Campton Hills hopefuls face last hurdle to ballot
Four people running for office in Campton Hills need to clear one more hurdle to officially get on the April 7 ballot.
Trustees Harry Blecker, Laura Anderson and Susan George, plus newcomer Michael O'Dwyer, all have filed court papers asking a judge to order Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham to accept their nominating petitions.
The petitions were not turned over to the clerk in December because Village President Patsy Smith challenged the petitions filed by Blecker, who is running for village president, and the three others, who are seeking trustee seats.
A Campton Hills electoral board earlier this month dismissed the challenges to the nominating petitions, but Cunningham's office has not accepted their petitions, saying they were late.
"We think the law is clear. At the end of the day, (accepting the petitions) should be granted," said Matthew Welch, attorney for the four candidates. "Our position is that it's no fault of ours. We did everything required of candidates."
Blecker said he is hopeful this final hurdle will be cleared to get him and three others on the ballot.
"I think it will be (granted) but who knows what the courts will do," he said.
The matter is due in court Monday before Kane County Judge David Akemann.
A message left with Cunningham Tuesday was not immediately returned.
No one else in Campton Hills has filed to run in the April election.
Three, four-year trustee terms are at stake, along with the four-year village president's term.
Smith, the only village president Campton Hills' history, said this week she had not decided if she is going to run as a write-in candidate.
The deadline to file as a write-in is Feb. 5.