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* Illinois State Board of Elections…
Independent and new party candidates seeking placement on the Nov. 3 ballot will be required to submit only 10 percent of the normal number of nominating signatures and will file petitions six weeks later than originally scheduled under a court order issued Thursday by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer.
The order was in response to a lawsuit by the Libertarian Party of Illinois, the Illinois Green Party and several independent candidates alleging that concerns over COVID-19, including a statewide order limiting social contact, impaired their ability to gather sufficient signatures and meet the June 22 filing deadline for new party and independent candidates. Under the order, new party and independent candidates will file nominating petitions with the State Board of Elections from July 31-Aug. 7.
In addition to reducing the number of signatures required by candidates, the order allows the Libertarian and Green parties to place candidates on the November ballot without filing nominating petitions for any offices in which those parties fielded candidates in either the 2016 or 2018 general elections. This means both parties can place candidates for president and U.S. Senate on the November ballot. The Green Party also can name candidates to the ballot in the 5th and 12th congressional races.
Other independent and new party candidates will be required to submit 10 percent of the statutory signature requirements for offices on the November ballot. This reduces the original 25,000 signature requirement for presidential, U.S. Senate, Illinois Supreme Court and Illinois Appellate Court candidates to 2,500 signatures. Signature requirements for other offices on the November ballot vary by office, and the original requirements are listed in the 2020 Candidates Guide, which is attached to this release.
The order also drops the requirement that signatures on nominating petitions be original, physical signatures. A physical “wet” signature would still be permitted but not required on the candidate’s petition. Petition signers may physically sign a copy of a candidate’s petition, or they may electronically sign their handwritten signatures to the petition using a finger or a device such as a computer mouse or stylus. Photocopies of signatures also will be permitted.
The order is here. I’m kinda wondering if the folks behind Sam McCann’s Conservative Party might try to take advantage of this. I asked earlier today, but haven’t yet heard back.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 23, 20 @ 6:15 pm
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This is kind of wild - no circulator requirement, emailed signatures, and signature requirements will be lower for 3rd parties than Dems & Reps.
A lot of GA members who thought they were unopposed in November might end up with 3rd party opponents.
Comment by Marquee Thursday, Apr 23, 20 @ 6:35 pm
“Signatures” done with a finger on a screen tend to look sufficiently different than with pen on paper that they’re very likely to get rejected at the record exam stage.
Comment by Titan Thursday, Apr 23, 20 @ 7:06 pm
One of the more anti-democratic measures has been the insane signature requirement to run for office in Illinois as an independent/3rd party candidate. This is welcome news.
Comment by Biker Thursday, Apr 23, 20 @ 7:58 pm
While I support overturning Illinois’ restrictive ballot access rules I have a hard time wrapping my mind at just what gives a judge the right to do so.
Comment by Downstate Illinois Thursday, Apr 23, 20 @ 8:04 pm
Courts in Colorado, Michigan, Virginia this month have given similar relief to Democratic and Republican candidates petitioning to get on a primary ballot. The US Supreme Court five times has itself put a candidate or party on the ballot even though it didn’t fulfill the requirements, including in Illinois in 1990. The Supreme Court put the Harold Washington Party on the ballot for Cook County Commissioner.
Comment by Richard Winger Thursday, Apr 23, 20 @ 8:33 pm
Congratulations to all whom this affects. Jeff Trigg should be rejoicing, wherever he is.
Comment by Cheswick Thursday, Apr 23, 20 @ 9:34 pm
“A lot of GA members who thought they were unopposed in November might end up with 3rd party opponents”
______________________
Could even be big implications for regular D vs. R races too. For example, could this affect the 13th CD race between Rodney Davis and Betsy Dirksen Londgrigan? Could a Stefanie Smith/Bernie supporter from the Dem primary decide to launch a 3rd party challenge (or even run as a Green) in that race?
Comment by Leatherneck Thursday, Apr 23, 20 @ 9:36 pm
In case the Constitution Party now gets enough Illinois signatures to make the November ballot, be advised that one of their presidential candidates (and their current front-runner) is Don Blankenship. The same Don Blankenship who was the CEO of Massey Energy in 2010–at the time of their explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine. Blankenship later served a one-year prison sentence for conspiring to violate energy standards in relation to the explosion; since then he’s called himself a “political prisoner.”
https://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Former-coal-executive-and-ex-prisoner-Don-Blankenship-to-run-for-president-563576761.html
Comment by Leatherneck Thursday, Apr 23, 20 @ 9:44 pm
A couple of people have asked questions about McCann’s party. They have major party status in a few counties because he carried over 30% of the vote in the governor’s race. You might see some in local races, but folks who have talked to Sam personally have said he hasn’t mentioned anything on the state level for any candidates. Now, that may change between now and November.
Comment by WLDS Friday, Apr 24, 20 @ 6:11 am
===but folks who have talked to Sam personally have said he hasn’t mentioned===
As if he has anything to do with anything.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Apr 24, 20 @ 6:47 am
WLDS there’s an AG opinion floating wherein they advised the SBE that 5% for governor in a county does not establish a party for county office (unless the 5% is statewide).
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Apr 24, 20 @ 6:53 am
That last one was me.
Comment by Titan Friday, Apr 24, 20 @ 6:54 am
Glad to see these restrictions to ballot access changed for this cycle. Looking forward to seeing these codified by revisions to State Election Laws.
Comment by Stephen De La Rosa Friday, Apr 24, 20 @ 10:41 am
Paging Scott Lee Cohen
Comment by Boone's is Back Friday, Apr 24, 20 @ 1:43 pm