Two Days Left to Collect Signatures for Precinct Committeeman

Over the last week I have tried to convince readers to run for Precinct Committeeman.

As I tell folks who say they don’t vote:

That’s what politicians want.

They will have their hands in your pocket whether you vote or not.

You have to vote to keep them nervous.

Let’s take that up one level.

Precinct Committeemen make politicians more nervous than voters.

The American system of government does not work well if people drop out.

If you run for Precinct Committeeman, when you tell your elected officials your views, they are more likely to pay attention than if you are an ordinary voter.

So what are you waiting for.

Filing for Precinct Committeeman, both Republican and Democrat ends next Monday.

It takes a minimum of ten signatures to get on the ballot, however, I recommend getting twice that number just to make sure there are ten “good,” that is, register voter, signers.  Be sure to number the petitions are the bottom and put them in consecutive order.

Petitions may be found on the McHenry County Clerk’s web site here.

Before filing one’s petition, one needs to fill out a Statement of Candidacy, which can be found here.

One needs to sign both the petition and the Statement of Candidacy in front of a notary public.  They can be found at local banks, real estate and lawyer’s offices

Staple all three sheets of paper together with the Statement of Candidacy on top.  Do not use paper clips, because people have gotten kicked off the ballot for not having the petitions and statement securing attached to one another.

Then, take your petition packet to the County Clerk’s Office.  (It could be mailed, but it has to arrive by Monday at 5 PM when the Clerk’s Office closes.)

As a Precicnt Committeeman, you can have an impact on your community.

Most Committeeman distribute letters recommending their favorite candidates.

I do so every election.  (There are four every two years, although in 2017, there may be a fourth if you live in a larger township where there is a primary election for township office.)

Precinct Committeemen also select party leaders.  There is a County Convention for each party at which officers are elected.

At the Republifcan Convention last time, for the first time since at least 1958, a chairman, Sandra Salgado, was elected who was not part of what might be called the “Old Guard” or the “Establishment.”

Both the newcomers and the faction that controlled the County GOP since at least the 1950’s are assiduously recruiting people to run for Precinct Committeeman.

If you believe the seat of power resides in the Party organizations, as I do, I encourage you to run for this bottom of the pyramid office.


Comments

Two Days Left to Collect Signatures for Precinct Committeeman — 1 Comment

  1. Cal,

    You sure work hard to have Bianchi’s half of the Old Boy’s network seem like they don’t have any history or that most of the long established dollars in this county aren’t behind them.

    They are the power brokers looking to stomp out any outsider or any dissent.

    No matter how hard you want to paint them as outsiders, they speak with one voice without a single voice of dissent or independence.

    Even with all the controversy of a few bad cops giving the many a bad name, not a single politician of this crowd will even comment if a Police Commander should be hired with a criminal record that involves DUI or violence.

    Not a single one.

    How very “anti-establishment”.

    Is there an ethical independent voice in the bunch, or are they just the establishment protecting their own political power?

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