SPRINGFIELD, IL (IRN) - The next round of election dates could bring a lump of coal, unless Illinois lawmakers move quickly to change state law.

Thanks to a coincidence of the calendar, the filing deadline for the April 9 municipal elections in Illinois is Christmas Eve at 5 p.m. State law says the filing window starts 113 days before the election and ends 106 days before.

“In most cases,” says Illinois Municipal League deputy legislative director Joe Schatteman, “even though many people have to work on that day, a lot of businesses (and) a lot of governmental entities have that day off, at least in the afternoon.”

Schatteman says the legislature could change the deadline during the post-Thanksgiving veto session. Another solution, he says, would be to have the local police stations accept petitions on that last day.

Today is the first day of filing for candidates who must go through a primary on Feb. 26, 2013. The filing period lasts through Nov. 26. The filing period of Dec. 17-24 is for offices that will be contested on April 9, 2013, without a primary.