Green Party leaders are upset with House Bill 723, which would make it so that a party can only fill a vacancy in a nomination if they candidate they select collects a large number of signatures.

The bill, which could require some candidates to collect 2,000 signatures in 90 days, is a bipartisan effort and is sponsored by members of the Democratic and Republican parties.

Dan Kairis, Green Party candidate for Township Supervisor in Elgin Township said legislatures in Illinois do not like having someone run against them.

“The system in Illinois is already rigged to drastically limit competition,” said Phil Huckelberry, Illinois Green Party Chair, in a press release. “Voters are sick of uncontested elections and having no choice at the ballot, yet some legislatures are trying to make the situation worse, not better. This bill may as well be called the ‘Protect Incumbents Act’.”