Mayoral candidates file objections day of deadline

CHICAGO — At least six petition objections were filed against mayoral candidates’ petitions to run for office Monday, the final day on which they could do so during the election process.

As petitions were filed last minute, candidate Ja’Mal Green vocalized his wishes to file an objection against Willie Wilson, alleging Wilson failed to live in the city for at least one year before the election, on top of instances of round-tabling and identical signature handwriting.

“We have found tens of thousands of signatures — almost 50,000 signatures — that were complete fraud,” Green alleged. “We will be filing a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.”

As of the Chicago Board of Election’s final filing report at 6:16 p.m. Monday evening, an objection was filed against Willie Wilson — but it was not outright filed by Ja’Mal Green — instead by a man named Kevin Hobby.

It is unclear if Hobby is affiliated with Green’s mayoral campaign or any other candidate running for mayor in 2023.

Here is the latest list of mayoral objections made available by the Chicago Board of Elections:

On top of Hobby’s petition, other petition objectors’ political affiliations are also unclear, as those who filed objections Monday declined to comment when asked by WGN News.

Aside from the mayoral race, there were also at least 70 objections filed in City aldermanic races, along with at least another 10 objections filed in the election race for the new Chicago Police Council position.

“Hopefully you hired a good lawyer who will keep you on the ballot before you filed your petitions,” said Burt Odelson, an elections attorney with more than 50 years of experience. “It’s an interesting process. It’s a good democratic process and it weeds out the candidates who really have no place on the ballot anyway.”