CHICAGO, Illinois — Independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett held a press conference outside WTTW Chicago studios Tuesday demanding access to an upcoming candidate forum on October 13 that will feature Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican Darren Bailey.
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Corbett has cleared the ballot access requirements required by law to make it on the November ballot. The Illinois State Board of Elections lists him and running mate Carolyn Schofield as active independent candidates for governor and lieutenant governor.
But independent candidates nationwide know all too well that as challenging as making it on the ballot can be—it is not the only obstacle they face. They may share the same ballot with the major party candidates, but the rules often prevent them from sharing the same stage.
"We Independents make up 47% of the electorate, nearly double each major party. The Independent candidate belongs on the forum stage," Corbett said.
"Further, moderates are 38% of the electorate in Illinois, a larger share than liberals or conservatives. Moderates deserve to see a mainstream candidate on the forum stage."
Readers who have followed IVN for a while know this is an issue we have covered extensively for nearly two decades: Candidates outside the two major parties are regularly denied access to the forums, debates, and polling that help voters see them as viable alternatives.
The 15% Wall
WTTW’s reported criteria require a candidate to receive at least 15% support (excluding the poll’s margin of error) in a professionally conducted independent survey after the primary.
If that number sounds familiar, it is because it is a rule that is also used in presidential debates and has been challenged in court.
The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) adopted rules for debate inclusion back in 2000 that are still used to this day. One of them is known as the “15% rule.”
Presidential candidates are required to poll at 15% in 5 national polls handpicked by the commission to qualify.
Even in 2024, when the Trump and Biden campaigns ditched the CPD, CNN used the same rule. It is partly responsible for the exclusion of then independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
As a result of the "15% rule," there has not been a third candidate on the presidential debate stage since Ross Perot in 1992. And history shows how this creates a conundrum for independent candidates.
They need polling support to get into debates, but debates and media coverage are among the primary ways lesser-known candidates build the name ID needed to improve their polling.
And because the press and pollsters determine that they are not viable, they are often left out of the conversation entirely.
Corbett currently faces a similar hurdle. One September survey that included him put his support at 4.1%, compared with 51.3% for Pritzker and 30.8% for Bailey.
WTTW Had A Rule That Went One Step Further to Exclude Independent Candidates
For a time, the polling threshold was not the only obstacle Corbett faced. The Illinoize reported in August that WTTW’s criteria also required a participant to be “the nominee of a political party recognized under state law.”
The criteria separately gave WTTW discretion to add candidates it considered newsworthy.
This went beyond the presidential debate rules. The CPD, which may or may not be used in future elections, does not have an explicit requirement that candidates belong to a political party.
An independent theoretically could qualify by satisfying the polling requirements. Even if the deck is heavily stacked against them to do it.
Corbett’s campaign says its attorneys sent WTTW a demand letter September 10 arguing that the party requirement was not viewpoint-neutral and therefore unlawful. The campaign says WTTW has since dropped it.
However, an updated WTTW criteria page reflecting the change could not be found.
WTTW Has Used Broader Forums Before
Corbett also argues WTTW has not consistently used polling thresholds to determine who gets featured in a candidate forum/debate. There is precedent for broader inclusion.
WTTW announced that 9 candidates in Chicago’s 2023 mayoral election would participate in its February 7 forum. Eight ultimately appeared.
A major poll conducted immediately before that forum found that only 2 of the 8 candidates, Paul Vallas and Lori Lightfoot, polled above 15%. The current mayor, Brandon Johnson, polled at 11%.
Johnson placed fifth in that poll (Jesús “Chuy” García polled highest at 20%, but dropped out before the forum).
WTTW also announced this year that 5 candidates for Chicago School Board president would be invited to its September forum. Four ultimately participated.
In the mayoral and school board races, simply being on the ballot was enough. However, the rules are different for the gubernatorial forum.
"WTTW is selectively enforcing rules to shield the major parties and silence Independent voices," Corbett said.
"Illinois voters deserve an opportunity to compare every candidate who earned a place on their ballot. All three of us should stand on stage and answer tough questions about how we're going to make life affordable for working families."
Watch the full press conference above.
On the Ballot, But Not the Stage: Illinois Independent Faces Familiar Debate Lock Out is republished as part of The Fulcrum’s partnership with IVN and the Latino News Network to expand voter‑first journalism and strengthen public‑centered coverage of democracy.
