In Vermilion County, Illinois, there is only one competitive Democratic Primary race in the entire county: County Board District 5, which includes Danville Township Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 14, and Danville City Precinct 30. What's a Democrat who lives in another county board district to do on Primary Day?
BE A REPUBLICAN FOR ONE DAY!!!
There is one very intriguing downticket race in Vermilion County where THREE Republicans are vying for the Republican nomination: County Recorder. The three Republican hopefuls in this race are Thomas O'Shaughnessy, Eric Rosson, and Deborah Runyan. O'Shaughnessy and Runynan are considered to be the frontrunners for the nomination. I will cast a Republican primary ballot for Eric Rosson, since he does not appear to be running a formal campaign. I have not seen any yard signs for Rosson's campaign, nor did Rosson respond to a candidate questionnare sent to him by the Danville Commercial-News, the only major newspaper in Vermilion County.
The main purpose of this operation is to help out the Democratic nominee for county recorder: Niki Bogart. Bogart is unopposed in the Democratic primary. If Rosson wins the Republican nomination for county recorder, Bogart will have a much easier campaign in the general election, whereas she would have a tough fight ahead if either O'Shaughnessy or Runyan get the GOP nomination.
Polls open in Illinois at 6 A.M. local time and close at 7 P.M. local time. Illinois's primaries are semi-open, so any voter can request any party's primary ballot at the judges' table. I am asking for Democrats in Vermilion County to request a Republican ballot and vote for Rick Santorum for President and Eric Rosson for County Recorder!
UPDATE: Romney has won the Illinois GOP Presidential Primary with Santorum in second place. In Vermilion County, the GOP Recorder Primary went for Thomas O'Shaughnessy, one of the two major contenders (the other being Deborah Runyan). Eric Rosson, despite not running a formal campaign, got 7% of the vote, coming in third place.
I am pleased to announce that I am now once again a member of the Democratic Party.