If elections were simpler, more people would likely vote.
Instead, the process for choosing people to run government often involves a dizzying number of candidates for such offices as tax assessment boards of review, regional superintendents of schools, sanitary district commissioners and judges.
It’s difficult to find time to research candidates for lesser-known offices when you’ve also got to choose people for U.S. Senate, Congress, governor and other statewide offices, state lawmakers and countywide positions.
Those are just some of the offices up for election in the June 28 primary, which will decide nominees for a general election in November. This week we’re at the point in the process where candidates have collected signatures and filed paperwork to run in the primary. Now objectors have challenged many of the petitions.
“The vast majority of these matters asks whether the nomination papers or petitions of a candidate for public office are legally valid to appear on the ballot,” according to the Cook County clerk’s office.
Objectors often accuse candidates of failing to collect enough valid signatures. Some signers may not be registered voters or reside within the district where the candidate is running.
The number of signatures needed varies and typically is based on a percentage of people who voted in the most recent election for a particular office. The Illinois State Board of Elections directs candidates to contact them or the local election authority responsible for accepting petitions to get specific requirements.
Objectors may be ordinary citizens, but often they are operatives with ties to opponents. Electoral boards decide objections and their meetings are public. Members review evidence and may collect affidavits or call witnesses to testify in order to determine whether petitions are valid.
The clock is ticking. Objections must be decided soon so clerks have enough time to certify and print ballots.
The State Officers Electoral Board decides objections for state and federal offices, while county electoral boards decide objections for county offices. Monday was the deadline to file objections. The state board meets Tuesday to begin considering objections.
Nearly three dozen cases involve candidates for federal and state offices covering the south and southwest suburbs. Sixteen cases involve the big field of hopefuls hoping to succeed Rep. Bobby Rush as representative for the 1st Congressional District.
Objectors have challenged petitions of Democratic suburban candidates Ameena Matthews of Tinley Park, Terry Layng Rosner of Frankfort and Howard Spiller of Oak Lawn. Objectors also challenged candidacies of Chicagoans Chris Butler, Steven DeJoie, Cassandra Goodrum, Jonathan L. Jackson, Darius “Dee” Nix, Stephany Rose Spaulding and Charise Williams.
On the Republican side, objectors are challenging candidacies of Eric Carlson of Lemont, Jeffery T. Regnier of Manhattan, and Matthew “Motto” O’Keefe and Geno Young of Chicago.
An objector is challenging the candidacy of Toni C. Brown of Chicago Heights, who filed to run in the Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District against incumbent Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson.
Other objections affect Southland candidates seeking statewide office. Max Solomon of Hazel Crest and running mate Latasha Fields of Chicago face a challenge to their candidacies for governor and lieutenant governor in the Republican primary.
Republican lieutenant governor candidate Brett Mahlen of Orland Park and running mate Emily Johnson of Wheaton are subjects of two separate cases involving different objectors.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Keisha S. Smith of Country Club Hills faces is named in an objection. Three different objectors challenged Democratic secretary of state candidate Sidney Moore of Homewood.
Nine different cases involve candidacies for state legislative districts that serve the Southland. Incumbent state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, faces an objection from Jasimone Ward of Alsip, his opponent in the Democratic primary race for 27th House District. Geralda Morgan of Chicago objected to Ward’s petitions.
Reyna Alvarado of Blue Island, Nadeja Henry of Riverdale and Brint White of Chicago collectively filed a single objection against Paris Walker-Thomas, who filed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent 28th District state Rep. Bob Rita of Blue Island.
Harvey 2nd Ward Ald. Marshun Tolbert objected to the petitions of Alton Bradley of Riverdale, who filed paperwork to run in the Democratic primary against incumbent 30th District state Rep. Will Davis of Homewood.
Frederick L. Walls of Crete objected to the petitions of Rebecca Harms of Kankakee, who filed to run in the Republican primary for the 34th House District, which is represented by state Rep. Nicholas K. Smith of Chicago.
Paul Weber of Chicago objected to the petitions of David A. Dewar of Chicago, who filed to run in the 35th District Democratic primary against incumbent state Rep. Frances Hurley of Chicago.
James Richmond of Mokena objected to the candidacy of August (O’Neill) Deuser of Mokena, who filed in the 37th District Republican primary to challenge incumbent first-term state Rep. Tim Ozinga, R-Mokena.
Daarun Willard of Olympia Fields objected to the paperwork of Tom Toolis of Frankfort, who filed to run as a Republican in the 38th District against incumbent state Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin, D-Olympia Fields.
Kevin Speed of Tinley Park objected to the filing of Republican Patrick Sheehan of Lockport, who seeks the nomination to challenge incumbent 19th District state Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort.
In Cook County, the electoral board meets Monday morning to consider multiple objections involving incumbents and challengers for countywide offices. Multiple objections seek to disqualify candidacies of Democratic sheriff hopefuls Carmen Navarro Gercone, Kirk J. Ortiz, Noland Rivera and Latonya Ruffin.
Objections affect incumbent Democratic officeholders, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Sheriff Tom Dart, Clerk Karen Yarbrough, Assessor Fritz Kaegi and Treasurer Maria Pappas.
Another objection involves former Cook County Board member Richard R. Boykin, who filed to challenge Preckwinkle in the Democratic primary for board president.
Objections target Prairie State College Board member Monica Gordon of Chicago Heights and Kierra Williams of South Holland, two of four candidates in the Democratic primary for the Cook County Board 5th District seat being vacated by the retirement of longtime Commissioner Deborah Sims of Posen. Others in the race are Hazel Crest Mayor Vernard Alsberry and Jaylin McClinton of Chicago.
A handful of objections were filed in Will County, including two cases involving Republican precinct committeeperson candidates in Lockport Township.
Ted Slowik is a columnist with the Daily Southtown.
