Federal Decision in PA Could Help Trigger Major Illinois Election Changes

Originally reported by Ballot Access News, on July 24, a US District Court judge in Pennsylvania issued a 41-page opinion [PDF] ruling that state's system of imposing costs on unsuccessful minor party petitions is unconstitutional.

While Illinois does not impose such costs, other related aspects of election law are very comparable between the two states. With the case Summers v. Smart [PDF] still pending in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the Pennsylvania ruling may portend the end of the hated "challenge system" in Illinois. In the process, ballot access could expand greatly -- especially for third parties, but also for "maverick" candidates running in major party primaries and for Chicago aldermanic candidates. And if the General Assembly is smart, the electoral process changes could involve the institution of filing fees, which could be an entirely new revenue source at several levels of government.

http://gapersblock.com/mechanics/2015/07/24/federal-decision-in-pa-could-portend-major-changes-to-illinois-elections/