STATEMENT from the
ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE

CONTACT: Micky Horstman (312) 607-4977

Illinois Policy Institute: Removal of candidate slating process will limit voter choice

Springfield, Ill. (May 2, 2024) – The General Assembly passed Senate Bill 2412 today, which will eliminate one of the processes for getting candidates on the ballot. This bill changes the rules in the middle of the election process and will likely reduce voter choice on Election Day. The bill now moves to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk for signature before May 5.

Current law allows for political parties to slate candidates when the primary nomination goes unfilled. Illinois Policy Institute analysis has shown higher electoral participation is linked with a greater number of candidates on the ballot. Voter participation was on average 7 percentage points lower in Illinois House districts with only one candidate on the ballot. Under Illinois’ previous legislative map, on average roughly half of all Illinois House races were uncontested.

Matt Paprocki, president and CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, offered the following statement: 

“This bill changes the rules in the middle of the game and will mean fewer contested races, which could diminish voter choice at the polls. It is a brazen attempt in a long line of efforts to protect incumbents and erode democracy in Illinois. Lawmakers of one party are using the power of their supermajority to eliminate competition – and voters will suffer.

“This is a concerning trend, as elected leaders are less likely to prioritize everyday voters when turnout is low. Instead, they are more susceptible to corruption and prone to favor special-interest groups and lobbyists

“Changing the rules in the middle of an election cycle where potential candidates have already made plans to run in November’s election is an unfair and unethical practice. The process for accessing the ballot in Illinois is already complicated and burdensome as it is. Ultimately voters deserve more choices, not fewer.”

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