Higher standard needed for objectors

I attended the College of DuPage Election Board hearings in support of candidates whose appearance on the ballot was being challenged for trivial or exaggerated objections by current members of the Board (and then judged by current members of this board who are running against them), a clear instance of conflict of interest. While I was at first relieved to see that four of these legitimate candidates were still on the ballot, I was struck by the waste of time and resources and by how these proceedings distracted from more serious issues, such as the excellent qualifications of these candidates. What can we learn? First, election laws need to be changed so that trivial problems with election paperwork do not prevent candidates from running. Second, until the laws can be changed, citizens who want to serve in public office should consult with an election lawyer or someone who is politically experienced to check their paperwork and review their election plans. Finally, it was outrageous that a lawyer had challenged signatures on a ballot petition that were obviously valid. I checked these challenged voters against the official DuPage County voter database and found their names with the correct addresses and telephone numbers. Objectors should be held to a higher standard. Gov. Patrick Quinn has a history of reform. Let's get to work.

Dan Bailey

Wheaton