Stroger safe on ballot, Brown's petitions still under fire

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger's slot in the February Democratic primary is secure while scrutiny continues of his challenger Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown's election petitions.

Brown's campaign had accused Stroger of sloppy paperwork, duplicating signatures and other problems in his nomination forms, which the incumbent denied.

But Stroger still had sufficient signatures to withstand the objections from his rival, prompting the Brown camp to drop the claims Friday, an official said.

Meanwhile, Brown's petitions also face a challenge.

During a hearing Friday, the Cook County Electoral Board eliminated one controversial charge that Brown's former campaign field director used low-income people participating in a state job-training program to circulate petitions. The board did not have authority to rule on that particular item, Cook County clerk's office spokeswoman Courtney Greve said.

Brown previously said she stands by the integrity of her petitions.

The electoral board will continue its review of additional allegations including invalid signatures, irregularities and forgeries in Brown's documents on Thursday.

The other Democratic candidates for board president in the Feb. 2 primary are Chicago Hyde Park Alderman Toni Preckwinkle and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Terrence O'Brien.