# Objections filed against at least 12 of 16 mayoral candidates, Johnson among them. The Board's full list is due Wednesday

*Willie Wilson's campaign is challenging the mayor's petitions, and Kelly and Mendoza filed against each other. We still couldn't reach the Board's website, and ward-level objections haven't been reported.*

By Chicago Politics · Updated Nov 3, 2026

The window to challenge 2027 candidates' nominating papers closed at 5 p.m. Monday, and at least 12 of the 16 people who filed for mayor now face objections, according to reporting by the [Chicago Sun-Times](https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/11/02/willie-wilson-petition-challenges-mayor-brandon-johnson-signatures-mayoral-election), [Block Club Chicago](https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/11/02/johnson-other-candidates-face-challenges-to-nominating-petitions-for-mayors-race/) and [NBC Chicago](https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnsons-reelection-petitions-officially-challenged/4010948/).

Why it matters: an objection the Board of Election Commissioners sustains removes a candidate from the Feb. 23 ballot. Mayor Brandon Johnson is the first sitting mayor to face a petition challenge since 2007, when objections to Richard M. Daley's petitions failed, Block Club reported.

## What was filed, as reported

**Johnson.** Former state Sen. Rickey Hendon filed on behalf of Willie Wilson's mayoral campaign. The objection alleges photocopied signatures, circulators who aren't registered voters, signers who live outside Chicago and pages from City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin's petitions mixed into the mayor's filing, the Sun-Times and NBC reported. Hendon claimed the valid count falls far below the 12,500 minimum; NBC said it could not confirm his figure. These are a rival campaign's allegations, and the Electoral Board has not ruled on them. Johnson's political director, Christian Perry, said the campaign has "more than enough signatures," according to Block Club.

**Mendoza and Kelly.** Businessman John Kelly challenged Comptroller Susana Mendoza's petitions, and Kelly's own residency is being challenged, the Sun-Times reported. Kelly's campaign says he has lived in Chicago since October 2024. Mendoza's campaign said it is "fully confident" in its signatures, Block Club reported.

**Giannoulias, Quigley, Pappas and Quinlan.** Candidate William Quinlan objected to Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas for running for two offices at once. Attorney Michael Dorf, working for Giannoulias, filed against Quinlan's petitions and against two other candidates, Jesse Maronto and John Kitover, Block Club reported. [Our story on the two-offices challenge](/on-my-block/incompatible-offices-objection-giannoulias-quigley-pappas-electoral-board).

**Others.** Objections were also reported against Zoe Ma, Lisa Nee and Danielle Carter-Walters. NBC reported that Maronto will not have enough valid signatures and plans a write-in campaign.

The reports we reviewed did not mention objections to Wilson, Matt Brewer, Joe Holberg or George Cardenas. That doesn't mean none were filed.

## What we can and can't confirm

**The Board's own list isn't out.** A Board spokesperson said the full list of challenges will be posted on its website Wednesday, after the election, Block Club reported. Until then, we have found no reporting on objections in ward, clerk, treasurer or police district council races.

**We still can't reach the Board's site.** Our requests to chicagoelections.gov returned an access error Monday and again Tuesday morning, so we could not check the filings ourselves. Our [objections page](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/elections/2027/objections) still lists none. It updates once the Board publishes, and we'll follow up then.

## What our records add

Our [mayor's race page](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/elections/2027/mayor) counts filled-in signature lines on the petition copies we have. These are line counts, not the Board's count of valid signatures.

- **Johnson:** 31,904 lines on 3,301 pages, a complete copy. A line count can't show which lines are photocopies, out-of-city signers or another campaign's pages, the questions this objection raises. Only the Board's check against voter records can.
- **Kelly** 35,993 and **Quigley** 41,587, both complete copies. **Giannoulias** 56,232, from an incomplete copy.
- **Mendoza:** our copy is missing most of her sheets, so our count tells you nothing about her filing.
- We have no counts yet for Pappas, Quinlan, Ma, Nee, Carter-Walters, Kitover or Maronto, so we can't say anything about whether they meet the minimum.

The ballot order was drawn last week; [see where each name falls](/on-my-block/chicago-mayor-ballot-lottery-results-kelly-first-maronto-last).

## How objections are decided

Under the Board's [2027 pamphlet](https://cboeprod.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/prod/2026-06/2027%20Election%20Calendar-ADOPTED.pdf), the Board sits as the Electoral Board to hear each objection. Where signatures are disputed, staff compare challenged lines with voter records and both sides can contest the results. Hearing officers will hear the cases and the Board will rule later this year, Block Club reported. A losing side can ask a Cook County judge to review.

## What's next

- **Wed., Nov. 4:** the Board's full list of objections is expected.
- **Mon., Nov. 9:** the formal hearing process begins, the Board told NBC.
- **Dec. 17:** last day to withdraw, and the Board certifies the ballot.
- **Dec. 24:** last day for write-in candidates to file, or Feb. 16 if an objection is sustained after that date.


## Sources

1. Chicago Sun-Times: [Chicago Sun-Times](https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/11/02/willie-wilson-petition-challenges-mayor-brandon-johnson-signatures-mayoral-election)
2. Block Club Chicago: [Block Club Chicago](https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/11/02/johnson-other-candidates-face-challenges-to-nominating-petitions-for-mayors-race/)
3. NBC Chicago: [NBC Chicago](https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnsons-reelection-petitions-officially-challenged/4010948/)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/on-my-block/chicago-2027-mayor-objections-filed-johnson-mendoza-kelly-board-list-wednesday · Chicago Politics, an independent tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt