Why two Des Plaines candidates could be bumped from 2025 ballot

Two aldermanic candidates in Des Plaines could be removed from contention in the April 2025 election because of complaints about their paperwork.

A special electoral board will meet Saturday to discuss the objections to Brian Kowalkowski’s and Margaret Chlebek’s bids in the 1st Ward, which is on the city’s northeast side.

A third candidate for the 1st Ward seat, current City Clerk Jessica Mastalski, filed separate objections against Kowalkowski’s and Chlebek’s petitions. Kowalkowski’s paperwork faces an additional challenge from current 1st Ward Alderman Mark Lysakowski.

Lysakowski is finishing his second term and is unable to run again because of municipal term limits.

A three-member electoral board will convene at 3 p.m. Saturday at city hall, 1420 Miner St., to consider the objections. Mayor Andrew Goczkowski, 5th Ward Alderman Carla Brookman and 4th Ward Alderman Dick Sayad will comprise the panel.

The session, initially scheduled for Thursday, will be open to the public. Decisions on the objections aren’t expected Saturday, officials said.

In their objections, Lysakowski and Mastalski both claim Kowalkowski’s petition doesn’t have enough signatures from qualified voters.

Reached by phone Friday, Kowalkowski acknowledged some of the people who signed his petition live outside the 1st Ward. “I just didn’t catch it,” he said.

Still, Kowalkowski said he thinks the document contains enough proper signatures to meet the minimum requirement set by state law.

As for Chlebek, Mastalski claims she lives in Hickory Hills based on Cook County property tax records.

Mastalski also alleges someone other than Chlebek circulated her petition even though Chlebek is listed as the person who gathered the signatures. Fifteen of the people who signed Chlebek’s petition insist Chlebek wasn’t present to witness their signatures.

All the signatures on Chlebek’s petition should be voided and she should be removed as a candidate, Mastalski said in her objection.

Chlebek couldn’t be reached by phone or email Friday.

Outside the 1st Ward, three other council seats will be up for election next year, as will the mayor and city clerk.

In the 3rd Ward, incumbent Sean Oskerka is being challenged by Debra Lester.

Lester is a former member of the city’s fire and police board, which oversees hiring and firing for those two departments.

In the 5th Ward, Thomas A. Merlin and Michael Hardiman are running for an open seat. Brookman can’t run again because of term limits and is instead running for clerk against Dominik Bronakowski.

In the 7th Ward, incumbent Patsy Smith is being challenged by Bob Porada.

Porada, a former zoning board of appeals member, unsuccessfully ran for the 7th Ward seat in 2015 and 2017.

Goczkowski is running unopposed for a second term as mayor.