PETITION SEASON IS HERE
By Chris Hotchkin
Candidates and their volunteers and precinct committeepersons can start circulating petitions on September 3 to get on the Illinois Primary 2020 ballot. Various offices require candidates to obtain various numbers of signatures of voters from their party in order to qualify to be on the ballot. A Democratic voter may sign petitions for more than one candidate for each office, but voters may not sign petitions for both Democratic and Republican candidates When a voter signs a petition for a candidate, he/she is declaring to be a member of that candidate’s party. Petitions must be signed by voters who reside within the district for which the candidate is running for office.
Precinct Committeepersons (PC’s) will be elected in the Primary which will take place on March 17, 2020. PC’s will need to get petitions signed in order to be on the Primary ballot. PC’s need at least 10 signatures from Democratic voters in their precinct, but it is recommended to get at least 15-20 signatures.
There will be a Petition Kick-Off Event on Saturday September 7 starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Downers Grove Township Democrats Office, 908 Curtiss Ave., Downers Grove. Volunteers can come to the office and sign petitions for Sean Casten for U.S. Congress District 6, Bill Foster for U.S. Congress District 11, Anne Stava Murray for State Representative in the 81st District, candidates running for DuPage County offices and Boards, and Precinct Committeepersons. Volunteers and PC’s can also pick up copies of petitions for candidates and for PC that they can circulate in their precincts. If any candidates or volunteers have petitions to be notarized by September 7, notary publics will be available in the office from noon until 2:00.
Although definite dates for filing petitions have not yet been announced, it is likely that candidates will file in late November or early December.