Barack Obama Day Bill 55, which designated August 4 as Barack Obama Day but did not make it an official state holiday. The bill passed both houses of the Illinois General Assembly with no votes against, and was signed into law by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner on August 4, 2017. The bill amended the State Commemorative Dates Act to include a new section: Barack Obama Day. August 4th of each year is designated as Barack Obama Day, to be observed throughout the State as a day set apart to honor the 44th President of the United States of America who began his career
Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama In the March 17 primary, Obama won re-nomination unopposed, and first-time candidate Yesse Yehudah won the Republican nomination unopposed. At the November 3 general election, Obama was re-elected to a four-year term as state senator for the 13th district with 89% of the vote; Yehudah received 11% of the vote. Obama won both the March 19 Democratic primary election and November 5, 2002 general election for the newly configured 13th district unopposed. On January 8, 1997, Obama was sworn in as senator. Early in his first term, the just-retired U.S. Senator Paul Simon contacted longtime Obama mentor, judge and former