* This is big news. State law generally forbids circulating for different parties and independents in the same election cycle (for good reason), but the Chicago Electoral Board has ruled that it doesn’t apply to non-partisan school board races…

The Chicago Electoral Board ruled Tuesday that nearly two dozen school board candidates can’t be disqualified simply because their petition circulators also worked partisan races, removing a significant hurdle for nearly two dozen hopefuls in the election.

The provision known as the dual-circulation rule had been used to challenge the nominating papers of 22 school board candidates. Had the board determined that the law could be applied, it may have wiped most from contention.

“We always hear in these arguments that ballot access is a substantial right in Illinois,” election attorney Ed Mullen told the board, arguing on candidates’ behalf. “In this case, it is of greater importance, because this is the first time in history that we’re going to have a fully elected school board.”

The rule says that petition circulators can’t collect signatures for multiple types of candidates in the same election cycle — which includes working for candidates in different parties, or for both independent and partisan candidates.