A debate among most Illinois gubernatorial candidates will be held on July 8, between 7 pm and 9 pm, at the Cordell Reed Student Union Building at Chicago State University, 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago.  The debate sponsors are the African American Male Resource Center, the Latino Resource Center, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.  Free & Equal initiated the idea for the debate.

Participating are Richard Whitney of the Green Party; Scott Lee Cohen, independent gubernatorial candidate who had earlier this year won the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor but who had then withdrawn from that race; Libertarian nominee Lex Green; Constitution Party nominee Michael White; and independent gubernatorial candidate William Walls III.  Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn and Republican nominee Bill Brady are invited but have not said they will attend.

The debate is limited to candidates who are guaranteed to be on the November ballot, and also to candidates who submitted at least 5,000 signatures.  Two gubernatorial candidates who submitted a handful of signatures, Christopher Pedersen of the Independent Conservative Party, and independent Stephen Estill, are certain to be removed from the ballot and are not invited.  Every petitioning candidate this year has been challenged.