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Big-money race could spark look at campaign finance laws

Quinn, Rauner pumping millions into campaigns

The two candidates for governor appear to be headed for an Illinois record for campaign spending, and a suburban Democrat behind the state law that limits campaign donations in most races thinks it might be time to review the standards next year.

State Sen. Don Harmon of Oak Park was the lead sponsor on the proposal that limited campaign donations, which Gov. Pat Quinn signed five years ago in the ethics reform rush created by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's infamous troubles.

That law limits how much money someone can give a candidate, but the rules are scrapped if a statewide candidate spends $250,000 of his own money so the other won't be hampered by fundraising limits while trying to keep up.

This year, Winnetka Republican Bruce Rauner has spent millions of his personal funds on the race. With the limits off, Quinn is raising and spending millions, too.

Harmon said part of the law is working. Still, he said, lawmakers didn't expect spending to climb to the levels seen this year. The candidates appear on track to surpass the $38.8 million spent on the governor's race in the 2010 general election.

It's not entirely clear what lawmakers would want to - or could - change. For one thing, lawmakers can't limit how much money people can spend on their own campaigns. That's a free-speech issue, courts have said.

Also, Harmon says, most campaigns aren't like the race for governor.

"It may not be the mouse for which we want to design the mousetrap," he said.

Watch and learn

The 5-year-old law also requires candidates to report big donations as they come, instead of occasionally.

The ongoing flow of political cash is on display at the Illinois State Board of Elections website.

"People now know when candidates are raising money and from whom in time to process that information before an election," Harmon said.

Cost of mailers drops

In June, this column reported on the estimated $4 million price tag for mailers that will be sent to every Illinois household about proposed amendments to the Illinois constitution on November's ballot.

The mailers are required by law, and Secretary of State Jesse White's office has to send them.

The cost got lower as two of the four proposed amendments were kicked off the ballot by elections officials and courts, making the mailers smaller. White spokesman Henry Haupt says the office will drop the 5.3 million mailers off with postal officials next week. They cost nearly $1.4 million to print, and depending on bulk postage rates, will end up costing more than $2 million in total.

They'll be mailed out by Oct. 4 and printed n English, Spanish, Chinese and Hindi, providing information on proposed amendments dealing with victims' rights and voters' rights.

Hoosiers

Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam of Wheaton is planning to host Indiana Gov. Mike Pence at a fundraiser Oct. 17 at the Marriott Hotel in Naperville.

"Gov. Pence's leadership in Indiana is a model we can learn from in Washington, and right here in Illinois," the announcement said.

Indiana governors are popular in Illinois this year. Rauner often cites former Gov. Mitch Daniels as a role model.

Impatient

Cook County Clerk David Orr has released early voting locations for people who want to get done with their civic duty well before Nov. 4.

In-person early voting starts Oct. 20, and locations are available at cookcountyclerk.com.

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