Chicago Election Board Starts Review of 108 Petition Challenges
Officials will begin processing objections to candidate signatures Monday, including claims against Mayor Brandon Johnson.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
The Chicago Board of Elections opens proceedings on Monday, November 9, to review 108 challenges filed against candidates for the February 2027 mayoral race and local offices. The board must certify the final ballot by December 17. Hearings start at 10 a.m. following a 9 a.m. session where officials assign hearing officers.
Candidates need 12,500 valid signatures from registered Chicago voters to appear on the ballot. Most applicants submit three to four times that number to buffer against objections. The board will process cases in batches to complete the review before the deadline.
The first set of cases includes disputes over Mayor Brandon Johnson’s petition. Willie Wilson’s campaign alleges some of Johnson’s submitted signatures were photocopies. Johnson’s team maintains the mayor has enough valid signatures to secure a spot on the ballot.
A separate legal dispute involves three candidates running for mayor while also seeking other state offices in the 2026 midterms held last week. Alexi Giannoulias, Mike Quigley, and Maria Pappas ran for Secretary of State, Congress, and Cook County Treasurer, respectively. Bill Quinlan argues state law required them to select a single office. A judge rejected Quinlan’s earlier court filing as premature but left the legal question open for the election board to decide.
The mayoral election is scheduled for February 23, 2027. Early voting begins January 14, 2027, and mail-in ballots will go out on the same date. The board’s rulings will determine which names appear on those ballots.
