>> The midterm election is just 2 weeks away, but Chicago voters have another election not long after that.

The municipal election candidates running for Mayor Alderperson and other officers lined up early this morning to submit stacks of signatures with the hope of getting on the February ballot.

Our Matt Masterson was there and joins us now with more mad.

How many signatures do they have to submit and what advantages can they snag if they were in line this morning?

>> What advantages does that give back his election?

So the candidates only have to submit 12,500 signatures but Brandis.

That's just a minimal.

As we saw today, candidates brought in many, many times more than that.

These were gigantic stacks of paper.

We'll as we saw their candidate election workers, they're measuring them with a ruler to get estimate of how many >> signatures were As for a benefit, today's the first day that candidates are allowed to do this and the only real advantages that this anyone who was there today, it puts them in a lottery for first place on the ballot.

Now, is that going to determine the election?

Unlikely.

But in a tight race with potentially more than a dozen candidates that could pay off somewhat to have your name first on the ballot.

>> Who are some of the candidates that you saw today?

Any notable absence is a big step since mayor, Brandon Johnson was not there today.

Of course, that's not a huge disadvantage.

Not to be there.

He has more time.

He surely will submit his signatures who's and ozone comptroller.

Also not there.

>> But there were 5 candidates who did show up today.

Most notable, Illinois Secretary of state, Alexi Giannoulias Congressman Mike Quigley.

long time businessman Willie Wilson, lobbyist John Kelly and Chicago Housing Authority Commissioner Matt Brewer.

Those are the 5 did show up today.

They also minute between 30 60,000 signatures and made sure that they will or at least attempt to be on the ballot going forward.

Right?

Because there's a few more steps before we get to that ballot.

What is next in the process?

The challenge is and that's where the the reason these candidates are bringing in so many tens of thousands of of of signatures that other candidates can attempt to get them booted from the bout, proving that some of the signatures were fake, that they were not authentic and boot them down under that 12,500 limit so that they are removed from the ballot.

Candidates have until the 26th to submit their deadline.

submit their signatures.

That's what Brandon Johnson is going to be doing on that day.

They then have until November second to challenge those signatures and try to get any of these candidates booted after that, there will be a few more weeks where they play out where those challenges will be heard.

Candidates could be removed or they're going to have to spend money fighting those challenges and to remain on the ballot.

Ultimately, this ballot is going to be finalized on December 17th.

And then, of course, the election next February.

Alright, long way to go before we get to the ballot to the lottery itself.

And then, of course, Election Day in February.

That Masterson,