Legal Victory for Voters: Illinois Supreme Court Upholds Ruling Against Controversial Election Law, Ensures Voter Choice

The legal battle over a controversial election law, initially struck down by a Sangamon County judge, has concluded with the Illinois Supreme Court affirming the law's unconstitutionality. The high court’s decision to side with Republicans means that voters will have more choices at the ballot box this November.

Senate Bill 2412, which passed swiftly through the Illinois legislature and was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker, sought to implement significant changes to the state's election process that was already underway. Most notably, the bill aimed to end the slating process used to fill ballot vacancies, potentially sidelining numerous challengers to entrenched incumbents.

The bill's rapid passage—filed just hours before a House vote and a day before a Senate vote—prompted widespread criticism. Republican lawmakers decried the measure as a blatant power grab by Democrats seeking to shield their incumbents from competition. They argued that changing the rules mid-cycle undermines the integrity of the election process and further erodes public trust in elections. Critics also noted that Pritzker signed the bill into law shortly after telling reporters he had not yet reviewed it, raising questions about the bill's hasty enactment.

Pritzker’s signature of the law was met with immediate backlash from good government advocates and editorial boards, who condemned it as an attempt to manipulate the electoral process to benefit Democratic incumbents and limit voter choice. Prospective candidates who had invested significant time and effort into gathering signatures and preparing their campaigns faced the risk of being unfairly excluded from the ballot.

Candidates affected by the mid-cycle change in election law took their case to court, leading to a ruling in June by a Sangamon County judge declaring the law unconstitutional. The judge found that it “impermissibly burdens” candidates who had been adhering to the previous rules, infringing upon “their right to vote and to have their names placed on the November ballot.” Despite this setback, Democrats appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, which holds a 5-2 Democratic majority.

This week, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s decision, reinforcing that all slated candidates will remain on the ballot for the 2024 election. This ruling ensures that voters will have a broader array of choices come November.