Campton Hills ballot battle drags on

If the campaign for Campton Hills village president and trustee offices is as hard fought as the battle to just get on the ballot, it will be quite an election.

Attorneys for people seeking village offices this spring had another day in Kane County court Monday trying to sort out who voters will choose from - be it either a primary election Feb. 4 or the municipal election April 7.

The matter was continued to Thursday, where a judge could order a primary to be held in February or find another solution.

Trustee Harry Blecker is running for village president, and Laura Anderson, Susan George and Michael O'Dwyer are running for three, 4-year trustee terms.

Interim Village Clerk John Strauss did not send their paperwork to Kane County Clerk John Cunningham by the Dec. 18 deadline because their nominating petitions were being challenged.

The four survived the challenge and Strauss turned over the paperwork Jan. 5, but Cunningham has refused to recognize it.

Matt Welsh, attorney for Blecker and the three others, sought a judge's order to have Cunningham accept the papers and order a primary be held. Since a primary must be contested, the four would automatically advance to the April ballot.

Steven D. Galloway also submitted papers to run as a write-in candidate for trustee in the primary. Nicholas Girka also is running as a write-in for village clerk.

If a primary was ordered, Anderson, O'Dwyer and George would be on the ballot and Galloway would be a write-in candidate, said Galloway's attorney, Ken Shepro.

Girka would be a write-in for clerk, even though no one else is running.

Judge David Akemann continued the matter to Thursday so Strauss and Girka could be present if testimony was needed.

Also, information from Cunningham's office about whether it's possible to order a primary election in a month will be presented.

"I really think we need everybody (here) if we're going to make a decision that will affect everybody," Akemann said. "The court's well aware the clock's ticking."

Village President Patsy Smith has until Feb. 5 to decide whether to run as a write-in candidate for the April election.

"I haven't decided yet. I'm still weighing all my options," Smith said Monday.