CHICAGO (AP) — A new federal appellate court ruling makes it more likely that Illinois voters will have two U.S. Senate races on the November general election ballot.
One of the races would be to choose an eight-week interim replacement for U.S. Sen. Roland Burris. The other race would be to elect a U.S. senator for a full six-year term beginning in January.
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Thursday an appeal for a rehearing by state officials who argued that it would be a logistical nightmare, as well as a costly and needless expense, to hold a special election as well as a regular election.
Burris was appointed to President Barack Obama's former Senate seat by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich just weeks after Blagojevich's Dec. 9, 2008, arrest on federal corruption charges.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.
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