Illinois Supreme Court upholds unconstitutionality of Democrats’ law banning slating of candidates

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling that tossed out a law barring political parties from choosing candidates for the General Assembly when they had no one run in a primary election. The court’s decision Friday was the result of two justices recusing themselves and the rest divided and unable to garner the required four votes for a valid opinion. The law approved in May stopped the long tradition of parties “slating” candidates and would have prevented Republicans from drafting candidates after no one ran in the March primary. But a Sangamon County judge ruled in June that the law unconstitutionally interfered with the right to vote, which includes access to the ballot to run for office.