What's in a name?

Questions have been raised about candidates' names -- whether it's appropriate to use a nickname, whether one must use the exact name on the candidate's own voter registration card, etc.

Here may be the answer: § 10-5.1 of the Illinois Election Code, 10 ILCS 5/10-5.1.

§ 10-5.1. In the designation of the name of a candidate on a certificate of nomination or nomination papers the candidate's given name or names, initial or initials, a nickname by which the candidate is commonly known, or a combination thereof, may be used in addition to the candidate's surname. If a candidate has changed his or her name, whether by a statutory or common law procedure in Illinois or any other jurisdiction, within 3 years before the last day for filing the certificate of nomination or nomination papers for that office, whichever is applicable, then (i) the candidate's name on the certificate or papers must be followed by "formerly known as (list all prior names during the 3-year period) until name changed on (list date of each such name change)" and (ii) the certificate or paper must be accompanied by the candidate's affidavit stating the candidate's previous names during the period specified in (i) and the date or dates each of those names was changed; failure to meet these requirements shall be grounds for denying certification of the candidate's name for the ballot or removing the candidate's name from the ballot, as appropriate, but these requirements do not apply to name changes resulting from adoption to assume an adoptive parent's or parents' surname, marriage to assume a spouse's surname, or dissolution of marriage or declaration of invalidity of marriage to assume a former surname. No other designation such as a political slogan, title, or degree, or nickname suggesting or implying possession of a title, degree or professional status, or similar information may be used in connection with the candidate's surname.

Election law specialists are invited to supplement, contradict or just simply point out where this answer goes off the tracks.