By: Diane Benjamin 1) Illinois lawmakers who propose unConstitutional laws should be kicked out of office: https://ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus?GAID=18&DocNum=2820&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=164963&SessionID=114 Senator Laura Fine proposed SB2820 Creates the Prohibited Hiring of Federal Immigration Officers Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency may not hire as a law enforcement officer any person who was hired as a federal immigration officer […]
By: Diane Benjamin This one is easy, but read this first: . The current Auditor has a surety bond. That bond is required for her position and is paid for by taxpayers. Michele Anderson has now cost the County money because she didn’t do her job. The County can make a claim against her bond […]
By: Diane Benjamin That election was April 6, 2021. Only 21.8% of registered voters bothered to show up even with 40 days of early voting. https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Bloomington/109017/web.276013/#/turnout That link includes a coded map showing what parts of Bloomington voted more than others. It’s a despicable turnout considering District 87 and City of Bloomington are the governments […]
By: Diane Benjamin Continuation of this story: https://blnnews.com/2024/11/29/alleged-illegal-activity-at-mclean-county/ Lizzy is Elizabeth Johnston. She plans to be the new County Board chair since the Democrats are now the majority. (I told you this is going to be fun!) The text messages below are between Trevor Sierra and Lizzy Johnson. Trevor is requesting a refund for the […]
By: Diane Benjamin My church in Bloomington is a voting location. Yesterday they had a large number of poll workers and machines – larger than previous years. The crew sets up for the election the night before. We had some members there to move a lot of furniture out of the way. I don’t remember […]
I thought surely the camera did something like take still shots, so I asked. This was the response: There isn’t a link on their website to the Live Stream. By: Diane Benjamin Remember this pic? That picture is from this story: https://blnnews.com/2024/10/31/is-this-safe-and-secure/ See the poll with what looks like a camera on the left side? […]
At least 1 of these people is a BEC judge taking a smoke break yesterday instead of trying to get people through the long line to vote: By: Diane Benjamin Elections for President happen every 4 years. Evidently BEC doesn’t realize that because they failed to plan for a lot of people showing up again. […]
By: Diane Benjamin No one new filed in Normal. The deadline is close of business on Monday. Current mayor Mboka Mwilambwe filed for reelection: https://bloomingtonelectionsil.gov/2025-consolidated-elections/ Who circulated petitions is always interesting. Former Alderman Joni Painter circulated for Mboka. Did you know current Ward 1 Alderman Jenna Kearns is an attorney? She was one of the […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Another reason to abolish the Bloomington Election Commission: You can not vote with a paper ballot in Bloomington until election day. The entire rest of the County can at either the County Clerk’s office or at the mall. It will take a little longer because they have to look up what […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you can’t decide who to vote for, see where their biggest contributions came from. That is who will be telling them how to vote and expecting a payback. Illinois Sunshine is the easier place to find out: https://illinoissunshine.org/ It also shows connections to other committees established by candidates. There is tons […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since the State of Illinois has no common sense, this form is required to be sent to every registered voter. The State thinks people aren’t smart enough to figure out how to request a mail in ballot themselves. The Bloomington Election Commission will be sending them too. If you get one of […]
By: Diane Benjamin The local LWV posted this to Facebook: . Of course it is a crime for illegal aliens to vote. It’s also illegal to cross the border. Who is prosecuting illegals for that? WAY over the heads of anyone at the LWV: Every vote by an illegal cancels the vote of a citizen. […]
By: Diane Benjamin At last night’s Committee of the Whole meeting the Mayor did two more proclamations. One was for National Public Works week, the other was recognizing May as National Law Enforcement Appreciation month. Note: the police proclamation happened on May 20th when May is more than half over. The local police deserve the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Lots of people have asked me who is responsible for last night Bloomington Township meeting. The meeting was called because it only takes 15 valid signatures to force a township meeting. Maybe those who think the Bloomington Election Commission should be abolished should put a question on the November ballot! There are […]
