Please debunk: George W. Bush himself failed to qualify to be on the Illinois ballot?

[Frankenstein_Monster]

I read this statement of an Illinois state representative candidate whose candidacy has been challenged (by the Democrats).

Most of the statement is a denunciation of Democrat and Republican tactics for keeping third-party candidates off the ballot. However, I was struck by this passage:

The election laws and rules in Illinois are highly restrictive, and are subject to manipulation by politically motivated parties. George W. Bush himself failed to qualify to be on the ballot for the fall election. The state legislature had to pass a special law to put the incumbent president on the ballot because the Republican National Convention is being held after the filing deadline in this state.

My question: What is the factual basis for the quoted statement?

I thought of putting this in GQ but I thought there could be discussion about the tactics employed by Dems and GOP against third-party candidates. (Which I think are absolutely outrageous.)

[cckerberos]

Here’s an article about it : http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-bush03.html . A google search for “Bush Illinois convention deadline” will bring up other sources.

As I understand it, Bush isn’t the Republican candidate for president until he’s officially nominated at the convention in early September. Illinois law states that all names must be submitted by August 30th, so Bush misses the deadline and can’t appear on the ballot.

Or would have if the law hadn’t been changed (which your quote says is the case).

[Liberal]

It’s Illinois SB 2123.

[Frankenstein_Monster]

OK, cckerberos and Liberal, thanks for straightening that out for me.

It is a non-issue, then. Actually I don’t quite see what the fuss was about - couldn’t they just have put Bush on that ballot before the convention? Especially since the deadline is just a day or two earlier? Anyway it’s moot now.