Hyman kicked off ballot in South Elgin

A former South Elgin village board member's attempt to run again in April was thwarted when he was kicked off the ballot by an electoral board.

The South Elgin electoral board - comprised of Village President Steve Ward, Village Clerk Margo Gray and Village Trustee John Sweet - ruled Monday that Gary Hyman didn't submit enough signatures in support of his election petition.

The board ruled in favor of an objection to Hyman's petition filed by resident Teri Hansen, the widow of Village President Jim Hansen, who died in office in November 2013.

Hyman's petition had 30 signatures, but election law states he should have filed a minimum of 47, officials said.

Election law states that candidates must file signatures equal to between 5 and 8 percent of the number of ballots cast in the last consolidated municipal election, said attorney Keri-Lynn Krafthefer, who represented the village on the electoral board. There were 929 ballots cast in South Elgin in the April 2013 election.

Ruling in favor of the objection was "not a difficult decision," Ward said.

"You have 30 (signatures), which is actually less than two-thirds required," he said. "I don't see this as legitimate paperwork to put you on the ballot."

Gray agreed. "I think that pretty much sums it up," she said.

Hyman said he agreed with the ruling and believes in the electoral process.

"I made a mistake, and I got bad information. I apologize that we're having this meeting tonight," he said. "I am not happy it turned out this way - but it did."

Hyman served two terms as trustee until he lost re-election in 2005.

He and another resident had filed an objection against Jim Hansen's petition for the 2013 election, claiming Hansen had improperly bound his petition with a paper clip. Hansen survived the challenge and won re-election.

"I don't believe in karma," Hyman said. "I believe that what Mrs. Hansen did was correct. It's the rules."

Teri Hansen said she reviewed all the South Elgin candidates' petitions. She declined further comment.

Running for three open trustee seats are incumbents Lisa Guess, Mike Kolodziej and Scott Richmond, and challenger and former village trustee Bill DiFulvio. Ward is running unopposed.