Illinois State Board of Elections hearing officers are recommending that independent 4th Congressional District candidates Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Mayra Macías not appear on the November ballot for failing to submit the minimum number of valid petition signatures — a claim both are blaming squarely on Democratic machine politics.
An official decision will be made Tuesday when the full Illinois State Board of Elections meets to make a ruling, and the board is free to diverge from the recommendation. But hearing officer Joseph A. Craven wrote in a document posted on Thursday that Macías was just 486 signatures short of the 10,816 minimum requirement to run as an independent candidate. He wrote that she “cannot rehabilitate enough signatures.”
Hearing officer Barbara Goodman wrote that Sigcho-Lopez should also not appear on the November ballot for falling short of the signatures needed.
Goodman noted that Sigcho-Lopez’s attorney Andrew Finko raised constitutional arguments and “concerns regarding what he characterized as oppressive government conduct.”
But Goodman wrote, “while the issues raised are not insignificant, they are not properly before this Electoral Board and therefore cannot be addressed in this proceeding.” She also said that Sigcho-Lopez argued the requirements for independent candidates were disproportionately high — with not enough time to gather signatures. Goodman wrote that “it is the legislature that must address these issues…”
Both candidates say they were inspired to run as independents when U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” García made a last-minute decision to drop out of the race and help his chief of staff, Patty García, who is not related to the congressman, win the primary. Lyons Mayor Chris Getty is also running as an independent candidate, and his petitions were not challenged.
Sigcho-Lopez called the recommendation “a move in their [Patty García and Rep. García’s] game against the voters.”
Macías called the petition challenge “disenfranchisement.”
“Byron and I earned our places on this ballot with over 34,000 signatures from the community. Patty García knows she can’t win at the ballot box against serious competition, so she continues to try to remove their choices,” Macías said. “Clearing your competition isn’t a campaign strategy — it’s disenfranchisement.”
In the face of challenges to their candidacies, Sigcho-Lopez and Macias teamed up to rail on the state’s process for independent candidates, which they say is set up to help established Democrats stay in power. Sigcho-Lopez said he’s willing to take the legal battle to the Illinois Supreme Court.
“We have over 30,000 petitions, while the Democratic and Republican nominee barely had over 1,000 petitions between them,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “So for them to challenge this on the number of signatures is shameful and hypocritical, and we’re going to continue to fight it. And we’re going to take it all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court if we have to.”
Both Sigcho-Lopez and Macías told the Chicago Sun-Times about the challenge of revisiting homes to have voters sign affidavits that proved their signatures — at a time when many communities within the district are reeling from “Operation Midway Blitz” and continued ICE presence.
“People are afraid to sign affidavits. People are afraid to even open the door. People are afraid to even be on the street,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “It’s worse to sign a legal document — especially from Democratic representatives who should know better about how much fear is in our community.”
Macías’ campaign detailed three difficult instances of having to return to a home to get signers to sign an affidavit, including a woman who was gassed during “Operation Midway Blitz” in Brighton Park.
Little Village resident Alicia Cintora filmed a video with Macías about her signature being challenged.
“I signed in good faith, and I’m really kind of mad that this was even questioned,” Cintora says.
Macías told the Sun-Times in early July that she was expecting a challenge from Patty García’s camp. She called it “disgusting” for two Latino candidates to be kicked off the ballot.
“It has been clear from the onset that neither Patty or Rep. García want to see voters have a say in who represents them, and they are willing to litigate this behind closed doors rather than let the voters decide at the ballot box…” Macías said. “It is honestly disgusting to see that in the most Latino district in the state, our leader, who has built his career saying he is uplifting and fighting for the Latino community, is actively trying to kick off Latino candidates.”
Patty García, the only Democrat on the ballot, has picked up the support of established Democrats and labor unions. On Thursday her campaign reported raising $80,000 in the latest fundraising quarter, bringing the total contributions she has raised to more than $350,000.