Have you wondered what it takes to make sure that elections stay fair and honest? Today I am talking with John Fogarty, an election law attorney based in Chicago who has years of experience in this area. John is going to share with us practical election law insights for local candidates for public office.

I am excited to have John join me on the podcast today because he is able to give us an inside look at what an election law attorney can do to help local political campaigns. John has some great advice for us today on how to make sure that our local elections stay fair and honest, and really represent the people’s choice for office!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to handle petition challenges- learn what you need to do, step by step, in order to challenge an opponent’s petition to get on the ballot
• What to look for on a petition when considering a challenge– learn what you need to look for in order to spot possible fraudulent signatures
• Why giving a concession speech doesn’t have to mean you are done- learn why you can still ask for a recount after conceding on election night
• Why every candidate needs an election law attorney- learn why every candidate for local office should have an attorney who knows election law
• What you can do to prevent voter fraud- learn what practical things you can do to help ensure a fair race without voter fraud
• How poll watchers and election judges make a big difference- learn why having being a poll watcher or election judge is so important

Contact information: 

John Fogarty

Website: FogartyLawOffice.com

John Tsarpalas

Twitter: @JTsarpalas

Email: john@commonwealthy.com

John Fogarty’s Bio:

A graduate of Northwestern University and Chicago-Kent College of Law, Mr. Fogarty has established a law practice that provides businesses and individuals counsel in connection with a wide array of legal issues. His experience includes counseling his clients on employment issues, insurance coverage matters, shareholder disputes, contract issues and the like. As well, Mr. Fogarty represents his clients in all aspects of civil litigation, whether before an arbitrator, an administrative panel, circuit court or appellate court.

In addition, Mr. Fogarty has established one of the most active election law practices in Illinois, regularly advising candidates, political committees, individual citizens, and for-profit and non-profit entities on all aspects of the political process, including ballot access, campaign finance issues, non-profit involvement, and lobbying issues. He has represented scores of candidates and political committees before the State Board of Elections and before electoral boards across the state, as well as in state and federal courts.

Mr. Fogarty’s practice also includes significant work in the area of ballot integrity – protecting the rights of all citizens to participate in the electoral process. In October of 2008, Mr. Fogarty was counsel for the plaintiffs in the matter of Atsaves, et al. v. Lake County Clerk, et al., a suit which sought to remedy reports of voter registration fraud and to prevent actual vote fraud in Lake County, Illinois. The case received local and national media coverage.

More recently, Mr. Fogarty was a charter member of the Lawyers Committee for Fair Elections, an effort that recruited, trained and deployed attorneys to witness the voting process during the 2010 General Election cycle. A principal trainer for this group, Mr. Fogarty presented a CLE-eligible series of lectures on all aspects of the voting process to hundreds of attorney volunteers around the state.

Mr. Fogarty currently serves as general counsel to the Illinois Republican Party.

Transcript: Available here

Thank you for listening!