The Illinois State Board of Elections voted Thursday to remove Republican gubernatorial candidate Joseph Severino and his running mate, Rantch Isquith, from the March 17, 2026, Republican primary ballot after determining the campaign failed to submit enough valid nominating petition signatures.
The board found that the Severino–Isquith ticket submitted 4,748 valid signatures, falling 252 short of the 5,000 required for statewide candidates under Illinois election law.
Election officials reviewed more than 6,300 signatures filed by the campaign. After objections were examined, a significant number were invalidated, leaving the campaign below the statutory threshold, the Daily Herald reported, citing election board staff analysis and official records.
The decision followed a recommendation issued in late December by a hearing officer, who concluded the campaign failed to meet the legal requirements to qualify for the ballot. The full board adopted that recommendation, consistent with its historical practice unless a legal or procedural error is identified, according to Illinois State Board of Elections procedures.
Objection filings and hearing exhibits entered into the record detailed numerous signature irregularities. Among the challenged entries were signatures bearing fictitious names, including “Homer Simpson,” as well as signatures associated with addresses that did not correspond to legitimate residential voters, according to objection filings and evidence submitted to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Additional entries were linked to non-residential locations, vacant properties, and addresses not found in public voter registration records.
Review materials also cited signatures displaying repetitive handwriting patterns, mismatched voter identification information, and other deficiencies commonly identified during petition verification proceedings, as reflected in the hearing officer’s written findings filed with the board.
The Severino campaign filed motions seeking to rehabilitate invalidated signatures and challenged the objection process. Those motions were denied after the hearing officer found the campaign failed to submit timely affidavits or certified voter documentation required to restore the disqualified signatures, according to the board’s official ruling.
While allegations were raised during the proceedings regarding potential petition irregularities, the hearing officer ruled that fraud was not proven under the “clear and convincing” legal standard. The ruling emphasized that a fraud determination was not required, as the numerical shortfall alone was sufficient to disqualify the ticket.
In a brief response following the board’s vote, Severino said, “We filed to sue the election board members today.”
With Severino removed from the ballot, the Republican gubernatorial field now includes Darren Bailey, Ted Dabrowski, Rick Heidner, and James Mendrick, according to the Daily Herald, tightening the race ahead of the March primary.
