Delegates to Democratic National Convention named
<p align="justify">After waiting for more than a month, Jackie Petty of Peoria finally learned on Friday whether she got elected Feb. 5 as a delegate to represent Barack Obama at the Democratic national convention.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">She did.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">"I'm excited. I have no idea, of course, what it's going to be like, except perhaps pandemonium," said Petty, a first-time delegate who will head to Denver for the Aug. 25-28 event.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">Petty got the news by calling the State Board of Elections office in Springfield Friday after the panel conducted a canvass of the Feb. 5 primary election results.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">Prior to that, there had been no word on which Democratic delegates won election to represent Obama or Hillary Clinton. The Republican delegates were identified soon after the primary.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">Petty called the delay "a little disturbing."
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">"I would think in this day and time, I would have known fairly soon after the election if I had won or not, or who had won," she added. "I don't think that's too much to ask."
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">Petty said she ran for a delegate's slot at the request of someone from Obama's field operation. Petty assisted in his successful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2004.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">A lifelong Peorian, Petty is retired. She formerly worked in personnel at Ameritech and later worked for Peoria School District 150.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">She said she hasn't packed a suitcase for Denver just yet, but "I'm thinking about what I'm going to take."
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">Democratic delegates elected from Peoria-area congressional districts are:
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">11th District: Deborah "Debbie" Halvorson of Crete, Lawrence M. Walsh of Elwood and Alice E. Argyelan of Bourbonnais, all for Obama; and Luella Kellogg of Morris and Michael G. Matejka of Bloomington, both for Clinton.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">14th District: Linda Chapa LaVia of Aurora, Linda Ramirez Sliwinski of Carpentersville and Mark Guethle of North Aurora, all for Obama; and Alex Arroyo of Aurora for Clinton.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">15th District: Michael "Mike" Frerichs of Champaign, Gina A. Jackson of Champaign and Harry Scott Kair of Danville, all for Obama; and Gerri Kirchner of Urbana for Clinton.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">17th District: Dennis "Denny" Jacobs of East Moline, Bonnie L. Harris of Galesburg and Dennis T. Ahern of Moline, all for Obama; and Virgil J. Mayberry of Rock Island and Christine Eik Winick of Galesburg, both for Clinton.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">18th District: Margaret "Maggie" Koehler of Peoria, John Sullivan of Rushville and Jackie Petty of Peoria, all for Obama; and Robert D. Markham Jr. of Peoria for Clinton.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">Elected as alternate delegates to the Democratic convention were:
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">11th District: Mary "Kathy" Terven of Bloomington for Obama.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">14th District: Fred Casillas of Rock Falls for Obama.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">15th District: Carolyn Brown Hodge of Paris for Obama.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">17th District: Deanna Joan Demuzio of Carlinville for Obama.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">18th District: General Parker of Peoria for Obama.
<p align="justify">
<p align="justify">Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com.