By Illinois Review
On Friday, the Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago voted unanimously to officially remove Chicago Republican Party chairman and 27th Ward Committeeman Stephen Boulton’s name from appearing on the March 19th Primary ballot because he failed to meet the 111-signature requirement on his nominating petitions, bringing a humiliating end to Boulton’s divisive tenure as leader of the Chicago GOP.
In making their final decision, the Commissioners ruled that the “Candidate has an insufficient number of valid signatures on his nominating petitions, and that the Nomination Papers of STEPHEN F. BOULTON are, therefore, legally invalid.”
The official document concluded with, “the name of STEPHEN F. BOULTON, candidate for election to the office of the REPUBLICAN Ward Committeeperson in the 27th Ward of the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, SHALL NOT be printed on the official ballot for the General Primary Election to be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.”
On Tuesday, a Illinois State Board of Election hearing officer concluded after reviewing all of the evidence that,
“Given the foregoing facts, circumstances and law, it is an inescapable conclusion that the Candidate [Stephen Boulton] does not meet the legal requirements of the Illinois Election Code.”
111 signatures were required to appear on the March Primary ballot as a candidate for 27th Ward Committeeman. Boulton submitted a total of 310, but after careful review, it was discovered that only 103 signatures were valid – leaving Boulton 8 signatures short.
Over the last year, lllinois Review published several articles exposing Boulton as a man with anger issues who constantly attacks his fellow locally-elected ward committeeman and grassroots conservatives – and who believes that if you are unvaccinated, then you should pay for your own hospital costs; and if you require lifesaving measures due to COVID-19 – the resources spent to save your life would be a “waste” of money.
Boulton oversaw an organization that couldn’t recruit or fund a single candidate to run for Chicago mayor in a town of 2.6 million residents, and at one point had 18 vacancies for the position of ward committeeman within his organization.
Boulton has remained a close ally and political advisor to embattled IL GOP chair Don Tracy. And with the board’s final decision, it appears that he’ll no longer be able to serve in his capacity as chairman of the Chicago Republican Party.
Sources confirmed to Illinois Review last year that Chicago Republicans were growing weary of Boulton, and after Friday’s decision, the game is now over – ending the political career of an IL GOP leader whose tenure was marked by controversy and endless election night defeats.
