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* UPDATED x1 * This just in… Court keeps Libertarians on ballot

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* 11:00 am - Sangamon County Circuit Judge has ruled against an attempt by Illinois Republican Party attorneys to knock the Libertarian Party’s statewide slate off the November ballot. The full ruling is here.

*** UPDATE *** AP…

Kelley found that the evidence supported the board’s decision, noting that the court could overturn it “only if it finds the rulings are clearly erroneous.”

Illinois GOP attorney John Fogarty had argued that thousands of signatures were invalid because they were illegible, not genuine and because petition circulators didn’t reside at their stated addresses.

While approving the Libertarian’s candidacy, the board ruled that Green, Constitution and Independent party candidates should not be on the ballot because the parties gathered too few valid signatures. Democratic Party attorneys had challenged the validity of the signatures for the Green candidate, who could have taken votes away from Quinn.

Fogarty declined comment Thursday on whether attorneys would appeal. Illinois GOP spokesman Andrew Welhouse said the party would “continue to work in every part of Illinois to elect Bruce Rauner and Republicans up and down the ticket.”

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:00 am

Comments

That’s what I call justice!

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:01 am
What a week Rauner is having, huh?

Comment by Namaste Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:02 am
Rut-Roh.

I wonder how the Libertarians feel about medical marijuana?

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:02 am
I’m interested to see if other polls start showing movement after a tough couple of weeks for the Baron.

Comment by Snucka Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:03 am
Now let the fun begin!

Comment by Spliff Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:03 am
If the GOP continues to drag out this case, I hope that the media who have been stumping for a more open process give them the drubbing they deserve.

Come to think of it, Andy Shaw has been pretty silent about the armed thugs, etc….Andy? Andy??

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:04 am
Good.

Now if they could just do something about those goons with the guns…

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:06 am
The State Board of Elections generally does a good job on issues like this. Courts aren’t likely to disagree.

Comment by walker Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:06 am
Yeah a tough couple of weeks… but when you do it to yourself with a pro-choice ad, it completely alienates his base. When you are getting clubbed over the head, typically you don’t join in.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:07 am
“Something something your vote can send a message to the corrupt Democrats and Republicans running Springfield something something…”

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:09 am
== If the GOP continues to drag out this case ==

Meh. Kind of hard to get outraged on that aspect. Dems and Reps both doing the same, trying to keep others of the ballot.

Dems were just a little more efficient at it this time around. It’s a terrible, time-honored tradition in Illinois practiced by both.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:10 am
Can these guys find any sugar daddies on the national scene to help them make some noise?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:12 am
Yeah, they need to get former GOP gov Gary Johnson here to campaign. Isn’t there some traditionally democrat PAC that can fund this thing?!

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:16 am
At this point the ballots are printed, right

Comment by Nonplussed Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:16 am
October can’t come soon enough for the Rauner Crew.

Anything above 3% for Grimm is going to be bad news for Bruce Rauner.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:16 am
wordslinger - You’d think there has to be someone out there, possibly even some liberal Dems.

Paging Fred Eychaner?

A cool million to the Libs would get more bang for the buck at this point than another $1 million to Quinn. Enemy of my enemy, strange bedfellows, and all that. This could get interesting.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:21 am
history will remember those who stood up to rauner when it looked hopeless as heroes and those that stooped with him as despicable. Congratulations libertarians! Shame Louis G Atsaves.

Comment by William j Kelly Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:22 am
Now it will be interesting to see what happens as Ben Koyl, the LP of Illinois candidate for attorney general has a filed a complaint with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department this past Friday. The complaint goes into the Illinois Republican Party’s use of intimidation tactics against petition signature collectors for the LP.

This is in addition to the complaints filed with both the Office of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez at the end of August.

Comment by Downstate Libertarian Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:24 am
“At this point the ballots are printed, right?”

August 22, 2014 (74 days prior to election) was the date for certification of General Election Ballot by the State Board of Elections.

Tomorrow, September 19, is the last day for election commissions to have ballots available for mailing to persons in the U.S. service, etc.

Because the SBE determined that the Libertarians were good to go originally, i.e. before the GOP appeal to the courts, one can presume that all ballots were/will be printed with the Libertarian candidate.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:26 am
Deservedly bad news for Rauner, though if this Libertarian gets 3% of the vote Rauner is toast anyway (unions are going to turnout, and only way Libertarians get 3% is if overall turnout is low).

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:34 am
The next round of polling should be good news for the Quinn campaign.

Comment by Toure's Latte Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:37 am
At last, I have someone to vote for in November!

Comment by Just a Citizen Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 11:57 am
@FKA -

Yeah, but the editorial boards shouldn’t only be outraged, shocked an appalled when Democrats do it.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:05 pm
The more the Republicans rail about the Libertarians, the more they alert voters to a third choice. Keep it coming.

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:17 pm
William Kelly please don’t call yourself a hero.
You need to go collect some more signatures , one page won’t cut it.
Then after you beat Rahm you will be a hero!!!
Hhhhaaaa

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:35 pm
Giving voters another choice on the ballot is consistent with Rauner’s support for same-day voter registration. “I’m a believer that our democratic process is critical to our prosperity as a state and as a nation. I think having voters engaged and involved and everybody voting, all registered voters voting, is a great thing, and the more folks that vote, the better, and to the degree we help that process, I’m supportive of that,” he said.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 12:45 pm
I wouldn’t be surprised if the LPs get 5% of the vote given the stench emanating from the Ds and Rs.

Comment by ProfShade Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:02 pm
Anonymous , I have never called myself a hero, and petitions are pouring in, thanks for asking! http://youtu.be/ns3smyIbEtw

Comment by William j Kelly Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:04 pm
@YDD - that is a more than fair point. Misread you as implying the GOP was somehow “worse” than the Dems on this.

Both parties take it to an extreme, and both parties should be called out on it.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:07 pm
I spent a couple of days during June 2010 at the State Board of Elections. My mission was to find as many faulty signatures and help kick the Constitution Party candidates off the ballot.

That was a tough couple of days. My mind and conscience told me that what I was doing was wrong. But my partisan side - and the side who vociferously wanted to see Bill Brady elected Governor and Mark Kirk elected U.S. Senator - told the other side to shut up.

I understand why Rauner did what he did and why he continues to do what he does. But the initial reports look bad and now he is going to appeal to a court that is not likely to view another (political loss) appeal with much favor.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:21 pm
@FKA -

It’s like the lawsuit against Illinois Review in my book.

I’m no fan of Illinois Review, but we shouldn’t be using the courts maliciously.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:23 pm
ProfShade

In 2006 the LPs pulled 10.36%, keeping Blago under 50% and JBT under 40%.

Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 1:25 pm
–In 2006 the LPs pulled 10.36%, keeping Blago under 50% and JBT under 40%.–

That was the Greens.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:01 pm
will there be an invite to a debate?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:46 pm
Wordslinger -

You’re correct, used bad data. That said, it shows 3rd parties can do well when the voting populace considers the Dem and GOP candidates as Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 2:46 pm
Good news!

Keep hammering it in the media, Bruce. The more you yap about ballot access, the more votes you’ll lose.

Bravo.

Comment by Macbeth Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 4:01 pm