The democratic process hinges on fair elections and qualified candidates.
Yet, situations arise where citizens must challenge a candidate’s eligibility to run for office.
Sample Petitions for Disqualification of Candidate
This article presents 15 sample petitions for disqualification, covering various grounds from residency issues to criminal convictions.
These examples serve as a guide for those seeking to uphold electoral integrity and ensure only eligible candidates appear on the ballot.
Petition for Disqualification Based on Residency Requirements
Subject: Petition to Disqualify John Doe from City Council Election
To: [City Election Commission]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [City], hereby petition for the disqualification of John Doe as a candidate for City Council in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Failure to meet residency requirements as stipulated in [City Charter, Section X].
2. Evidence suggests Mr. Doe has maintained his primary residence in [Neighboring City] for the past 18 months.
3. Mr. Doe’s voter registration, driver’s license, and tax records indicate an address outside our city limits.
I respectfully request the Election Commission to investigate this matter and take appropriate action to remove Mr. Doe from the ballot if these allegations are substantiated.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Due to Age Requirement
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Sarah Johnson from State Senate Race
To: [State Election Board]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [State], hereby petition for the disqualification of Sarah Johnson as a candidate for the State Senate in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Failure to meet the minimum age requirement of 30 years as mandated by [State Constitution, Article X, Section Y].
2. Public records indicate Ms. Johnson will be 29 years and 10 months old on the day of the election.
I urge the Election Board to verify Ms. Johnson’s age and take the necessary steps to remove her from the ballot if this information is confirmed.
Respectfully submitted,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Based on Citizenship Status
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Alex Rodriguez from Congressional Race
To: [Federal Election Commission]
I, [Your Name], a concerned citizen and registered voter, hereby petition for the disqualification of Alex Rodriguez as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Lack of U.S. citizenship as required by the Constitution [Article I, Section 2, Clause 2].
2. Mr. Rodriguez has publicly stated he obtained permanent residency (green card) only two years ago.
3. No evidence of naturalization has been presented or found in public records.
I request the Federal Election Commission to investigate Mr. Rodriguez’s citizenship status and take appropriate action to ensure only eligible candidates appear on the ballot.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Due to Criminal Conviction
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Michael Brown from Mayoral Race
To: [City Election Commission]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [City], hereby petition for the disqualification of Michael Brown as a candidate for Mayor in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Conviction of a felony offense, specifically embezzlement, as prohibited by [State Statute X].
2. Court records show Mr. Brown was convicted on [Date] and has not had his voting rights restored.
3. [State Law] bars individuals with felony convictions from holding public office unless pardoned or rights explicitly restored.
I urge the Election Commission to verify these claims and take necessary action to remove Mr. Brown from the ballot if the information is accurate.
Respectfully,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Based on Dual Office Holding
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Emily Chen from State Representative Race
To: [State Election Board]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [State], hereby petition for the disqualification of Emily Chen as a candidate for State Representative in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Violation of [State Constitution, Article X, Section Y] prohibiting dual office holding.
2. Ms. Chen currently serves as an elected member of the [City] School Board.
3. The positions of State Representative and School Board Member are incompatible under state law.
I request the Election Board to investigate this matter and take appropriate action to remove Ms. Chen from the ballot if these facts are confirmed.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Due to Failure to File Financial Disclosure
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Robert Taylor from County Commissioner Race
To: [County Election Office]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [County], hereby petition for the disqualification of Robert Taylor as a candidate for County Commissioner in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Failure to file required financial disclosure forms as mandated by [County Code, Section X].
2. The deadline for filing these forms was [Date], which Mr. Taylor has missed.
3. Timely and accurate financial disclosure is crucial for transparency and voter information.
I urge the Election Office to verify Mr. Taylor’s compliance with financial disclosure requirements and take necessary steps to remove him from the ballot if non-compliance is confirmed.
Respectfully submitted,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Based on Signature Gathering Fraud
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Lisa Martinez from Gubernatorial Primary
To: [State Election Board]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [State], hereby petition for the disqualification of Lisa Martinez as a candidate for Governor in the upcoming primary election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Alleged fraud in the signature-gathering process for ballot qualification.
2. Evidence suggests numerous signatures on Ms. Martinez’s qualifying petitions are forged or obtained through misrepresentation.
3. Several individuals have come forward claiming their signatures were used without consent.
I request the Election Board to conduct a thorough investigation into these allegations and take appropriate action, including potential disqualification if substantial fraud is uncovered.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Due to Conflict of Interest
Subject: Petition to Disqualify David Wilson from City Council Election
To: [City Election Commission]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [City], hereby petition for the disqualification of David Wilson as a candidate for City Council in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Unresolved conflict of interest as defined in [City Ethics Code, Section X].
2. Mr. Wilson is the majority shareholder of a company currently bidding on a major city contract.
3. This financial interest poses a significant conflict with the duties of a City Council member.
I urge the Election Commission to investigate this conflict of interest and take necessary action to remove Mr. Wilson from the ballot if the conflict cannot be resolved.
