Politics & Government

Congressional Filing Period Pushed Back to Dec. 23-27

The ongoing lawsuit between state Republicans and the Illinois State Board of Elections has caused a delay in the filing period for congressional candidates.

The filing period for the March 20 primary election has begun. And if you’re not closely following the political scene, you may be looking at the list of candidates and wondering one important question: where’s my congressman?

You’re going to have to wait a few weeks to see who’s running and who isn’t in the congressional races. While local and statewide candidates will file petitions between now and Dec. 5, the filing period for those hoping to be your congressman will begin on Dec. 23 and end on Dec. 27.

The reason? The ongoing lawsuit over the new legislative maps, drawn and approved by Democrats in June. The suit, filed against the Illinois State Board of Elections by Republicans , alleges that the new maps disenfranchise minority groups, and violate the state constitution.

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That suit is still winding its way through the U.S. district courts, and on Nov. 22, Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow ordered that petitions for congressional races not be accepted before Dec. 21. The State Board of Elections then set the new filing period.

In a press release, board members emphasized that congressional petitions turned in during the original filing period of Nov. 28 to Dec. 5 will not be accepted.

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The new filing period also means that objections to congressional petitions can now be filed up through Jan. 4 at 1 p.m.


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