How Chicago's School Board Race Got Messy Before the Vote Even Started

Chicago’s upcoming school board election isn’t just about picking new leaders—it’s also about who even gets to be on the ballot. Out of 51 candidates running, 28 have faced objections challenging their petitions. These aren’t just minor clerical issues; they’re legal fights that can knock hopefuls off the ballot before voters even have a say. Take Brenda Lee Anderson, a Northwestern University professor who collected more than enough signatures to qualify. Just weeks later, she learned two people were contesting her paperwork. One claimed some signatures were invalid, while another said her voter registration didn’t match her listed address. For Anderson, this wasn’t just frustrating—it felt like a barrier to anyone without deep pockets or political connections. She eventually got legal help from the Chicago Teachers Union, but the experience left her wondering why running for office feels so out of reach for regular people. The objections come from all sides. A pro-school-choice group called the Urban Center has filed most of them, often targeting candidates backed by the powerful teachers’ union. Meanwhile, the union hasn’t filed any objections itself—but it’s offering to pay legal fees for allies who get challenged. The game isn’t new; even Barack Obama once used objections to eliminate opponents in a primary years before becoming president. But now, critics argue the process is being weaponized to tilt the scales before election day.Some challenges are ridiculous. A candidate lost points for leaving out a hyphen in her name. Others got flagged for signatures collected by volunteers who also worked for Democratic primary candidates—even though school board races are nonpartisan. One rule even bans circulators from gathering signatures for multiple candidates, a law meant to stop "sore loser" politicians from jumping parties. But in Chicago’s school board race, this rule could disqualify over 20 candidates. State lawmakers tried to fix it, but their bill failed. Candidates like Jason Dónes, a first-time runner, see the system as stacked against newcomers. He spent months collecting signatures while working a full-time job, only to face legal hurdles that could erase all his work. Others, like Tameka Walton—a single mom running in a tough district—had to take time off work just to defend her petition in person. "If this is democracy, " she said, "why are we making it so hard for people to be on the ballot? " The bigger question is whether these challenges are about fairness or just another way to control who gets a voice. Some election lawyers call them "manipulations of the law, " while supporters say they’re just protecting clean elections. Either way, the real losers might be voters—who could end up with fewer choices when they go to the polls.