Independent candidates Mayra Macias and Byron Sigcho-Lopez are making a last-ditch effort to stay on the November ballot in the 4th Congressional District race. The two candidates, who are both Latino, have spent the last few days making hundreds of calls, knocking on doors, and coordinating schedules to verify the validity of their petition signatures.

Challenges to Petition Signatures

More than 10,000 of their petition signatures were challenged by three people, forcing Macias and Sigcho-Lopez to verify the signatures and prove that hundreds of voters who rallied behind them are real. The state board of elections reviewed the challenged signatures and found that Sigcho-Lopez was short by about 1,222 signatures, while Macias fell short by 486.

The candidates must track down neighbors who had signed their petitions and ask them to sign a notarized affidavit to verify their signatures. The task is an uphill battle, with a deadline of Wednesday evening to complete the verification process.

Impact on the Election

If Macias and Sigcho-Lopez are kicked off the ballot, voters could lose trust in the system, especially considering U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia dropped out of the race at the last minute, giving his chief of staff Patty Garcia a head start in her bid for Congress. The 4th Congressional District is a heavily Latino district, and the removal of Macias and Sigcho-Lopez from the ballot could leave thousands of voters without a real option to choose the candidate who best represents them.

The Illinois State Board of Elections has a uniquely aggressive objection process to petitions, often leaving candidates off the ballot over small technicalities. Independent candidates like Macias and Sigcho-Lopez face additional hurdles, including the need to gather more petition signatures than party-backed candidates.

Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.