHenry County Republican Central Committee Chairman Bill LeFew.

Perhaps the poll is to see if Nygren would burn political capital by supporting his allies, McHenry County State’s Attorney candidate Dan Regna, McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer and McHenry County Coroner Marlene Lantz.

If his candidate for state’s attorney wins, he will have inordinate influence over all the law enforcement offices in county government, plus the person who is charged with stopping inappropriate spending.

Nygren has the biggest war chest in McHenry County. It had $136,247.37 as of the end of 2007.