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letters to the editor
Updated: December 4, 2011 10:30AM
Circulating petitions
For Illinois residents, Sept. 6, 2011 — the first day that candidates begin circulating petitions — is the start of the 2012 political season.
This means that candidates will be knocking on your door to ask for signatures between now and Dec. 5, 2011, the last day to file petitions with local election authorities.
The petition is the first step in democracy; a candidate cannot be placed on the Ballot for the Primary Election on March 20, 2012 if they do not have enough signatures.
Please sign the petition form when a candidate comes to your door! Signing a petition form: Allows you to participate in our government; Does not obligate you to vote for that candidate and; Will not place your name on commercial mailing lists.
Most candidates stay within their own party when asking for signatures: if you are a Democrat, it is unlikely that a Republican candidate will ask for your signature and vice versa.
Only registered voters, within the district, may sign a candidate petition (if you are not registered to vote, please register as soon as you finish reading this!).
The signature process is hard work, requiring candidates to go door-to-door in all kinds of weather, hoping to find people home and willing to come to the door.
Some candidates require several thousand signatures.
This equals many, many hours of walking and knocking on doors just to be placed on the ballot.
So if you are home when a candidate knocks on your door, please take a minute to answer the door and sign for them.
Your signature on a petition is the easiest, fastest and cheapest thing you can do to participate in our government!
If you have questions about the petition process, or want to register to vote, contact your local election authority.
Joan Ziegler, president
League of Women
Voters of Glenview
Pink differently in strides agains breast cancer
On behalf of the American Cancer Society, I would like to thank the hundreds of residents in the North Shore communities for their generosity and support of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk which took place Oct. 16 at Westfield Old Orchard. Approximately 800 walkers and volunteers participated, and we raised more than $60,000 to fight breast cancer and provide hope for all people facing this disease.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is a chance to “Pink Differently” in the fight against breast cancer, and celebrate survivorship and create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays. I want to applaud the many survivors that led the way. These women are heroes. They are our mothers, sisters, daughters, wives and friends. They are the reason we continue the fight, and they remind us all of a very important message – finding breast cancer early – when it’s most treatable – can save lives.
A special thanks to all the volunteers who donated their time and effort to make this event a success. We could not have done it without you.
We also appreciate the generosity of this year’s flagship sponsors – Saint Francis Hospital and Westfield Old Orchard for their contributions and participation in this year’s walk.
Again, thank you for supporting your American Cancer Society. If you have outstanding pledges or would like to make a donation, it’s not too late.
Your donations can help patients get the support they need. Contact your local American Cancer Society office or make a gift online at MakingStridesNorthShore.com. You can also contact us anytime, day or night for cancer-related information, support and resources at (800) 227-2345, or visit www.cancer.org
Jennifer McDermott
Strides Council Member
Evanston
