Challenges leave Hampshire election uncontested

Two candidates for the Hampshire village board will be knocked off the ballot after a pair of successful challenges to their election paperwork.

The village's electoral board is set to vote Wednesday to toss Doug Riker and former Police Chief Tom Atchison off the April 7 ballot, leaving an uncontested race for the village board.

Unless Atchison and Riker appeal the decision, incumbents Marty Ebert and George Brust as well as Jerry Shepardson are virtually guaranteed to win a seat on the village board.

Village President Jeff Magnussen is unchallenged in his re-election bid.

Atchison's candidacy was invalidated because his statement of economic interests, which each candidate is required to submit, was filed on Dec. 29, 2008, instead of in 2009. State election law requires candidates to file the document in the same calendar year as their nominating petitions.

Riker will lose his place on the ballot because he did not submit a statement of economic interests.

Trustee Karyn Danielson filed objections to Atchison's paperwork, while Shepardson challenged Riker's candidacy.

The electoral board, which includes Magnussen, Trustee Orris Ruth and Village Clerk Linda Vasquez, is scheduled to take a final vote on the election challenges on Wednesday.