Election ball rolling in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Hundreds of candidates for state and federal offices in Illinois lined up Monday to begin filing nominating petitions for the March primary.

About 550 candidates converged on the State Board of Elections to officially declare their intentions to seek election to Congress, the state Legislature, judicial posts or statewide jobs from governor to comptroller.

"It really is the kickoff for the 2002 election season," Ronald Michaelson, elections board executive director, said Monday morning. "This starts the ball rolling. By three o'clock, people will be buying copies of petitions to look at for possible defects."

By late Monday, the board had received 60 requests for copies of petitions, Michaelson said. The period for filing objections to nominating petitions begins next week.

Most of the candidates putting in papers Monday were waiting when the office opened at 8 a.m. Candidates in line when the doors open are eligible for a lottery that determines ballot position among competitors. The final ballot is certified in January for the March 19 primary.

"A lot gets done in a relatively short time," Michaelson said.

State Sen. Lisa Madigan was first to file, putting in signatures in her bid to be the Democrats' nominee for attorney general. Attorney General Jim Ryan and Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood, who are seeking the Republican nod for governor, were also among the first in line. They face state Sen. Patrick O'Malley in the spring.

For the first time, candidate filing information was available immediately on the board's Web site. It also includes information on how to file objections.