Champaign County Ballot Printing Blunders Collide With Ammons Federal Corruption Charges

Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons faces calls to step aside over ballot misprints and a federal indictment, while former Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin endorses Gov. JB Pritzker over Republican Darren Bailey. Champaign County ballot errors: About 600 ballots were misprinted, and at least 60 were cast with errors, including candidate choices for the 103rd and 104th Illinois House races switched to voters in the other district. Ammons' office called the problems technical issues. Members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus and other Republicans held a news conference outside the clerk's office as early voting began. State Rep. Chris Miller said Ammons called to apologize but tried to blame staff and vendors, and said the office has made a string of mistakes over several election cycles. The Center Square's Sean Reed notes a candidate's name was also misprinted in the primary. Federal indictment: Ammons, clerk since 2018, was indicted in July on witness tampering and obstruction of justice charges in a wider case. His wife, state Rep. Carol Ammons, is accused of a kickback scheme involving state taxpayer dollars sent to local nonprofits that employed their daughter, along with campaign finance violations. The couple's daughter was also federally indicted earlier this year in a separate matter. The jury trial has been pushed back to Dec. 7 in Springfield. These are allegations; the charges have not been proven in court. The challenger and the election: Republican Allen Anderson, who is running against Ammons, says the 2020 election drew a citation from the Illinois Board of Elections for counting votes too early, and cites later printer, computer, and staffing problems. Anderson wants a third party to run this year's election. Carol Ammons is unopposed on the ballot but faces write-in challenger Kevin Smith, a local businessman running as a Democrat. A special House investigating committee requested by Republicans is also looking at her conduct as a state official, and Rep. Adam Niemerg says the panel has heard back from the district attorney and wants to start calling witnesses. Pritzker gets a Republican endorsement: Former House Minority Leader Jim Durkin endorsed Pritzker for a third term, saying Bailey isn't the kind of Republican he sees as representing his party; he said he disagrees with Pritzker on much but trusts him to be responsible for taxpayers. Pritzker said they disagree often but remain respectful. Bailey said Durkin may be angling for a cabinet spot in a possible Pritzker 2028 presidential run and that it's no longer Durkin's party. Independent Colin Corbett is also on the ballot. Democrats' down-ballot push: An Illinois Democratic Party director told Reed the party is backing candidates up and down the ballot and sees opportunities in suburban and rural districts, including a possible challenge to one of the state's three Republican congressmen. Should an election run by an indicted clerk be overseen by a third party? Leave your thoughts in the comments. #Illinois #ChampaignCounty #IllinoisElection #JBPritzker #CenterSquare #TheStates