By: Diane Benjamin The entire County is going to be taxed to fund the airport. This was passed in Springfield without a vote from the County residents and by representatives that don’t represent them (Chung and Koehler). Remember: Taxation Without Representation? Details here: https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/cira-authority-expansion-means-new-tax-for-rural-mclean-county-property-owners/article_e7aeccb8-3339-11ee-966e-fb07c1b7d8e3.html The County is also forced to pay for the Bloomington Election […]
By: Diane Benjamin Kelby Cumpston does a good job recapping Bloomington’s agenda on Facebook before meetings. I like reading his views since they can be insightful. I have no idea why Greg Koos made the comment below because the Bloomington Election Commission isn’t on the Agenda. Does Greg know BEC couldn’t tell candidates how many […]
By: Diane Benjamin Budget book 2 – PDF page 132 https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/29127 The paragraph below sure sounds like the City let Grossinger Motors off the hook for naming rights long before the contract was over last summer. Grossinger is still on the building anyway. The City still refers to it at Grossinger anyway. The EXCESS reserves […]
By: Diane Benjamin Every small town in McLean County should pass the same resolution now. See what Leroy passed in 2018 when CIRA wanted to tax the entire County: Not everyone who uses CIRA lives in McLean County but they aren’t being taxed. Every small town and city in the County can’t afford to have […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Election Commission has a long history of failing at their one job: Elections. Just in November they couldn’t tell candidates for Bloomington Council how many signatures they needed on petitions because of redistricting. In 2022 BEC requested and increase to their budget of $550,000. BEC has had a hard time […]
By: Diane Benjamin Will someone ask Bloomington why they had 904 employees in mid December? https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/28863/638084456490870000 Bloomington ended the year with 820 employees, still way over the previous numbers! COUNTY taxpayers are forced to fund the Bloomington Election Commission while having no oversight! This is taxation without representation because BEC doesn’t answer to anyone. Green […]
I heard the Bloomington Election Commission can’t tell candidates in revised wards how many signatures they need to run! I also hear candidates are told to consult a lawyer – sure, for a job that pays $2,300 a year. Brilliant. (You have ONE job) I wonder if they know the law? Â (10 ILCS 5/29-4)Â (from Ch. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Only slightly over 60% of registered voters in McLean County bothered to vote. (35,980 out of 59,448) Evidently 40 year high inflation and Pritzker tax increases weren’t enough pain for the other 40% I can’t tell you how many registered voters in Bloomington bothered to show up. Not only did it take […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll: https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/28152/637939229937530000 If using accumulated sick time to spike a pension was eliminated, what is this? This is spiking pension(s). Why the Bloomington Election Commission needs eliminated, the elected County Clerk should run all elections instead of unelected bureaucrats: Packet: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/5a20b9c4-a62d-11ec-8a90-0050569183fa-36dc0a47-f3e1-4a7f-ab53-55227cac04fe-1658440789.pdf PDF page 95: Looks like a Public Hearing on […]
By: Diane Benjamin Note: Petitions are still being collected. See the website to help: https://betternormal-il.com/why-district-normal%3F-1 Before you read the extensive story WGLT wrote about the petitions being circulated to ask Normal voters if they want to switch to Wards, some points WGLT didn’t make: Most of the current Trustees think they are a Board of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Voting 6 weeks before the actual election date is merely a ploy to bank votes from uniformed voters. Do not vote now, the ballots aren’t even available yet to preview before you vote. The ballots were likely delayed by petition challenges. Only those who want to be uniformed vote before campaigning even […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington could have a short meeting tonight: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1163&Inline=True Some highlights: Is anyone going to ask why businesses keep leaving downtown for the East side? Is anyone going to admit the City Core is Veterans Parkway not downtown? Sick Leave Buy Back is still being paid, it just can’t be used to spike […]
By: Diane Benjamin I recently filed a FOIA request with the Bloomington Election Commission. In case you missed this story, the COUNTY pays the bills for Bloomington’s Election Commission: Bloomington Proved BEC is a WASTE of Money  The only thing this office does is elections. There might be three elections this year, there might […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Election Commission got their space in the Government Center downgraded when Bloomington offices moved in. Now they got pushed out so Bloomington’s Legal Department can move in. BEC (which shouldn’t exist because it duplicates the services of the County Clerk) is moving to the building next door: https://www.instantstreetview.com/@40.479618,-88.993312,178h,-2.59p,0z,wpb1CabIaO1Ad8groyQ-XQ The address […]
