Bill targets established third parties making it difficult to place candidates on the ballot 

Free & Equal will hold a press conference Today, April 28th, 2009 at 3pm in the Capitol Press Room in Springfield to raise awareness of opposition to HB 723. Representatives from the Constitution, Green, and Libertarian parties will speak at the press conference.

HB 723 would make it nearly impossible for third parties to slate candidates in Illinois. The bill would make it so that when no candidate of an established party runs in a primary for a particular office, that party can only fill the vacancy in nomination if the candidate they “slate” collects a large number of signatures.

The new signature requirements for slated candidates would be equal to the requirements for a new party or independent candidates. These signature requirements already make it extremely difficult for independent and third parties to become ballot-qualified in Illinois. If the bill is passes, many state legislator candidates of an established party would be required to collect more than 2,000 signatures in 90 days, which is an onerous task. This task becomes even more arduous with the current irregularly-drawn districts.

Free & Equal  condemns this bill, and urges the Illinois state legislator to reject the bill as unfair, and counter to the principles of our democracy. 

Free & Equal  is a non partisan,  organization dedicated to eliminating restrictive ballot access laws that target Independent and Third-Party Candidates. Free & Equal will challenge these laws, through lobbying of state legislators, court challenges, and initiatives.