Felon fighting to stay on Cook County board ballot

The former head of Chicago’s streets and sanitation department is fighting to stay on the ballot after being convicted of rigging city hiring.

Al Sanchez is running for a seat on the Cook County Board.

But his candidacy is being challenged by critics who say even though he’s been released from federal prison, he’s still on probation for his 2011 conviction. They say that means his signature on filing documents as a registered voter isn’t valid.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports Sanchez could be tossed off the ballot during a hearing Wednesday.

Sanchez says voters know he “did a good job and cared about people” during his time with the city.

He’s never admitted wrongdoing and still maintains he was a “scapegoat” for the city’s political hiring system.