The below was sent by the local GOP, Democrats likely sent it out too. People who demand the law be followed are needed, BEC needs a watchdog. Here is the news release from the BEC. DATE: November 24, 2021SUBJECT: Announcing commissioner position vacancy on the City of Bloomington Board of Election Commission The Bloomington Board […]
By: Diane Benjamin It took a long time for the Bloomington Election Commission to name a new Executive Director, the last one quit in May. I’d still like to know why Tim Mitchell quit suddenly and why it took so long to replace him. Did they have trouble finding a qualified applicant? The new Executive […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll: https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/26488/637588526176300000 Wasn’t Sick Leave Buy Back abolished? Buy local? Not when Amazon can deliver office and cleaning supplies with a mouse click. This is what the City spent in one month: Even administration participated: Remember when the Coliseum was sold as it would pay for itself? https://blnnews.com/2017/01/28/coliseum-who-to-blame/ Hint: It […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Election Commission need to be abolished now. The Executive Director Tim Mitchell is no longer there – effective today. From all appearances he did not give any notice. An employee said by phone Tim chose to work outside the office, whatever that means. I do know the County is moving […]
If you love Jenn Carrillo’s version of governing, you will love Kelby: By: Diane Benjamin I wonder how the poll workers kept up with so many voters exercising their constitutional right to pick their representatives: Keep doing this voters and somebody is going to propose abolishing elections because they are just too expensive and people […]
By: Diane Benjamin On Bloomington’s agenda tonight Jenn Carrillo wants the Council to petition the Federal and State governments to replace Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous People’s Day. https://blnnews.com/2021/01/22/cancel-culture-back-at-bloomington-monday/ Evidently Jenn doesn’t know the entire month of November is Native American People’s month. Maybe she doesn’t know that’s another way of saying Indigenous People’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=25694 The cost of buying a page for the financial statements keeps going up. See the page on PDF page 14: https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument?id=25360 Why isn’t abolishing the Bloomington Election Commission back on the April ballot? When non-elected officials can’t be held accountable for screwing up elections they need to go. Besides, Bloomington doesn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Most pollsters have no credibility. The one who got 2016 right was https://www.thetrafalgargroup.org/ Trafalar predicted a Trump win in 2020. In the future, pollsters need to be marginalized. They intentionally over-sample those who produce the results they want to see. Media has no credibility. The majority of the media misled the public […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was informed by a VERY reliable source: Yesterday at the Coliseum a Bloomington Election Commission judge was telling people to vote YES on the Progressive Tax Amendment. That is illegal, the police were called and a report was made. Election officials are not allowed to influence your vote. Meanwhile, Jenn Carrillo […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=25362 I thought there was a deadline for City of Bloomington employees to retire if they wanted to spike their pensions, but evidently it’s still happening: These two employees will receive much higher pension benefits merely because nobody at the City stopped them. This fleece has cost Bloomington taxpayers MILLIONS of dollars […]
By: Diane Benjamin It was pretty easy to determine the COUNTY was paying for the Bloomington Election Commission for this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/10/08/you-cant-make-this-stuff-up-bloomington-election-commission/ I emailed the Bloomington Finance Director just to verify and didn’t receive a response until yesterday: That is 7 days after I wrote the story! This is the document they sent, you have […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember the ballot error that caused the Bloomington Election Commission to shut down early voting? https://blnnews.com/2020/10/01/early-voting-suspended-in-bloomington/ I received questions from people who had early voted with the ballot that left off retaining two judges. Some were worried their vote would be invalidated. I emailed BEC to see what the plan is. This […]
