Thursday's vote on a special election to fill the second half of what would have been Judy Baar Topinka's second term as Illinois State Comptroller was such a perfect storm of Illinois political forces that my head is spinning.
But before I get into that, let me make one thing clear: I think holding a special election for comptroller in 2016 is the right thing to do. A governor making a four-year appointment to a constitutional office deprives voters of any say in that office for an entire term. That's not in keeping with the spirit of the Illinois Constitution, though the letter of the constitution -- as Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in December -- allows it.
So while I agree with the ends in Thursday's activity in the Capitol, I don't feel a happy glow of democracy when looking at the means and motivations.
Read more about why the comptroller election ends and means might be at odds at Reboot Illinois.
The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board stepped in to say they wanted to see another question on a 2016 ballot beyond just who should replace the Rauner's comptroller appointee. The board, and many Illinois politicians, have said they would also like a question to appear on the 2016 ballot asking whether Illinoisans want to merge the comptroller's and treasurer's office in 2018. Read at Reboot Illinois which politicians are in favor of such an idea.
