As has been previously reported, on August 9 the Robert F.. Kennedy, Jr. campaign, and the Illinois Libertarian Party filed a federal lawsuit in Illinois to stop the petition challenges to the two presidential candidates.  The objectors didn’t name or serve the individual candidates for presidential elector.  The federal lawsuit argues that because the true candidates are the presidential elector candidates, the objections should be invalid.  The lawsuit also challenged the Illinois law that doesn’t permit circulators to work on an independent or minor party petition if they had earlier that same year worked on a primary petition for a Republican or Democratic candidate.

On August 23, the last brief was filed, so the case is ripe for a decision.  The plaintiffs’ reply brief is focused on the part of the case that doesn’t permit circulators to work on general election petitions if they had worked on primary election petitions.  This part of the case is especially salient now that the State Board has even extended the prohibition to work done outside of Illinois.