According to this story, Bob Gray’s petition to be on the ballot for State Senate in the Illinois 50th district was challenged, and he does not have quite enough valid signatures to appear on the November ballot. This development leaves only one candidate, the Republican nominee, on the November ballot.

Gray is the President of the Springfield Citizens Club, a civic organization that sponsors lectures on matters of public interest. In 2009 he received the State Journal-Register’s “First Citizen” Award.

Illinois requires independent candidates for district office to submit a petition of 5% of the last vote cast, except that in years after redistricting, the requirement for State Senate is a flat 3,000 signatures.