• Getting On The Ballot - Petition Signature Requirements
  
  
• Illinois election law ruled unconstitutional: Lee V. Keith, 2006
  
  

On September 18th, 2006 the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals (the last stop before the US Supreme Court) ruled Illinois ballot access requirements for independent candidates wanting to run for the General Assembly unconstitutional. Specifically, the 7th Circuit ruled that the 10% signature requirement, the deadline of December the year before the election, and the rule that independent petition signers cannot vote in the primary were too severe of a burden of independent candidates and violated the 1st and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution.

To learn more about this landmark court decision. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling (340k pdf file)
http://www.randomactofkindness.com/files/LeeKeith.pdf

Listen to the fascinating oral arguments made before the 7th Circuit. (8.3 MB mp3 file)
http://www.randomactofkindness.com/files/LeeOralArgument.mp3

Plaintiff Filing - 370k pdf file
http://www.randomactofkindness.com/files/LeeVKeith05-4355PlaintiffBrief.pdf

Defense Reply- 160k pdf file
http://www.randomactofkindness.com/files/LeeVKeith05-4355DefenseReply.pdf

Plaintiff Rebuttal - 140k pdf file
http://www.randomactofkindness.com/files/LeeVKeith05-4355_003PlaintiffReply.pdf