One Aurora mayoral candidate removed from the ballot

Aurora will have a mayoral primary in February after the city’s electoral board refused to remove two candidates from the ballot.

The panel, however, booted a third candidate.

In October, five candidates filed to run against Mayor Richard Irvin, who is seeking a third term. The challengers are Alderman John Laesch, Alderman Ted Mesiacos, former alderman Judd Lofchie, Karina Garcia and Jazmine Garcia.

However, a supporter of Irvin filed objections to the nominating petitions for Laesch, Jazmine Garcia, and Karina Garcia.

After reviewing the objections, the Aurora Municipal Electoral Board decided on Monday that Laesch and Jazmine Garcia could stay on the ballot.

However, Karina Garcia’s name will not appear on the ballot because the electoral board ruled she did not file a proper economic interest statement.

Instead of listing the position she was seeking in the form, Karina Garcia entered her job.

The form, which candidates had to file with the Kane County clerk, asks for a person’s job title. Underneath the lines to be filled in, it reads: “Office, department or agency that requires you to file this form.”

Garcia wrote that she was the chief executive officer of the Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on the form and the receipt she filed on Oct. 26.

Her attorney, Keri-Lyn Krafthefer, argued that Garcia filed a second form listing the office sought after she was notified of the objection to her election petitions.

Karina Garcia also executed an affidavit swearing that the economic interest statement was submitted because she was running for mayor.

Attorney Ross Secler, the adviser to the board, said state election and ethics laws are clear on the matter and don’t allow for filing a corrected form.

“I don’t think any of us want to do this,” said City Clerk Jennifer Stallings, an electoral board member.

The other electoral board members were Alderman Michael Saville and Alderman Juany Garza, who was chairman because Irvin could not be, under state law.

Since there are more than four candidates, a February primary is needed to reduce the field to two for the April 1 ballot.

On Monday, the electoral board ruled in favor of Laesch, Karina Garcia and Jazmine Garcia on whether a candidate for office could circulate petitions for another candidate for the same office in a nonpartisan election.

The person who challenged the petitions for Karina Garcia and Jazmine Garcia called them sham candidates.

Last week, the electoral board removed three alderman candidates: Arrianna Dallmann, who was running for alderman-at-large; Jose Torres, who sought the Ward 4 seat; and Saul Fultz III, who was running for the 7th Ward seat.