Chicago mayoral race enters petition challenge phase

The Chicago Board of Elections opened its petition objection period on Tuesday, October 20, allowing opponents to challenge the qualification of the 15 candidates running against Mayor Brandon Johnson. This procedural step initiates a review process that may determine which candidates appear on the final ballot for the upcoming election.

Each candidate must submit at least 12,500 valid signatures to secure a spot on the ballot. While most major contenders reported submitting well above this threshold, with Alexi Giannoulias filing approximately 60,000 signatures, the window for disputes is now open. Opponents may contest individual signatures based on specific criteria, including whether the signer is a registered Chicago voter, if they signed multiple times, or if their address does not match voter records. Errors in the petition paperwork itself are also subject to review.

Election officials will examine disputed signatures to verify that candidates maintained the required number of valid endorsements. Veteran election attorney Michael Dorf, who has represented former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and currently represents Giannoulias, noted that the process serves a dual purpose. It ensures compliance with election rules while also introducing strategic pressure on competing campaigns.

Dorf explained that challenges often strain a campaign's resources even when they do not succeed in removing a candidate. "The challenges don't always work, but challenges always drain resources," Dorf said. He added that the process consumes labor and creates uncertainty, allowing challengers to tell donors, "well, don't give money to this person because they may not be on the ballot in two weeks." This financial and operational burden is a consistent element of the strategy.

Candidates facing objections must defend their petitions before the Chicago Electoral Board, with some cases potentially moving to court. Dorf emphasized that few challenges are frivolous, as challengers must demonstrate on the face of the document that a signer did not meet the requirements. "I've seen very few challenges that are frivolous," he stated. "But that other part of the strategy you're talking about is always a piece of any challenge."

The petition challenge deadline is Monday, November 2. The Chicago Board of Elections is scheduled to certify the final ballot on December 17, concluding the qualification process for the mayoral race.