As reported earlier, on March 4, the Illinois Libertarian Party won a federal court ruling that it is a qualified party for purposes of running candidates this year for Cook County Commissioners. The Green Party is seeking to intervene in this lawsuit, and to establish that it is a qualified party for Township Committee offices throughout Cook County. The basis is that in November 2020, the Green Party polled over 5% for Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, which includes almost all of Cook County.

The election office opposes the Green Party’s intervention. It says the party tried to intervene too late, and also that the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is not precisely the same territory as Cook County, and therefore the Green Party showing for the Water District has no impact on any other offices. The case is Libertarian Party of Illinois v Yarbrough, n.d., 1:22cv-578.

Cook County election officials already recognize that the Green Party is ballot-qualified in six Cook County Townships, based on the party having polled over 5% in 2018 in six townships.