Kostas Yfantis is running for Champaign County Board district 7. Yfantis, a longtime resident of Champaign, works as an academic professional at the University of Illinois. He will work with the people of Champaign County to make it an even better place to raise children, live healthy and fulfilling lives, establish and operate successful businesses while respecting our natural environment. Yfantis also ran for Champaign County Board in 2006 and received 839 votes (21.35%) in a three-way race with Democrat Carrie Melin and Republican Mark Randall. For more information, see http://www.yfantis.org/.

Mike Lehman is running for Champaign County Board, district 9. Lehman has lived in Champaign County for over 30 years and has been active in notable local community efforts, including the Living Wage campaign, the Independent Media Center, WRFU-LP Urbana, and the Graduate Employee Organization. Lehman is running to provide transparency in government, equitable hiring and justice practices, and support for public education funding.

Walter Pituc is running for Champaign County Board, district 7.

Pituc, an undegraduate at the University of Illinois studying American history, is running for Champaign County Board to represent people of all ages in his district. He supports sound environmental stewardship, transparency in government, and fiscal responsibility.

Joe Futrelle is running for Champaign County Board, district 8. Futrelle, a lifelong resident of Urbana, works as a senior research coordinator for the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. Futrelle's priority for the county board is sustaining Champaign County's communities and natural resources with economic policies that promote opportunity, diversity, and sound ecological stewardship. Futrelle is running for the seat vacated by retiring board member Jenny Putnam. He also ran for County Board in 2006, and received 1,233 votes (25.48%) in a three-way race with Democrats Ralph Langenheim and Tom Betz. For the latest information, visit http://joefutrelle.org/.

The Illinois primary date is anticipated to be moved to February 5th from March 20th.  This should make the petitioning period for established parties August 5th to November 5th, 2007.

Incumbents and estimated signature requirements for Green candidates:

Congressional Districts

• 15 - Tim Johnson (R) - est. 169 signatures

State Senate Districts

• 53 - Dan Rutherford (R) - 1,000 signatures

State House Districts (2006)

• 103 - Naomi D. Jakobsson (D) - 500 signatures
• 104 - Bill Black (R) - 500 signatures
• 105 - Shane Cultra (R) - 500 signatures
• 110 - Chapin Rose (R) - 500 signatures

County Elected Offices

• Auditor Tony Fabri (D) - est. 45 signatures
• Circuit Clerk Linda S. Frank (R) - est. 45 signatures
• Coroner Duane E. Northrup (R) - est. 45 signatures
• Recorder Barbara A. Frasca (R) - est. 45 signatures
• State's Attorney Julia R. Rietz (D) - est. 45 signatures

County Board

9 districts, 3 members each. Twelve of all seats up, as follows.  Petition requirements are estimated to be less than 8 signatures per district:

• 1 - John D. Jay (R)
• 1 - Lawrence D. Sapp (R)
• 2 - Ronald Bensyl (R)
• 3 - Scott Tapley (R)
• 4 - Stanley S. O'Conner (R)
• 5 - Lloyd Carter, Jr. (D)
• 5 - Catherine Hogue (D)
• 6 - Claudia Gross (D)
• 7 - Janet Anderson (D)
• 7 - Carl Weibel (D)
• 8 - Jennifer Putman (D)
• 9 - Brendan McGinty (D)

David Cobb, former Green presidential candidate, described the Green Party as the electoral arm of a growing movement in this country for peace, social justice, and environmental protection. The Prairie Greens would like to see Greens elected to office at every level to put into place the Ten Key Values of the Green Party.

To register to vote and find your polling place, visit www.champaigncountyclerk.com.

There is no party registration in the state of Illinois and primaries are open to all voters. Because the Green Party is an established party across Illinois, voters will be able to vote in a Green Party primary in the spring of 2008.