Chicago mayoral candidate sues rivals over running for two offices
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The race for Chicago mayor is heading to court as a newly announced candidate challenges three rivals who are simultaneously seeking re-election to their current offices.
The latest: Mayoral candidate and Democratic attorney William J. Quinlan is suing fellow candidates Alexi Giannoulias, Mike Quigley and Maria Pappas over their plans to run for two offices.
State of play: Quinlan's suit argues that Illinois election law prohibits candidates from seeking two "incompatible" offices at the same time.
- The Illinois Election Code says candidates presented for two or more incompatible offices must withdraw from all but one if they could not serve in both offices if elected.
Yes, but: The elections don't happen at the same time. Giannoulias, Quigley and Pappas are seeking re-election to their current offices this November, while the Chicago mayoral election is next year.
- None currently holds a city office.
Zoom out: The lawsuit adds another front to a brewing fight over candidates seeking reelection while running for mayor.
- Candidate Willie Wilson has also questioned the ethics of the practice.
- That accusation led to a text exchange between Pappas and Wilson supporter Richard Boykin that Boykin later made public, accusing Pappas of bullying him.
The intrigue: The issue could have particular significance for Giannoulias, who has amassed a roughly $22 million campaign war chest for the mayor's race.
- Giannoulias is seeking reelection as Illinois secretary of state, meaning he could retain that office if he loses the mayor's race.
- The same is true for Quigley, who is running for another term in Congress, and Pappas, who is seeking reelection as Cook County treasurer.
Context: Running for mayor while holding another elected office isn't new in Chicago.
- Toni Preckwinkle ran for mayor in 2019 while serving as Cook County Board president, an office she had held since 2010. Even the current mayor, Brandon Johnson, held office while he ran. He was a sitting Cook County commissioner. However, neither was simultaneously on the ballot for reelection to those offices and for mayor.
- "Most Chicagoans can't afford to hold out for a better job while still collecting a paycheck from the one they've got," Quinlan said in a release. "These politicians think the rules are different for them."
Flashback: Chicago mayoral candidates have faced eligibility challenges before, though under different circumstances.
- Rahm Emanuel's eligibility was challenged in 2011 over whether he met the city's residency requirement. The Illinois Supreme Court ultimately ruled he was eligible to remain on the ballot, and Emanuel went on to win the election.
The bottom line: Quinlan is asking the courts to settle whether his rivals can appear on ballots for their current offices while simultaneously pursuing City Hall.