The Downballot The big takeaways from the Illinois primaries
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Mar 19, 2026 Tori Dolan, a law professor and Native voting rights expert, discusses how election law clashes with tribal life. She explains historical roots of the problem. She details practical barriers like IDs, addresses, and county-tribal coordination. She outlines remedies including tribal IDs, addressing, and legal reforms to improve Native voter access.
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Primaries Move Fast In Final Weeks
- Primary elections can shift wildly late because many voters only decide close to voting day.
- David Beard notes open-seat primaries often see 10–20 point swings in the final weeks since voters lack strong prior candidate preferences.
Ads Don't Always Decide Open Primaries
- Money and early polling don't guarantee victory in large, multi-candidate primaries.
- David Nir explains Raja Krishnamurti led on TV and polls but Stratton's late surge and Cook County strength overcame his ad dominance.
Cook County Edge Plus Statewide Reach Wins
- Geographic strength matters: winning your home base plus decent statewide performance beats ad-heavy suburban gains.
- David Beard notes Stratton won Cook County and also picked up several downstate and suburban counties, blocking Krishnamurti.