Illinois Democrats introduce vote-by-mail enhancements, legitimize GOP spoiler party

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration has introduced legislation crafted by the State Board of Elections that Republicans say would legitimize a third party to play spoiler to the GOP’s chances of regaining seats in the General Assembly.

The bill that passed in a House committee Thursday morning would allow for the Conservative Party to field candidates for state representative or state senator in any district where Sam McCann, the Conservative Party gubernatorial candidate who was supported by unions angry with Gov. Bruce Rauner for his right-to-work stance, got more than 5 percent of the vote.

State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, called the legislation a direct shot at the minority party.

“You come down with omnibus elections bills that screw the other party,” he told Majority Leader Greg Harris. “That’s what you’re doing.”

In the months leading up to the November election, McCann’s campaign sent out mailers criticizing GOP House candidates in close races, calling them “Republicans in name only” or “RINO’s.”

Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/illinois-democrats-introduce-vote-by-mail-enhancements-legitimize-gop-spoiler/article_a11a8156-82fe-11e9-845c-bf13871a6832.html