Names Don’t Just Magically Appear On Your Ballot

Ever wonder how the names listed on your ballot got there? There’s something called Ballot Access Laws meant to ensure only qualified candidates get on the ballot. Just listening to that inspiring TED Talk isn’t going to cut it….Illinois has their own specific set of laws that determine who can be in the running, most infamously petition signatures. These signature requirements can cause quite a stir for wannabe candidates, and a lack of “good” signatures has resulted in some candidates getting kicked off the ballot.

What is required to get on the ballot?

Candidates need to file nomination papers with the Illinois State Board of Election. It includes the basic application stuff: their address, office they’re running for, party designation, and, you know, confirmation that they are actually qualified for the position.

The big zinger required with those nomination papers is the signatures of many, many, many qualified electors (registered voters that live in the area in which the candidate is running). Each office has a specific amount of signatures needed — some are established quantities, while others are a specific percentage of voters who turned up for the last general election. It’s extra rough for independent and new party candidates who need A LOT more signatures to even get their names on the ballot.

For the upcoming Chicago Municipal election, candidates have been collecting signatures since August 28th, and they need to have ’em all turned in by November 26th.

Now, you might have seen people getting signatures for Ballot Measures & Initiatives before the midterms, but that’s a WHOLE other story. Lucky for our curious readers, we’ve covered that for you as well.

Can you sign for multiple candidates?

Now you might be reading this thinking, variety is a good thing! I want to sign for everyone so I have options on my ballot! We hate to break it to you… but for each race, you can only sign the petition of one candidate per political party. So, before you sign your name away, make sure the petition you’re signing is for your #1 choice.

How does someone get knocked off the ballot?

So, this petition signature thing sometimes makes some headlines… especially when it keeps candidates off the ballot. Most recently in Illinois, candidate for Cook County Assessor, Andrea Raila, faced an on-again/off-again battle with the courts to determine if she should be on the ballot. This happens when an objection is filed by someone who suspects the candidate’s paperwork may not be valid. Objections are most frequently upheld over signature issues, most wildly that time Superman was found to have signed for someone. But even when they’re from real people, candidates can still face challenges. Handwriting experts have been brought in to question the validity of the signatures, and signatures can even be tossed if a paperclip is used instead of staples. So, candidates need to be real careful before filing. Some even get specialized attorneys to check their paperwork ahead of time.

Because of these potential challenges, candidates are encouraged to get 2 to 3 times as many signatures as what is actually required. Better safe than sorry.