Illinois Representative Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago) has introduced HB 2010. It changes ballot access for independent candidates, but not for the nominees of unqualified parties. The bill lowers the number of signatures for independent candidates, so that the number required matches what a candidate running in a partisan primary needs. For statewide office, the number of signatures would drop from 25,000 to 5,000.

However, the bill would also provide that independent candidate petitions are due 75 days after the primary. The 2012 Illinois primary is March 20, so if the bill passed, the independent candidate petition deadline would be June 3. Under current law, it is June 25. It is very likely the June 3 petition deadline would be declared unconstitutional as to independent presidential candidates. June petition deadlines for independent presidential candidates, or all independent candidates, have been declared too early in Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nevada, and South Dakota.

HB 2010 also says no one may circulate an independent candidate petition earlier than primary day, and says no one who ran in a partisan primary for any office can then become an independent candidate, for any office, that same year. Thanks to Phil Huckelberry for this news.