Respectfully,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Based on Party Affiliation Rules
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Jennifer Lee from State Party Primary
To: [State Political Party Committee]
I, [Your Name], a registered member of the [Political Party], hereby petition for the disqualification of Jennifer Lee as a candidate in our party’s primary for State Senate, scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Violation of party bylaws requiring a minimum of two years’ continuous party membership to run in primaries.
2. Records indicate Ms. Lee changed her party affiliation only six months ago.
3. This recent switch contradicts the spirit and letter of our party’s candidate eligibility rules.
I request the Party Committee to verify Ms. Lee’s membership history and take appropriate action to remove her from the primary ballot if these facts are confirmed.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Due to Incomplete Nomination Papers
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Thomas Green from County Clerk Election
To: [County Election Office]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [County], hereby petition for the disqualification of Thomas Green as a candidate for County Clerk in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Failure to submit complete nomination papers as required by [County Election Code, Section X].
2. Mr. Green’s submission lacks the required number of valid signatures from registered voters.
3. Several mandatory forms, including the statement of economic interests, were not included in his filing.
I urge the Election Office to review Mr. Green’s nomination papers and take necessary steps to remove him from the ballot if the submission is indeed incomplete.
Respectfully submitted,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Based on Term Limits
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Senator Maria Hernandez from Re-election Bid
To: [State Election Board]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [State], hereby petition for the disqualification of Senator Maria Hernandez as a candidate for re-election to the State Senate in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Violation of term limits as established in [State Constitution, Article X, Section Y].
2. Senator Hernandez has already served the maximum allowed for three consecutive terms.
3. The constitution prohibits running for a fourth consecutive term in this office.
I request the Election Board to confirm Senator Hernandez’s service record and take appropriate action to remove her from the ballot following our state’s term limit provisions.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Due to Failure to Resign from Current Office
Subject: Petition to Disqualify James Thompson from State Treasurer Race
To: [State Election Board]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [State], hereby petition for the disqualification of James Thompson as a candidate for State Treasurer in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Failure to resign from current elected office as required by [State Statute X].
2. Mr. Thompson currently serves as County Treasurer and has not resigned.
3. State law mandates resignation from one office before running for another state-level position.
I urge the Election Board to verify Mr. Thompson’s current employment status and take necessary action to remove him from the ballot if he has not complied with the resignation requirement.
Respectfully submitted,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Based on Ballot Access Requirements
Subject: Petition to Disqualify New Citizens Party from General Election Ballot
To: [State Election Board]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [State], hereby petition for the disqualification of the New Citizens Party and its candidates from the general election ballot for various offices scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Failure to meet ballot access requirements as outlined in [State Election Code, Section X].
2. The party has not submitted the required number of valid signatures to qualify as a recognized party.
3. Several submitted petitions contain irregularities and potentially fraudulent signatures.
I request the Election Board to thoroughly review the New Citizens Party’s ballot access petitions and take appropriate action to remove the party and its candidates from the ballot if requirements have not been met.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Due to Pending Criminal Charges
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Councilman Peter Walsh from Re-election Bid
To: [City Election Commission]
I, [Your Name], a registered voter of [City], hereby petition for the disqualification of Councilman Peter Walsh as a candidate for re-election to the City Council in the upcoming election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Councilman Walsh is currently under indictment for felony bribery charges.
2. [City Charter, Section X] prohibits individuals under felony indictment from seeking or holding office.
3. The ongoing criminal proceedings compromise the integrity of the election process.
I urge the Election Commission to review Councilman Walsh’s legal status and take necessary steps to remove him from the ballot following our city’s laws.
Respectfully,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Petition for Disqualification Based on Mental Competency Concerns
Subject: Petition to Disqualify Judge Sandra Miller from Judicial Retention Election
To: [State Judicial Qualifications Commission]
I, [Your Name], a concerned citizen and registered voter, hereby petition for the disqualification of Judge Sandra Miller from the upcoming judicial retention election scheduled for [Date].
Grounds for Disqualification:
1. Serious concerns regarding Judge Miller’s mental competency to continue serving on the bench.
2. Multiple instances of erratic behavior and confused rulings have been documented in court transcripts.
3. [State Constitution, Article X] requires judges to be of sound mind to hold office.
I request the Judicial Qualifications Commission to investigate these concerns, potentially including a competency evaluation, and take appropriate action to remove Judge Miller from the retention ballot if warranted.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Conclusion
These 15 sample petitions for disqualification of candidates cover a wide range of potential grounds for challenging a candidate’s eligibility to run for office.
From residency issues and age requirements to criminal convictions and conflicts of interest, these examples illustrate the diverse reasons citizens might seek to disqualify a candidate.
It’s important to note that the specific grounds for disqualification and the procedures for filing such petitions vary by jurisdiction.
Always consult local election laws and seek legal advice when considering filing a disqualification petition. These samples serve as general templates and should be adapted to meet the particular requirements of your location and situation.
Ultimately, the goal of any disqualification petition should be to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and ensure that only qualified candidates appear on the ballot.
By providing citizens with the tools to challenge ineligible candidates, we help maintain the fairness and legitimacy of our democratic institutions.