Chicago Board of Election Protest
Let Candidates Run For Public Office
Mayoral Candidate Jay Stone is planing to protest with other mayor, clerk, treasurer, and alderman candidates who have been challenged off the ballot because of a lack of signatures. Chicago has a barrier to the ballot that is 10 to 15 times higher than that of other cities. The required number of signatures to reach the ballot violates candidates’ and voters’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Stone is providing candidates with information in anticipation of challenging Chicago’s ballot access. For complete ballot access coverage, click here.
The ballot access protest will take place in front of the Chicago Board of Elections after objections end on Tuesday, November 30. If you want to participate in the ballot access protest or for further information, please call 773-469-2526, or email jaystoneformayor@gmail.com.
How to Contest a Challenge for the Number of Signatures for Alderman
1. Express your First and Fourteenth Amendment rights to campaign as a candidate for alderman.
2. Express that the voters in your ward have their First and Fourteenth to have you as a candidate for alderman.
3. Claim the number of signatures required to get your name on the ballot for your ward is “onerous” and “restrictive” (see 4 through 6 below).
4. The required number of signatures to run as an independent for state offices, such as governor, attorney general, treasurer, state representative, is 1% of the votes cast in the preceding election. The required number of signatures to run for alderman of your ward is 2% of the votes cast in the preceding election. The required number of signatures to run for alderman is twice as much as an independent for state offices.
5. Your election for alderman is non-partisan. Non-partisan elections do not allow you the choice of running as Democrat, Republican, or Independent. Candidates for alderman are unfairly penalized with a higher number of required signatures because the election has no party affiliation. Since your non-partisan election does not let you choose your political status, the required number of signatures to get on the ballot should be lower than the 1% required for Independent candidates in partisan elections.
6. Each alderman represents about 60,000 people. To run for mayor of San Jose, a candidate needs 50 signatures to represent 948,000 people. All 50 wards in Chicago require more signatures than it takes to run for San Jose mayor. Houston has a population of 2.2 million. Candidates for Houston mayor don’t have to submit signatures if they pay a $1050.00 filling fee. Candidates for Chicago alderman in all 50 wards are required to submit more signatures than a Houston mayoral candidate who pays a filing fee. San Diego has a population of 1.3 million people. If candidates for San Diego mayor submit a $500 filing fee, the San Diego candidates for mayor are required to submit 200 valid signatures. Chicago candidates for alderman in 14 wards have to submit more than 200 signatures. The 14 Chicago wards that require more 200 signatures surpass the number of signatures that it takes to get on the ballot for mayor of San Diego.
7. Briefly explain why you are a viable candidate. Talk about your political experience, platforms, and ideology. Explain why voters should be given a chance to support you without criticizing your opponents.
8. Your name on the ballot does not produce “ballot clutter.” There has never been a ballot clutter problem in Chicago elections. The ballot clutter myth was dispelled when 135 candidates ran for California governor after Governor Gray Davis was recalled. According to newspaper accounts, 135 candidates did not confuse the voters or cause them to vote for the wrong candidate.
9. Seek legal advice from your own attorney, and consider joining a class action law suit with other candidates.
10. For more ballot access information, visit http://stoneformayor.com/issues/increase-political-competition/
If your opponent challenged the number of signatures you submitted for mayor, clerk, or treasurer, follow the above, except for numbers 4 through 6. For onerous and restrictive ballot access for citywide office, click here and apply the mayoral ballot access information. Seek legal advice from your own attorney, and consider joining a class action law suit with other candidates.
