In Illinois
In the election held Tuesday, March 20, 2012, the voters of Pike County, Illinois, approved a firearms concealed-carry ordinance by a 3,214 to 550 margin. It was one of the largest voter turnouts in county history. The ordinance directly contradicts current Illinois state law. As presented on the ballot, the ordinance took effect upon passage, and applies only to Pike County. The ordinance was placed on the ballot by a citizen initiative petition process that garnered three times the number of signatures required by law.
The new “Constitutional Carry” Pike County initiative was spearheaded by local Second Amendment activist Dr. Dan Mefford of Pittsfield, who drafted the successful ordinance in conjunction with noted outdoor journalist and firearms law expert Dick Metcalf, who is also a resident of Pike County. According to Dr. Mefford, “The people are speaking, and what the people are saying is, ‘Trust the people.'”
Look at that margin. Winning.
March 23rd, 2012 at 10:36 am
State pre-emption, anyone?
Sauce for goose, as the saying goes, is sauce for the gander.
On the other hand, this is a delightful case with which to begin litigation against state laws.
March 23rd, 2012 at 10:57 am
We r in ur base stealing ur voterz…
March 23rd, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Wish I could say it’s a great sign…
Pike pretty much always votes this way. Now, if you see a margin like this in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Champaign, Sangamon or Jackson counties we’ll be doing better.
Metcalf’s a great guy and loves spreading the culture. If you ever get a chance to go to PASA Park for shooting, I suggest it. It’s a beauty of a range complex.
March 23rd, 2012 at 5:25 pm
mikee,
zackly.
After all, what works in Cook County might not be right for Pike. Wouldn’t -that- be an embarrassment if Ill went “shall-issue with absolute reciprocity” and/or Con Carry county by county everywhere but the Chicago area.
It’d certainly screw with misenforcement of Federal gun travel protections at O’Hare.
=)
March 23rd, 2012 at 7:15 pm
Mikee,
Of course state preemption is a likely outcome, however, the interesting dynamic is that preemption might come, to some degree or another, at the expense of Chicago laws.
March 24th, 2012 at 10:46 am
SoupOrMan, Matthew–you left the “r” out of Crook County.
Seriously–how do Chicago politicians explain the fact that Every. Other. State. In. The. Union. has some provision for concealed carry? I know they think downstaters are a bunch of ignorant hicks, but surely they don’t think they’re that stupid, do they?
They must be really afraid of their own people. I wonder why?
March 24th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
And yet they still cannot carry because of the other country known as chicago!
March 27th, 2012 at 10:24 am
“Seriously–how do Chicago politicians explain the fact….”
They don’t. Now sit down, shut up and pay your taxes, fees, and fines. =)