By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – A Republican state lawmaker wants to increase Illinois’ role in presidential politics.
Come November, whoever takes Illinois will get all twenty delegates. But Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) says maybe they should be awarded by congressional district.
“I think that would allow areas of the state to have a say in who is the President,” Butler says. “As everybody knows, it’s not the popular vote that elects the President, it’s the electors who are elected in the elections. There’s a few states that do it by congressional district, and I think that would be a good way to do it.”
While it would have given President Trump a piece of Illinois in 2016, Butler says the idea would also make Illinois more in play and perhaps attract candidates.
Another way to give Illinois more influence would be to move up the primary.
“They’re early enough as they are in Illinois,” says Butler. “Our primary is March 17, which means we started voting for early voting February 6, which means I filed for re-election at Thanksgiving.”
Dave Dahl can be reached at News@WJBC.com.
