Kane Co. authorities have trouble probing anonymous tip

Even though Kane County prosecutors are investigating an anonymous tip that claims Aurora's judicial subcircuit primary was marred by more than 1,000 faulty ballots, it's unclear if the probe will ever bear fruit.

Renee Robinson, an Aurora attorney who fell short of the Democratic Party nod by 205 votes in the city, received a letter last week that appeared to be from an election official suggesting she was robbed of a victory.

"We're still trying to figure out what our next move is," State's Attorney John Barsanti, whose civil division is investigating the letter, said Monday.

The two-paragraph note -- postmarked Feb. 25 -- said more than 1,000 incorrect ballots were counted and the problems in the primary were more widespread than officials let on.

The letter also said Robinson should seek an investigation and a recount, and that the writer would resign soon.

Robinson, 52, who was unavailable Monday, forwarded the letter to Barsanti, who said his office is limited without evidence of a crime.

"If we can't determine who the whistleblower is, I don't know what we can do," Barsanti said.

Carole Holtz, director of Aurora's election commission, also had no new leads on who wrote the letter or if it originated from her office.

"It's still a mystery," Holtz said.

Robinson lost the five-way primary by 338 votes from Aurora's 78 precincts and 12 in Kane County to Jim Murphy, Aurora Township supervisor. Murphy faces Republican Fred Morrelli Jr., an Aurora attorney, in November.

The election was one of Kane County's first judicial subcircuit races -- another took place in Elgin -- since state lawmakers ordered the 16th Judicial Circuit to divide into subcircuits, billed as a way to increase the number of minorities on the bench.

Ken Menzel, with the Illinois State Board of Elections, said an inspection of primary data from Aurora's election commission could be completed later this week.

Although several voters reported receiving incorrect ballots in Aurora after polls opened, the problems did not appear to be as widespread as they were in other areas of the state, Menzel said.