Campton Hills election lawsuit won't be filed again
Remember that lawsuit in late February challenging the write-in candidacies of Campton Hills Village President Patsy Smith and her slate in the April 7 election?
Attorney Ken Shepro said Tuesday he has not been served with a new complaint since Kane County Judge David Akemann dismissed the lawsuit but gave James P. Newman a chance to refile it.
"We haven't heard anything," Shepro said. "The absentee balloting has already started."
Newman, who argued that the write-in candidacies of Smith and three others were not valid because they submitted papers to Campton Hills Interim Village Clerk John Straus at his home instead of village hall, said he is not going to refile this lawsuit due to "family medical issues."
"I just don't have time to do it," Newman said Tuesday. "I'm not going to put any more time and effort into it."
When Newman filed the lawsuit last month, he said he was a "stickler for the rules" and wanted the filing done right. Asked if he would hire another attorney to pursue the lawsuit on his behalf, Newman, an attorney himself, said: "Never in my entire life have I hired an attorney to do anything. I do my own stuff."
Early voting begins Monday in the municipal elections for Campton Hills and dozens of other suburban communities.
An addition to president, three trustee seats and the village clerk's seat are up for election in Campton Hills. All are four-year terms.
Trustee Harry Blecker is also seeking the president's seat and its 4-year term. His slate includes Laura Andersen, Susan George and Michael O'Dwyer for trustee, and Nicholas Girka for village clerk.
Smith's slate includes Steven Galloway for trustee, along with write-in candidates Don Sheluga and Mike Turgeon for trustee, and write-in candidate Stephany Impson for village clerk.
Smith said she was sorry to hear Newman had to deal with family medical issues. but maintained she only needed to turn in her papers to the local election authority, Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham.
Smith said she and her slate turned in forms to both Strauss and Cunningham to ensure they were following all the correct procedures.
"We certainly tried to follow all the rules," Smith said. "I don't believe there was a valid basis for a lawsuit anyway."
For early voting sites, visit kanecountyelections.org.