Wheaton woman charged with election-related perjury, forgery

A Wheaton woman who ran unsuccessfully this spring for Milton Township trustee has been charged with election-related forgery and perjury.

Susan Cain, 64, of the 1600 block of North Stoddard Avenue, is charged with three felony counts of forgery and four felony counts of perjury. according to DuPage County court records.

The charges were filed Monday, and Cain turned herself in at the DuPage County sheriff's office on Wednesday, according to a news release from the DuPage County state's attorney's office. She is free on a personal-recognizance bond.

The perjury charges allege that on Jan. 20 Cain completed online applications to vote by mail four times using the names of other DuPage residents. Cain confirmed Friday they were her husband and three of her children. It is also alleged that three times on March 8 she signed the names of her husband and two of her children, "with the intent to defraud," on certification ballot envelopes.

State's Attorney Robert Berlin said county Clerk Jean Kaczmarek and her staff uncovered the alleged violations and brought them to prosecutors' attention.

Cain denies the allegations.

"As many did during the COVID-19 pandemic, our family participated in the vote-by-mail process for the April elections. In a good faith effort to do the right thing, we self-reported challenges that we encountered during that process," Cain said in a statement. "We thank those who have continued to provide support and well wishes during this time, and hope our experience serves to strengthen the Illinois vote-by-mail process in the future."

She declined to say what the challenges were. Cain contacted DuPage election authorities, according to her spokesman.

Cain, a Democrat, lost the election in April, coming in fifth among eight candidates for four seats.

Her next court date is July 26.