Bush /probably/ will be on the ballot in Illinois …

… although it will take a state law to do it.

? Pantagraph (Bloomington): Will Bush make Illinois ballot?

/Legislation approved unanimously in the state Senate on Thursday
would make a technical change in state election law to allow Bush to
appear on the ballot.

If the change isn’t adopted by the House later this spring, Illinois
voters would not seethe president’s name on the ballot.

That’s because by the time Bush is nominated at the Republican
convention in New York City in September, the deadline to get on the
Illinois ballot will have passed in August.

Last fall, state lawmakers tried to remedy the situation, but their
efforts fell victim to partisan maneuvers after Democrats added
language that would have erased thousands of dollars in campaign
fines pending against dozens of state politicians.

That language was struck from the latest version of the bill, which
was sponsored by state Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson,
R-Greenville, and not opposed by Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago.

“This shows that Emil Jones has bipartisan cooperation in his
heart,” said state Sen. Rickey Hendon, D-Chicago.

After the first version of the bill died late last year, Republicans
openly worried the Democrat-controlled General Assembly could block
the ability of Illinois voters to cast ballots for Bush.

Along with crafting new legislation, the GOP considered filing a
lawsuit to force the issue.

Hendon said the absence of Democratic opposition Thursday shows
Jones is not a “petty, political person.”/

In other words, look for /tons/ of federal port to come Emil Jone’s way.

These guys wouldn’t cross the room to make sure a Libertarian Party
candidate gets on the ballot.