This Peoria Journal Star story explains what happens if any Green or Libertarian nominee for one of the three statewide offices polls as much as 5%. The story says that would make the party ballot-qualified. Unfortunately, the story is not entirely accurate. If either the Libertarian or Green Party gets 5% for president, U.S. Senate, or comptroller, that would only cause the party to become ballot-qualified for the statewide offices in 2018, but not U.S. House, state legislature, or partisan county office.

The only way for a 5% vote to create a ballot-qualified party for all office is to poll 5% for Governor. That is impossible this year, because Governor isn’t up. If either party does poll 5% this year for a statewide office, however, it is somewhat plausible that party could sue to become ballot-qualified for all office, not just statewide office. Once Illinois has recognized that a 5% showing proves that a party has voter support, it is difficult to imagine why that support should only be recognized for statewide offices, but not other offices.