Eye On Illinois: On Election Day, next campaign season is well underway

Welcome to campaign season.

Oh sure, 2022 voting ends today – polls are open until 7 p.m. – but while we wait for authorities to finalize those results, why not look ahead to 2023?

It’s exactly 16 weeks until the consolidated primary election on Feb. 28. Not every jurisdiction requires a primary, so you might be waiting another five weeks for the actual election. But candidates should already be working on campaign infrastructure because Nov. 21 is the first day to file nomination papers (the last day is Nov. 28).

Some candidates actually got started weeks ago, as those required to file petitions in time for the primary could start collecting signatures on Aug. 20. Those who don’t have to file until the Dec. 12-19 window – independent, new party and nonpartisan candidates – could begin Sept. 20.

Although municipal elections in Illinois can be partisan or nonpartisan, and many other offices such as school and library boards are explicitly nonpartisan, organizers already are channeling general election energy straight into local races. That’s not to say it’s too late to decide to run (but don’t sleep on the importance of economic interest statements), just a reminder the push for power never fully abates.

Even if you’re not seeking office, other deadlines loom. Nov. 28 is the last day to file petitions for a public policy referendum (excepting those that fall under the Liquor Control Act or Property Tax Code) and Dec. 12 is the last day for a local governing board to place a binding question on the ballot. Citizen petitions to reduce an education tax extension were due by Aug. 29.

These are just some of the many benchmarks under the state Election Code, all of which are cataloged and available for download at elections.il.gov under the “Running for Office” header. A cynic would posit these rules are intended to make the process inaccessible to all but the most devoted insider, and while some of the language is a bit dense (lawmakers were involved) the optimist says those wanting to make a difference should embrace the relatively lower bars of entry to local elections.

For one thing, most local races don’t require the support of a political party. Perhaps more importantly, turnout for these races is the smallest of any type of vote in Illinois, so the petition thresholds are small, as is the type of support typically needed for victory. This can be especially true in at-large school board races where voters can mark multiple names on one ballot.

For extra motivation, remember those with whom you might disagree certainly understand these conditions and will seek to exploit them for their own purposes.

In other words, don’t skip these elections. They’ve already begun.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Media. Follow him on Twitter @sth749. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.