* Sun-Times…
Two independent candidates vying for U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s Congressional seat will not appear on the November ballot after the Illinois State Board of Elections on Tuesday ruled that both did not submit the minimum number of valid petition signatures — 10,816 required to run as an independent candidate.
Both Mayra Macías and Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) will not appear on the ballot, leaving Lyons Mayor Chris Getty as the only independent to make it to the ballot. There were no challenges filed against Getty’s petitions. Patty Garcia, Rep. Garcia’s chief of staff, is running for his seat after the congressman abruptly dropped out of the race and raised eyebrows by quickly helping her get enough signatures to make a tight deadline. […]
State Board of Elections general counsel Marni M. Malowitz said Mayra Macías submitted 9,758 valid signatures, which is 1,058 fewer than was required. In one instance, a petitioner provided a wrong home address, so 101 of the signatures she collected were tossed. In another, a petition circulator was also getting signatures from other Democratic candidates, which is not allowed for independent candidates. In other cases, signatures were not valid. […]
Macías, who was at the hearing, criticized the process, saying she was given just three days to prove many signatures were legitimate. She also said “the spirit of the law is being completely broken in this race.”
The spirit of the law was followed to a “T”. The whole point of these state ballot access laws is to hinder ballot access.
Sigcho-Lopez vowed to take his case to the Illinois Supreme Court.
If the idea of this bid was to set up a court case, then go for it, but I kinda think that isn’t the case. But if the idea was to actually qualify for the race and set up a 2028 primary bid, then they both should’ve worked harder and better because the rules were clearly stacked against them.
Sounds mean to say, but it’s just Illinois reality. And reality bites here for indies.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, Jul 21, 26 @ 1:00 pm:
It is a law written by incumbents to protect incumbents as the election attorneys say.
It is maybe a little fishy to me that these two lost but CTU’s school board picks survived at the Chicago Board of Elections.
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Tuesday, Jul 21, 26 @ 1:04 pm:
It does bite.
I would like to see a lower threshold for signatures required for candidates to get on state ballots.
7,000-8,000 sounds reasonable IMO.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 21, 26 @ 1:09 pm:
===little fishy to me that these two lost but CTU’s school board picks survived===
CTU was on home turf and the requirements were lower.
These two were apparently in over their heads.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Jul 21, 26 @ 1:24 pm:
I have never understood how these ridiculous signature requirements for an independent have survived an equal protection challenge. I certainly know the reason for them and they do work but the in your face of it is outstandingly bold
- Bears Fan - Tuesday, Jul 21, 26 @ 1:27 pm:
After a remap, the signature requirement for independents and 3rd party candidates for Congress is 5,000 regardless of the district. That seems to me to be a fair threshold and I’d like for it to apply to non-redistricting years as well. However, as Rich said, the petition requirements are designed to keep people off the ballot
- Bears Fan - Tuesday, Jul 21, 26 @ 1:32 pm:
The “dual circulator” prohibition of the election code at issue with the CTU candidates is a bit more complicated. The election code is clear that someone can’t circulate for an independent in the same cycle after circulating for Democrats or Republicans. The question of whether that applies to nonpartisan candidates like school board members is not as explicit and requires complicated statutory interpretation of the election code, which is why I expect it to be appealed
- Frida's Boss - Tuesday, Jul 21, 26 @ 1:33 pm:
Know the law, or know you’re not going to succeed, and do performance theater claiming injustice for yourself.
Guess we know which way this went.