Judge: GOP candidate shouldn’t be on 11th District ballots due to signature shortage

The decision to keep a suburban Republican candidate off ballots in the 11th Congressional District was upheld Friday by a Cook County judge.

Tedora M. Brown’s attorney said he would promptly file an emergency appeal.

“She’s going to keep fighting,” attorney Max Solomon said. “And in the end she’s going to be vindicated.”

In a written order, Judge Anna M. Loftus affirmed the Illinois State Board of Elections’ Jan. 8 ruling against Brown, of Palos Park. It stemmed from a formal objection that alleged 337 of the 1,018 signatures on Brown’s candidate petitions weren’t valid.

The elections board ruled Brown’s petitions had 798 valid signatures, one short of the required 799.

Brown’s removal from the ballot left Jeff Walter of Elburn, Naperville resident Michael Pierce and Aurora resident Charlie Kim as the Republican candidates in the 11th District, which encompasses portions of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, DeKalb and Boone counties. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

The primary is March 17. Early voting starts Feb. 5.