Election 2004

Programs, Links, and Archives

WILL's Election Returns Page has details of the 2004 vote count

Champaign County Board election returns are available here

Listen to past By the People: Election 2004 programs that aired on WILL-TV and AM 580 during election season.

I-Elect: Assessing the Student Vote -- University of Illinois journalism students examine what students are thinking about as they get set to cast their ballots.

listen to the I-Elect radio program

Electing Health Care,

Co-sponsored by:
The College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago
The Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois
The School of Social Work, University of Illinois
The College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Republican Alan Keyes  

News Features

Voters Will Decide on At-Large Council Seats in Urbana

There are seven members on the Urbana City Council, one elected from each of seven wards (left).  A referendum on the  November 2nd ballot proposes adding two more seats.  But these council members would represent the entire city, not individual wards, and supporters say that would add to the voices heard in Urbana city government.  Opponents say at-large seats would take voices away.  AM 580's Jim Meadows reports.

listen to story

Property Tax Money for Developmental Disability Services?

Parents, caregivers and social service agencies say services for developmentally disabled people in Illinois -- those with autism, mental retardation, cerebral palsy or other disabilities are chronically under-funded.  Champaign County advocates hope voters will approve a new property tax levy to raise money for housing and other services.  As AM 580's Tom Rogers reports, it's drawn support and some opposition.

listen to story

Legislative Candidates Talk Spending Limits

As election campaigns begin to heat up, candidates in an Illinois legislative race in Champaign-Urbana are talking about keeping the heat down.  Republican challenger Deborah Frank Feinen is proposing a voluntary cap on campaign spending.  Democratic incumbent Naomi Jakobsson has offered a counterproposal.  But the idea of campaign spending limits is one that rarely gets out of the discussion stage.  AM 580's Jim Meadows reports.

listen to story

Illinois Public Radio at the Republican National Convention

IPR reporters Bill Wheelhouse and Jonathan Ahl are following the Illinois delegation in New York.

(8/30) Nearly 150 Illinois delegates and alternates, along with their families and party members, are in New York, as is House speaker and convention chairman Dennis Hastert (below right). As Bill Wheelhouse reports, some state leaders don't agree with some of the major parts of the national party platform. 

(8/31) The Illinois Delegation is focused on the re-election of President George W. Bush.  But the leaders of the state party who are in New York are also looking for help in expanding Republicans presence in offices lower down on the ticket.  Jonathan Ahl reports.

(9/1) A few Illinois delegates have been wondering aloud where their Senate candidate, Alan Keyes, has been.  He's been busy, but he hasn't been spending much time with the Illinois delegation.  Bill Wheelhouse reports.

(9/1) Suburban communities in large metropolitan areas continue to be the fastest growing population in the US.  To political strategists, that means it's also the fastest-growing population of voters.  The Illinois delegation held a panel discussion to talk how their party can improve its standings in the suburbs.  Jonathan Ahl was there.

(9/2) A comment about homosexuality by US Senate candidate Alan Keyes caused some controversy among state Republican leaders at the national convention.  Bill Wheelhouse has this report.

(9/2) Illinois delegates are taking in all the typical events associated with a political gathering.  They're attending meetings, rallies, fundraisers, receptions, and participating in the sessions at the convention.  But the delegates are also taking on some side projects that are not standard fare for a political gathering.  Jonathan Ahl reports.

(9/3) Illinois Republicans head home from New York, and as with most conventions, those delegates leave energized to support their candidate.  But when the election is over in November, state Republicans also have to pick a new leader.  Bill Wheelhouse reports.

AM 580's Tom Rogers (left) and Sean Crawford of Illinois Public Radio's Statehouse Bureau followed the Illinois delegation in Boston.

(7/26) Illinois delegates arrived in Boston following a divisive period for the state's Democrats, who've witnessed party leaders trade barbs over the state budget.  Sean Crawford reports. 

(7/27) National Democratic leaders prepare to shine the spotlight on Illinois state senator and US Senate candidate Barack Obama (right). It’s unusual that someone so unknown just months ago gets a chance to keynote the Democratic National Convention. But as Tom Rogers reports, Democrats on both the national and state levels think they have a future political star.

(7/28) For the second time in four years, Democratic leaders put a rising African-American politician front and center at their convention. At the convention, their new star made his national debut amid high expectations. And if you ask delegates who saw Barack Obama speak, they’ll excitedly say that he’s arrived. Tom Rogers reports on the speech.

(7/29) Illinois Democrats have plenty to be happy about at their national convention.  Unlike four years ago, the party is riding high in Illinois, controlling nearly all of state government.  Yet prosperity can still breed dissent.  Sean Crawford has this report. 

(7/30) Following their national convention, Illinois Democrats head home to begin the countdown to Election Day.  Most analysts predict big Democratic wins in the state in November.  But as Sean Crawford reports, there is a downside to those high expectations.

Candidate Interviews

U.S. Senate from Illinois

Albert Franzen (Independent)

Focus 580 interview, September 21, 2004

Campaign web site

Alan Keyes (Republican)

Campaign web site

Jerry Kohn (Libertarian)

Campaign web site

Afternoon Magazine interview, October 27, 2004

Barack Obama (Democrat)

Focus 580 interview, February 16, 2004

Campaign web site

15th Illinois Congressional District

David Gill (Democrat)

Focus 580 interview, March 10, 2004

Focus 580 interview, November 1, 2004

Campaign web site

Focus 580 interview, May 28, 2004

Focus 580 interview, October 29, 2004

Campaign web site

RealAudio | MP3 Download

Deborah Frank Feinen (Republican)

Focus 580 interview, September 28, 2004

Campaign web site

Naomi Jakobsson (Democrat)

Focus 580 interview, September 30, 2004

Illinois General Assembly web site

Thomas Mackaman (Socialist Equality Party)

Focus 580 interview, October 1, 2004

Socialist Equity Party election web site

Voter Resources

Political Party web sites

Other Election News Sites