Tuesday marks the official start of Illinois’ 2024 campaign season, the opening day for Democratic and Republican candidates for offices from Congress down to various county and party posts to begin circulating petitions to appear on the March 19 primary ballot.
The circulation period starts for candidates for all offices except those vying in the marquee contest of the 2024 election year, the race for president. Presidential candidates and their supporting nominating delegates, elected from each of the state’s congressional districts, begin circulating petitions Oct. 7.
The campaign season launches amid efforts by both Democrats and Republicans and their allies to recruit candidates to fill out down ballot races.
The state Democratic Party is joining with the Democratic County Chairs’ Association in an effort find candidates, assist them with ballot access and petition gathering, and provide training and ongoing support. It’s part of a nationwide program called “Contest Every Race” conducted by a coalition of groups working to help local Democratic candidates.
”We are especially excited this cycle to have the powerful partnership of the Democratic Party of Illinois,” said Kristina Zahorik of McHenry County who leads the county chairs’ association. “Working together across the state, we are safeguarding our future, ensuring Democratic values are represented and government works for everyone.”
On the GOP side, the conservative Illinois Policy Institute said it was seeking to build on efforts begun last year that led to 32 Republican candidates getting on the ballot to challenge Democratic state lawmakers — though ultimately with little general election success.
The Run Illinois Class of 2024 program is seeking “civic minded, qualified, and capable candidates who share our free-market ideas to be candidates in one of the many districts that have been deprived of competition over the past 10 years or more,” according to the group’s website.
Among the issues raised in the recruitment questionnaire are whether a candidate supports amending the state constitution’s pension protection clause for public employees — a virtually impossible task given Democratic legislative supermajorities — and backs school choice.
Illinois’ primary date reverts back to its traditional mid-March timeframe after Democrats pushed it to June last year due to pandemic-related delays in obtaining federal census population figures needed to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries.
Illinois’ primary will take place two weeks after several “Super Tuesday” contests in delegate-rich states that shape the presidential race.
As for the petitions to be circulated starting Tuesday, the number of voter signatures needed to qualify for the primary ballot varies by office and, for congressional candidates, differs in each of the state’s 17 districts based on voter turnout in last year’s general election.
In addition to candidates for the U.S. House, voters in March also will be nominating major party candidates for all 118 Illinois House seats and at least 20 of the 59 state Senate seats. House candidates have to file between 500 and 1,500 valid signatures while Senate contenders must submit 1,000 to 3,000.
Other offices on the ballot include state’s attorneys, with Cook County voters nominating candidates to replace outgoing incumbent Kim Foxx. Voters in Chicago also will be electing party ward and precinct committeepeople in the primary.
Candidates can begin submitting their primary petitions Nov. 27 with a deadline of Dec. 4, while presidential and convention delegate candidate filing starts Jan. 4-5, subject to party approval of state delegate rules.
Candidates for new political parties and those mounting independent candidacies don’t begin circulating petitions for the Nov. 5 general election ballot until March 26 and don’t have to file them until June.