After Filing Closes: Objections & Hearings

For five business days after filing, any registered voter may file an objector’s petition challenging a candidate’s nomination papers (10 ILCS 5/10-8 through 10-10.1).

Common Grounds for Objection

• Insufficient valid signatures (duplicates, non-registered signers, wrong district/party, or signatures outside the 90-day window)

• Improper petition formatting or assembly (failure to number sheets consecutively, or not bound in book form)

• Missing or defective circulator affidavits or notary seals

• Residency or eligibility issues

• Missing required filings such as:
   • Statement of Candidacy
   • Receipt for Statement of Economic Interests
   • Certification of Deletions (if signatures were struck)

The Process

Objections are heard by an Electoral Board — either local officials or the State Board of Elections — and decisions can be appealed to Circuit Court on an expedited schedule.
The purpose isn’t to harass candidates but to ensure that every name on the ballot earned its place lawfully.

Objections: Why the Process Is Essential & Must Be Enforced

What an Objection Is

An objection is a formal written challenge to the legality or validity of a candidate’s filing. It must be filed within five business days after the filing period closes. The objector must state their grounds, identify the specific defects, and sign the petition under oath. All objections are forwarded to the appropriate Electoral Board for hearing.

Why This Process Matters

1. It enforces the law.
   The Illinois Election Code is a set of binding statutes, not guidelines. Without a formal objection process, there would be no mechanism to hold candidates accountable to those rules. Enforcing the law upholds the integrity of the system.

2. It protects voters.
   Ballot spots are a limited public resource. Allowing invalid or fraudulent petitions dilutes the voice of voters who played by the rules. Objections help ensure that only qualified candidates with authentic support appear on the ballot.

3. It builds trust.
   Transparent hearings and clear rulings create confidence that no one is above the law. When people see rules applied evenly, they believe in the legitimacy of the outcome.

4. It protects candidates too.
   A lawful objection is a chance to prove a filing’s validity and remove any cloud of impropriety. The process gives candidates due process and clarity before the ballot is printed.

5. It preserves clean elections.
   Enforcement keeps bad actors from gaming the system with sloppy or dishonest filings. The objector process is one of the few citizen-level tools for real oversight in Illinois elections.

A Word on Accountability

Elections are not simply popularity contests — they are a constitutional process by which citizens select individuals entrusted to write, vote on, and uphold the laws that govern our communities.
Because of that responsibility, the rules for ballot access must be followed exactly.
When a candidate fails to comply with the specific statutes required to appear on the ballot, it raises legitimate concerns about their understanding of or respect for the laws they seek to administer.
The objection process exists to ensure that those seeking to lead are first held to the same standards of legality, precision, and integrity expected of every citizen they hope to represent.