Special election will be headache for officials

No matter if it's held Feb. 5 or another day before the end of March, the special primary election required because of former U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert's resignation this week will cause major headaches for election officials in the 14th Congressional District.

That was one thing officials agreed on after a conference call Friday to discuss their concerns about the complicated process.

And it's likely even more concerns will arise once Gov. Rod Blagojevich issues his writ of election announcing the dates of the special primary and special general elections. He is expected to issue it Monday, the deadline outlined in state law.

"We don't even know for sure what day it's going to be," said Carole Holtz, executive director of the Aurora Election Commission. "Is it one election? Do you have to do two separate (primary) elections? Do you have to have separate equipment for all those ballots? Until you know where you're going, it's hard to predict anything."

If the special primary is scheduled Feb. 5, the day of the regular primary, then voters likely would be issued two ballots at their polling place. But in Kane County, where voters enter their choices into an electronic voting machine, they would probably be issued two access codes. The unique codes are used to ensure voters vote just one time.

Each voter casting two ballots is likely to result in longer lines at the polls, a situation that already has surfaced in Kane County during the past few elections.

Election judges also must undergo additional training to assist voters, Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham said.

"The more steps to take, the more chance there is for error," Cunningham said.

Scheduling the primary on a date other than Feb. 5 means another day of setting up polling places, paying election judges and counting votes -- a major expense to officials in the eight counties included in the district. The added expense could top $1 million, officials estimate.