State Board Kicks Sigcho-Lopez and Macias Off Ballot for Chuy Garcia's Seat

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) and Mayra Macias will not appear on the November ballot for U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia's congressional seat, the Illinois State Board of Elections ruled Tuesday. The decision ends both candidates' independent bids for the 4th Congressional District.

The State Officers Electoral Board voted unanimously to strike both candidates' names from the ballot, agreeing with hearing officers who found neither collected enough valid signatures to run as independents. Each needed nearly 11,000 signatures. Macias came up short by 1,058; Sigcho-Lopez by 1,222, according to Marni Malowit, counsel for the state board.

The ruling leaves Democrat Patty Garcia, Rep. Garcia's chief of staff, in a far less crowded field. Independent candidate Chris Getty remains on the ballot, along with a Republican and a Working Class Party candidate.

Three objectors challenged thousands of signatures on both candidates' petitions. Edward Mullen, the attorney representing the objectors, told the board that Macias and Sigcho-Lopez had deficiencies in their signatures and circulators. Macias had requested an extension to try to save some of the challenged signatures but was denied. Mullen argued she still had adequate time during the state's review and, like Sigcho-Lopez, failed to produce enough evidence to preserve the disputed signatures.

Sigcho-Lopez and Macias say the outcome was no accident. They accused Rep. Garcia and Patty Garcia, who are not related, of coordinating the signature challenges to clear the field for her. Rep. Garcia dropped his reelection bid last year, a move that gave his chief of staff extra time to file petitions before other candidates could organize.

"It is a sad day for democracy," Macias said at a press conference following the board's meeting.

"The rules were put in place to safeguard democracy, and yet these very rules are currently doing the opposite," she said.

Sigcho-Lopez, who remains the 25th Ward alderperson, said the congressman and his former chief of staff avoided public scrutiny throughout the process. "Congressman Garcia and Patty Garcia are two individuals hiding from the public, hiding from the issues in our community," he said. He added that Rep. Garcia's move to clear the ballot amounts to disenfranchising Latino voters in the majority-Latino district. "What a terrible legacy to leave behind," he said.

Kait Sweeney, a spokesperson for Patty Garcia, rejected the accusations. She said Patty Garcia collected well more than the 697 valid signatures required of a major-party candidate, turning in 2,500 signatures in two days.

"Petition review is a normal part of the democratic process and the Board of Elections made its decision based on the law," Sweeney said in a statement. "Patty earned her spot on the ballot the same way every candidate is supposed to: going door to door, talking to voters in this district, and turning in 2,500 real, valid signatures in just two days. That's what genuine community support looks like."

Rep. Garcia declined to comment through a spokesperson. Patty Garcia did not respond to a request for comment.

Board chairwoman Laura Donahue pushed back on arguments that the process was rigged against the independent candidates, pointing to past rulings showing the board "errs on the side of putting people on the ballot." She told Macias directly: "We try very hard to make that happen, and I think you have been given every opportunity, and you have just come up short."

Both candidates say they're not done fighting. Andrew Finko, Sigcho-Lopez's attorney, said the campaign is exploring legal challenges to the Illinois election code, arguing it sets an unreasonably high signature threshold for independent candidates compared with major-party requirements. Macias said she's weighing her own next steps, including starting an organization focused on civic engagement and government accountability. Sigcho-Lopez did not rule out running for City Council again.

"Everything is under consideration," he said.

Neighbors who attended Tuesday's hearing echoed the candidates' criticism, saying the signature-challenge process was used to eliminate competition rather than verify legitimate support. Several of them accused Rep. Garcia's camp of manipulating election rules to keep Latino independents out of the race for his own seat.

Macias also raised concerns during the hearing about testimony from Manny Diaz, a senior political operative involved in the objections, calling parts of it "alarming," though she did not elaborate publicly on specifics.

With the ballot now set, Patty Garcia heads toward November facing Getty as an independent, a Republican nominee and a Working Class Party candidate, with no Democratic primary challenger in the 4th District. Sigcho-Lopez and Macias have not said whether they will pursue write-in campaigns or legal appeals before the election.