Illinois Issues’ election issue hits newsstands

With the November presidential, congressional, and legislative elections just around the corner, Illinois Issues magazine’s staff has been hard at work writing and producing their election issue, which looks at the prospect of an Obama or McCain presidency from a local perspective, as well as cover local government races.

"The main story will center on what an Obama or McCain presidency would mean for Illinois," executive editor and director Dana Heupel said. "It will also cover the important issue of "pay-to-play" and Congressional and Legislative hot races."

The pay-to-play story, covered by reporter Kevin McDermott, the Illinois Capitol Bureau Chief for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, has certainly become more timely and prominent recently. Bethany Carlson, Statehouse Bureau Chief, reported in her Sept. 22 Illinois Issues blog that, as of that day, the Illinois House and Senate had passed a timely pay-to-play ban, overriding Gov. Blagojevich’s changes to HB 824 and dictating that businesses holding state contracts worth more than $50, 000 will not be able to donate to the political campaigns of the officeholder who signs the contract. This will go into effect in January and will directly affect Gov. Blagojevich and his fundraising efforts ("Pay to play ban becomes law" http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/pay-to-play-ban-becomes-law.html).

Heupel hopes the magazine’s election issue will provide readers with balanced information on both Democratic and Republican parties and help prepare them for Election Day Nov. 4.

"I hope this issue will be something people can get enough information from to make an educated choice," Heupel stated.

The election issue is on newsstands now. For more information, visit http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/.