What’s NOT on Your Ballot?” Commentary from Scott Summers, longtime Illinois Green and 2014 Green Gubernatorial Candidate.
Aired on WNIJ-FM (NPR from Northern Illinois University).
Listen at:
Transcript:
It’s late summer now. In a matter of weeks, the November election will be upon us.
Many voters are going to be disappointed by what’s not – that’s right, what’s not — on their ballots.
What will be lacking? Candidates. Yes, candidates.
According to the website Ballotpedia.org, 86 percent of all elections in Illinois will be uncontested this year. Only 14 percent will have at least two candidates.
Think about that. Fewer than one in five Illinois races will be competitive.
There are two reasons for this. The first is gerrymandering. The second is election law.
In one slice and dice example, political mapmakers managed three years ago to award Democrats fourteen seats in Congress. Republicans were left with three.
Now. When was the last time you saw a minor party or independent on your ballot? Years ago, perhaps? That’s because Illinois election law effectively excludes them. New candidates must gather up to fifteen times – fifteen times — as many petition signatures as do Republicans and Democrats.
Here’s another item. Do you want to run for president this year as a write-in? Then you’ll need to file notarized declarations with up to 108 – yes – one hundred and eight – different local election officials for a statewide race. One might as well row a boat to Mars.
So there you have it. Politicians use gerrymandered maps to exert raw power. And politicians use Illinois election law to choose themselves as candidates.
That’s a heck of a way to run a democracy.
I’m Scott Summers, and that is my perspective.
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/wnij-news/2024-07-31/perspective-whats-not-on-your-ballot