 Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with other third-party candidates, filed before the 5 p.m. deadline Monday. Alyssa Kaplan, executive director of reform for Illinois, said generally it's pretty difficult to get on the Illinois ballot as a third-party candidate. But it's also about making sure that the candidates that get on the ballot are serious. Kaplan said third-party candidates act as spoilers and voting for them could have unintended consequences. You're going to help one of the two-party candidates.