Campton Hills president challenges opponent's petition

Whether or not there will be two names on the April ballot for Campton Hills village president likely will be decided on Jan. 19.

The village's electoral board Wednesday night heard a lengthy objection by President Patsy Smith, who is trying to keep challenger Kristin LeBlanc off the April 5 ballot.

LeBlanc has pledged to run as a write-in candidate if she is booted from the ballot.

Pat Bond, an attorney representing Smith, argued that LeBlanc's nominating petitions were invalid because she filed after the 5 p.m. deadline on Dec. 20, she only had signatures from 43 registered voters instead of the required 44, and she didn't fill out an economic interest statement until Dec. 30.

Bond presented a village hall surveillance tape that showed LeBlanc arriving at the front door of village hall at 5:02 p.m.

Smith, who was at village hall at the time, testified that LeBlanc was asking basic questions about her nominating petitions and Smith replied that she and Village Clerk Carolyn Higgins were unable to provide legal advice.

“(LeBlanc) was anxiously trying to finish her petition because it was not complete when she brought it in,” Smith said.

But Higgins wrote a note on LeBlanc's petition, saying LeBlanc was in the front door before 5 p.m.

“To the best of my knowledge, (LeBlanc) was in the building at 5 o'clock.” Higgins said.

Despite the time issue, Higgins also testified that LeBlanc's petition was incomplete because the economic interest statement was blank and she would not certify it.

Both sides have next week to submit additional written arguments before the board meets on the 19th.