Judicial candidate's petitions OK'd by electoral board
An Aurora Democrat running for a new judicial sub-circuit seat survived a challenge to his nominating papers Monday.
The Kane County Electoral Board unanimously shot down a challenge against Jim Murphy, who currently serves as Aurora Township supervisor.
The challenge, filed by Aurora resident Ralph Cervantes, argued that 32 of 82 pages of Murphy's nominating petitions should be thrown out because he notarized them.
Cervantes is the brother-in-law of Paul Greviskes, a Kane County board member also seeking the Democratic nomination Feb. 5.
Cervantes' attorney, Stephen Bell, argued that Murphy was prohibited from notarizing the petitions.
"The statute was designed so you don't have people making things up or notarizing things they have an interest in," Bell argued. "A notary is supposed to be neutral."
Bell also argued that Murphy's candidacy should be thrown out because the petitions read "Jim Murphy," not "James R. Murphy," as he is registered as an attorney in Illinois.
John Duggan, an attorney for Murphy, said state law only prohibits a notary from signing off on a document when he is a party in a transaction. Duggan said administering an oath that petitions were signed properly does not violate the law. He also added that Murphy only notarized petitions that were circulated by others, not signatures he personally collected.
"It was either to somehow discredit me or knock me off the ballot," Murphy said of the objection. "On all accounts, we won."
Bell said a decision had not been made on whether to appeal the board's ruling.
In addition to Greviskes and Murphy,three others are seeking the Democratic nomination. They are:
Aurora attorney Herb Hill; Renee Robinson, a former Kane County state's attorney candidate; and Aurora branch court prosecutor Mark Wade. Former Associate Judge and attorney Fred Morelli has filed as a Republican.
The winners of the primary will square off in November 2008. The Aurora sub-circuit post and otherswere created by state lawmakers in an effort to get more diversity on the bench.