An omnibus election law bill is currently pending in the extended session of the Illinois legislature. It is HB 1752. It makes ballot access improvements for independent candidates, as mandated by the 7th circuit last year. It makes many other election law changes.

Recently, the bill was amended to also change primary ballot access requirements. Current law requires candidates running in a primary to submit a petition signed by one-half of 1% of that party’s last general election vote. The amendment to HB 1752 provides that in the case of candidates running in a primary for county office in DuPage County, they need petitions signed by 1.5% of that party’s vote in the last general election. The amendment is by Senator Dan Cronin. It is not known why anyone in the Illinois legislature thinks that primary ballot access in just one particular county should be 3 times more difficult than it is in all other counties. Cronin is a Republican from DuPage County. DuPage is a populous county near Cook County.

HB 1752 must pass by June 22 or it will fail. It is expected that the bill will pass.