Democratic PAC using ‘loud’ Walsh in ads against colleagues Dold, Biggert

A pro-Democratic group is using video cuts of the “loud,” politically incorrect tea partyer Joe Walsh to turn up the volume against Republicans in three key Chicago-area races. Walsh’s bluster is the centerpiece of a new spot, which is part of a $2.4 million ad …

Coroner candidates agree office must win back public’s trust

Both candidates in the Kane County coroner’s race want to restore a sense of integrity to the office. Both said trust within the office needs to be restored, following the death of former Coroner Chuck West over the summer. West was the subject of a …

Court records issue for circuit clerk

With the election looming in November, a case management system that could potentially cost the county up to $12 million is dominating the conversation of the candidates for Kane County circuit clerk. Both the Republican candidate Tom Hartwell of Elgin and Democrat candidate Ed Nendick …

Kane recorder candidates differ in view of office

The candidates in the November election for Kane County recorder of deeds see the role of the office a little differently. For incumbent Republican Sandy Wegman of Elgin, who has held the position since 2000, technology has been of vital importance in meeting the mission …

Pro-Walsh super PAC ‘will fight to keep’ anti-Duckworth ad on air

The Now or Never Political Action Committee said Monday it is battling to keep its ad attacking 8th Congressional District Democratic candidate Tammy Duckworth. “The Now or Never Political Action Committee (NON-PAC) will fight to keep the ads on the air,” a release from the …

DuPage County to have bilingual ballots

For the first time, DuPage County will have bilingual ballots for the general election in November. What that means for voters is that ballots will be printed in both English and Spanish. In addition, supplementary election materials will be printed in both languages, and Spanish-speaking …

Resident worried voting machines could be hacked

The DuPage County Election Commission board has been asked to consider double-checking the accuracy of its voting machinery, but officials might not deem it necessary. The cochairwoman of the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project has called on the three-member panel to retain a team based at …

Questions turn personal in Elgin candidates forum

ELGIN — The attacks turned personal and the questions turned barbed when the nonpartisan, right-leaning group OCTAVE sponsored a standing-room-only candidates forum Tuesday night for the people running for the Elgin-area state senate seat and for a resident judge position representing the Elgin-Dundee Township area …

Voter registration down in Cook, up in Kane

Nearly a quarter-million fewer Chicagoans have registered to vote in the 2012 presidential election than registered in 2008, the city’s election board chairman reported this week.

In suburban Cook County, the number of registered voters has dropped from 1.44 million on Election Day in 2008 …

Aurora delegate already at work for Republican convention in Tampa

Although she’s found time to hit the beach, Auroran Gabriela Wyatt has already been hard at work at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.

Wyatt is one of three delegates representing the 14th Congressional District at the Republican National Convention. The other 14th District …

Area GOP congressmen weigh in on Akin, Ryan

U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh says fellow Republican Todd Akin’s recent comments about rape were idiotic — but questioned during a public forum why no one in the Republican Party has stuck up for him.

With about 10 weeks until Nov. 6, Republican congressmen from the …

2 years or 4? Kane Board sets term lengths

The Kane County Board will undergo a significant amount of change following the November elections.

With every seat up for re-election, the board needed to figure out how to stagger its terms. So on Tuesday, the board answered this question by drawing lots.

“I think …

Obama: Extend tax cuts for those who make less than $250,000

President Barack Obama renewed his push Monday to extend tax cuts for the middle class but end them for those making more than $250,000 a year. “I believe it’s time to let tax cuts for the wealthiest Americas, folks like myself, to expire,” Obama said.

Redistricting, retirements change political landscape in Fox Valley

The ballots for that Nov. 6 general election are set. So do you know who your candidate is? The state deadline for the established (that is, Republican and Democratic) parties to slate candidates for spots where no one ran in the March 20 primary passed …

Chris Christie plays to the conservative crowd at Rosemont conference

New Jersey’s tough-talking Gov. Chris Christie led a posse of potential Republican vice-presidential candidates in attacking President Barack Obama in his hometown Friday.