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CHICAGO (AP) — An oversight group is reminding voters to not necessarily cast votes for a judicial candidate in Illinois’ primary on St. Patrick’s Day just because that person has an Irish last name.
The Illinois Civil Justice League says it’s long been known that less-informed voters can mark ballots for judges based on the ethnicity a name suggests. In cities like Chicago, with large Irish-American populations, candidates with Irish names can fare better.
The group released its voting recommendations this week for judicial races in the state’s March 17 primary, including by highlighting a few candidates who it says may be trying to use their Irish names to their electoral advantage or to hurt front-runners.