Illinois governor orders special election for Jesse Jackson Jr.'s old seat
(CNN) – Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said Monday that a special election will be held to fill the congressional seat vacated by former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who stepped down last week amid an ethics probe and ongoing health problems.
Quinn said a primary election would be held on February 26, which coincides with an already-scheduled local primary election, and proposed setting April 9 as the date for the general election to coincide with another previously-scheduled vote.
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
The governor's statement said Quinn was working with state lawmakers to establish April 9 as the date of the general election, rather than an earlier date, since it falls outside the 115-day period established by state law to schedule a special election date.
"This special election will be carried out in a manner that is fair to the electorate and as economical as possible for taxpayers," Quinn said in a statement. "By holding the special primary and general elections on the same days as existing contests, we can save significant taxpayer dollars and ensure the people of the 2nd District can make their voices heard."
Jackson, who announced his resignation in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner last Wednesday, has been the subject of several investigations and was recently treated at the Mayo Clinic for what was described as "several serious health issues."
Voters in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District - located on Chicago's South Side - re-elected Jackson, 47, for a 10th two-year term this month, despite his legal and health troubles.
CNN's Alan Duke contributed to this report.
Also on the CNN Political Ticker
- Graham says he'd break no-tax 'pledge'
- Cantor: Voters more concerned about problem solving than pledge
- Christie gets post-Sandy approval rating bump
From CNN Politics
- Pressure builds on Biden to act on guns in wake of Colorado mass shooting March 23, 2021 01:03 pm
- Sidney Powell argues in new court filing that no reasonable people would believe her election fraud claims March 23, 2021 12:15 pm
- Postmaster General set to announce 10-year plan including longer mail delivery times and cuts to post office hours March 23, 2021 12:02 pm
- Progressive group launches $3.2 million advertising buy to push federal voting law March 23, 2021 11:01 am
- US and allies announce sanctions against Chinese officials for 'serious human rights abuses' against Uyghurs March 23, 2021 10:32 am
- Analysis: Trump's army takes aim at 2022 touting his election lies March 23, 2021 05:01 am
why didn't that clown resign before the election? and why did all these stupid voters vote for him when they knew he was incapacitated. big waste of time and money with no representation in the meantime. democrats should be embarassed and pay for this, not taxpayers.
Are all these people that are saying that we would be better off when Obama leaves office in four years Republicans?
He won both the electoral and popular vote. Who are the morons that are saying this?
The Chicago Mob will put up their candidate, and their candidate will win.
WAIT A SECOND!
I thought Illinois governors were supposed to sell congressional seats!
😉
that was a joke
the democrats will win the seat again because it has been jerrymandered by the illinios democrats. why even bother with an election?
Isn't an auction only open to the Democrats more appropriate???
-just sayin
the democrats will win the seat again because it has been jerrymandered by the illinios democrats. why even bother with an election?
**************************
Kind of the same way that the South and the Southwest are jerrymandered by the GOP, but we don't hear you bi tching about that process, do we? Oh, of course not, it was a pure, Christian jerrymandering, right? All paid for with billionaire oil and Macaa casino money.
Let's see, before the election he was facing charges for buying a $40,000 Rolex for a female campaign aid with campaign funds aka donations. He was in "rehab" for bi polar disorder for months before and during the election. He was reelected. Duhh, what's it take for Chicago voters to maybe consider someone else ?