JOLIET - Throughout the state of Illinois, petitions and signatures are taking precedent for county, state and national candidates. It's the first official step to get on the ballot, and while it may seem easy, gathering enough valid signatures will make or break a candidate's dreams.
First, petition signers must be found by circulators and be willing to sign the candidates' petitions. Then, they must be registered voters and must live in the district where the candidate is running for office.
Then the circulators must have their petitions notarized by a notary public and turned into candidates' campaigns in time to be reviewed and prepared for submission on time to the Board of Elections.
The process doesn't end there. Candidate opponents may choose to challenge the signatures on the petitions or the circulators' sworn statements of circulation. If the required number of valid petition signatures isn't met, the candidate could be called before the Board of Elections and he or she could be thrown off the ballot - after all that work.
Delegates for presidential candidates started circulating petitions this past Thursday, and state candidates began September 1. The presidential petitions will be due in January, and state candidates in November.
Saturday, Will County area candidates and their supporters were busy gathering signatures in the Joliet area, including Plainfield Township trustee Debbie Kraulidis, Michelle Smith, Sharon Cemeno Hicks and Yvonne Bolton.
More details at State Board of Elections' candidate guide.
