Melinda Bush Wins Close Race in 31st

Democrat Melinda Bush won a very close race against Republican Joe Neal. While Neal earned more votes in Tuesday's election, Bush won when the early voting and provisional ballots were counted.

Democrat Melinda Bush defeats Republican Joe Neal for the 31st Senate District. Update 9:45 p.m.  The early voting and vote by mail tallies pushed Democrat Melinda Bush to victory in the 31st Senate race. According to unofficial results, Bush received 42,097 votes, or 51.31%, to Neal's 39,945 votes, or 48.69%. While just an hour ago, it looked like Neal would win, the extra votes carried Bush to victory. The Lake County Clerk's website is reporting this as the final result with early voting and vote by mail, and 132 out of 132 precincts in. Update 8:55 p.m. Republican Joe Neal leads the race for the 31st Senate, with 132 of 132 precincts reporting, without early voting or vote by mail totals. He received 28,100 votes, or 50.40%, compared …

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2012 Grayslake Election Central

We want to make sure you've got everything you need before hitting the voting booth Nov. 6. Check back here for information on the upcoming election and a breakdown of every race with links to candidate profiles and all Patch political coverage.

POLL: Who Gets Your Vote for the 31st Senate?

Evey weekday until Election Day, the Grayslake Patch will post a new poll asking readers who they plan to vote for.

In the race for the 31st Senate District, Republican nominee Joe Neal will face off against current Lake County Board member Melinda Bush, who is representing the Democratic party. Election 2012: District 31 Senate 2012 Grayslake Election Central Who gets your vote? Take our poll, then add your comments.

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Local Candidates Pitch to Grayslake Chamber Members

Candidates for the 62nd House District, 31st Senate District and Lake County Board District 6 were the featured speakers at the Grayslake Chamber of Commerce's October luncheon.

Attracting and retaining businesses, job creation and spending were the main issues discussed by candidates seeking election to Lake County Board District 6, the 62nd House District and the 31st Senate District at the Oct. 25 Grayslake Chamber of Commerce's luncheon. Featured speakers included Republican Joe Neal and Democrat Melinda Bush for the 31st Senate District; Democrat Pat Carey and Republican Jeff Werfel for the newly-drawn Lake County Board District 6; and incumbent State Rep. Sandy Cole, R-62nd. Democratic challenger Sam Yingling was not present. Each candidate was given a few minutes to address chamber members, followed by a short Q&A session. "This race is all about the economy," said Neal, "bringing jobs back." Neal also said…

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Early Voting Starts Monday

Cast your ballot early and avoid the Election Day rush on Nov. 6.

Early voting in Lake County starts Monday, Oct. 22 and continues through Saturday, Nov. 3. To find your early voting location, go to www.lakevoterpower.info, and enter your information. For questions, call the county clerk's office at (847) 377-2410. Hours are the same at each location, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. To vote early, you'll need a photo ID such as a driver's license, state-issued ID or university ID. 2012 Grayslake Election Central

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Farm Bureau Endorses Candidates

The Lake County Farm Bureau, based in Grayslake, has released a list of candidates it endorses for federal, state and county races in the Nov. 6, 2012, election.

The Lake County Farm Bureau Political Involvement Committee recently held candidate interviews in contested U.S., State and County Board races and endorsed candidates. “For over 30 years, the Lake County Farm Bureau has actively participated in the electoral process by interviewing, endorsing and providing PAC funding to candidates who understand the importance of agriculture in Lake County and campaign on a platform to help farmers, landowners and those involved in the agricultural industry,” said Gregory Koeppen, Lake County Farm Bureau Executive Director. “As an organization, we have 13,587 local members and statewide we boast over 420,000 members. Our endorsements are reflective of the desire of our members to continue to insure …

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