Chicago Tribune Carries Bill Redpath’s Op-Ed About Illinois Ballot Access Laws

Posted on by July 10, 2023

The Chicago Tribune of July 10 has this op-ed by Bill Redpath, explaining and criticizing the Illinois ballot access laws.

Illinois has had one of the worst sets of ballot access laws for minor parties and independent candidates ever since 1931. And changes in the last forty years have made them worse. There have been some significant improvements in the last 40 years as well, but they were caused by court rulings, not voluntary legislative activity. Unlike most states, the Illinois legislature has not voluntarily made any improvements in over 90 years.

Comments

Chicago Tribune Carries Bill Redpath’s Op-Ed About Illinois Ballot Access Laws — 20 Comments

  2. Mr. Redpath makes a good point in these laws are Kafkaesque, serving nothing except the diversion of much in the way of time, money, resources, and talent from more productive pursuits. I suppose that’s not a very controversial statement here in this particular venue. How many here agree with me that applies to all laws in general? Comparing the ballot laws in Wisconsin and Illinois, you should be able to undertake by way of analogy my point about laws on other matters.

    Note, as usual, none of my comments are @ AZ. I’d like to hear what other people think.

  3. And let us not forget that the LP used to get 7-9% for University of Illinois Trustee, an office that was then promptly removed as a way to retain status.

  5. HOW DEAD ARE THE IL ELEPHANTS — DUE TO RIGGED GERRYMANDER DISTS. ???

    ANY EFFORTS TO SECEDE FROM COMMIE COOK CO — CHICAGO ???

    ABOLISH THE USA MINORITY RULE GERRYMANDER SENATE >>> LOTS MORE SMALLER POP STATES

  6. Abolishing the Senate would be a terrible idea. It would be better to go in the other direction and repeal the 17th amendment. Lots more states would actually be great, but only if they continue to keep what sovereignty they still have, or better yet get more of it again. The US is way too big, and so are states. I think Max makes good points about decentralization of government, simplification of laws, and getting government out of everything except protecting against foreign invasion and criminals.

  8. From what I’ve seen Russian news is less fake than US. But maybe not about Russia. Max, what do you think?

    Obviously, Prigozhin doesn’t have the resources of Putin and all the organs of the state. Competence is a separate question. I’ve heard an interesting theory, Putin and Prigozhin are actually friends and the “rebellion” was staged to smoke out dissenting elements in military command and inoculate against an actual rebellion.

    Also, how did we get on that subject in this thread? Forum management, can we either get an open thread to discuss Russia and Ukraine, or a post about something like Ukraine elections being cancelled? Confine Russia and Ukraine discussion there, please?

  10. I don’t know how accurate our news is about our country. It’s very big. This is one of the reasons I’m in favor of making things much more local scale, including government and news.

    I’d back governing Muscovy by boyar assembly over anything that’s happened since Ivan III, but I have to be realistic, given so many of my neighbors see Ioseb Dzhugashvili as the far more ideal model of rule. My theories of what would work best in the long run have been published in many past discussions here. I think the US would be a more likely early adopter of heading in that direction than Russia.

    Interesting theory. I have no idea if it’s true. Outside my wheelhouse. I concern myself more with things I can see, touch, and have a nontrivial impact on the one hand, and history and theory on the other. Speculation about those types of conspiracy theories seems like a waste of time to me. For those into such things, have at it.

    I agree, cancellation of Ukraine elections seem like appropriate subject here, or Russia / Ukraine open discussion. I’m tired of it deflecting from other conversations here. The quality has been particularly subpar as well. Mainly wildly incoherent and or at odds with reality AZ rants, most usually non sequitur. I’m done with coddling such tantrums.

  16. Boring, all fake news. Check IPRX links for real news sources. You can find others from those.

  17. Alas, some fellow libertarians refuse to challenge the logic of fascism which restricts the individual’s right to choose. Are these partial pro-choice libertarians really libertarians? Ignorance is no longer an excuse. Are you a person or a percentage?
    How much ballot censorship is just enough to still be a democracy with a “republican form of government”? Whose vote should never count?

  18. Do innocent babies choose to be horrifically murdered by the millions and disposed of like trash?

  19. DFR-

    current regimes in USA–

    Evil and vicious crack and pack minority rule gerrymander regimes —
    1/2 x 1/2 = 1/4

    with super worse primary math

    on top of the un-equal ballot access laws for partisan offices
    —
    P-A-T

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