Fellow mayoral candidate Dr. Willie Wilson’s campaign filed the formal objection to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s nominating petitions, saying its review found sheets bearing another candidate’s name and dozens of duplicated sheets — and estimating only about 5,000 of Johnson’s signatures are valid, well short of the 12,500 needed.
Fox 32 reports the Nov. 2 objection — filed on the deadline day — was brought by Wilson’s campaign, which says its review found petition sheets bearing the name of City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and dozens of allegedly duplicated sheets. Wilson’s campaign estimates only about 5,000 of Johnson’s signatures are valid, against the 12,500 required to make the ballot.
“There is a process to become a candidate for Mayor of Chicago, and everyone should be required to follow that process,” Wilson said in a statement. Fox 32 says it reached out to Johnson’s campaign for comment and was waiting to hear back.
The objection follows NBC 5’s October 29 reporting that nearly 100 of Johnson’s petition pages were photocopies — Chicago law requires original signatures — including five pages from Conyears-Ervin. Johnson’s campaign conceded a few photocopies “might have slipped in” but said he has enough valid signatures to survive.
The Chicago Board of Elections hears the challenge before the ballot is certified on December 17. NBC 5 reports Johnson would be the first incumbent Chicago mayor to face a ballot challenge.
A sitting mayor fighting to stay on the ballot is unprecedented in modern Chicago — and if the objection succeeds, the February race loses its incumbent. Even if it fails, the challenge has already put Johnson’s petition operation, and the photocopied pages, into the official record.
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