The point, Wills says, was to take stock of the accomplishments of Illinois and, during its bicentennial, establish a tidy go-to resource of favorite sons and daughters. "My hope is people look at these lists and say, 'I had no idea he or she was from Illinois,'" he said. "I think the overall thing I personally learned doing this is not what is best, tops or whatever but how connected the state is to the world. Pick a topic -- labor, civil rights, music. There will be someone from Illinois who played a critical role."

As of now, you still have until Friday to vote on the top leaders in the state's history; after that, there's a ballot for the state's top 10 most "unforgettable moments."

In true state tradition (allegedly), you can vote early and often, once a day. But Wills says the winners are the winners; no thumbs are placed on any scales in the interest of geographic, ideological or cultural variety. There is no tampering with the results: "I sincerely believe that no foreign governments want to interfere with this election."

But if no one wants to meddle in an election, does it matter?