Lake County election board denies state's attorney candidate challenge
Gurnee resident Matt Stanton will remain on the ballot in the spring Democratic primary for Lake County State's Attorney, a county election board ruled Wednesday.
In a hearing continued from Tuesday, the Lake County Electoral Board ruled against the challenge to Stanton's nominating petitions brought by Democratic Party Vice Chairman Pete Couvall.
"It really came down to a couple of legal issues the electoral board determined he (Stanton) had complied with, and he will remain on the ballot," Lake County Clerk Carla Wyckoff said.
The proceeding was continued Tuesday after Stanton filed a motion to strike and dismiss the objection.
"We did deny the motion to strike and dismiss and then went into consideration of the original objection," Wyckoff said.
Required written rulings regarding that action, as well as a decision Tuesday upholding the challenge to the petitions of Libertyville resident Robert Haraden for the Lake County Board District 21 seat, will be drafted and finalized with a target date of Jan. 5, Wyckoff said. The board will reconvene and distribute the decisions to the parties, who can appeal to the circuit court.
Haraden did not file a statement of economic interest as required. He was to have faced incumbent Ann Maine in the Republican primary.
On Monday, Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd withdrew from the Democratic primary race after his paperwork was challenged. Michael P. Donnenwirth of Waukegan is the sole Democrat in that race, although Rudd can run as an independent or write-in in the November general election.