Alderman Gerald Anderson off Prospect Hts. ballot

Gerald T. Anderson, longtime 4th Ward alderman in Prospect Heights, was taken off the April 5 ballot by the city’s electoral board Wednesday.

The 67-year-old Anderson said he would consider an appeal after receiving a written report from the board saying he was removed from the ballot for failing to number the pages of his nominating petitions.

The board’s hearing officer, Erik R. Peck, a Park Ridge attorney, said courts have ruled “the failure to number any of the pages is fatal” to a candidacy petition.

Without page numbers it is harder to identify a signature for examination and easier to tamper with the petitions, he said.

Anderson was elected to the council in 1997 and then won a write-in contest for mayor in 1999 after being similarly dismissed from a ballot. That election was overturned when the courts rejected some of his votes.

The objection, filed by Jeffrey S. Dash, was one of eight filed against Anderson’s candidacy this year. The rest were dismissed when no one appeared before the electoral board to argue on their behalf.

Anderson later took the blame for his oversight.

“I completely forgot to number the pages. I have no excuse,” he said.

It will be a shame if he is not on the ballot, he added, saying he has support from residents who fear having to pay for Lake Michigan water in parts of the city that currently use well water.

The board also rejected an objection by 1st Ward Alderman Richard Hamen against the candidacy of his challenger, Luis Mendez. Hamen said he will fight the decision in court.

Hamen’s challenge said Mendez did not have enough signatures, did not file a certificate of deletions when crossing off names and should validate that it is his really signature notarized on the petitions.

Peck said that Hamen did not cite any law in his objection.

Mayoral candidate Nicholas “Nick” Helmer’s challenge of opponent Kurt U. Giehler’s candidacy will be heard at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 24. Helmer and Giehler are running against incumbent Mayor Dolores “Dolly” Vole.

Mendez’ objection to Hamen’s candidacy also will be heard Jan. 24. Mendez, who was the 1st Ward alderman until defeated by Hamen four years ago, is challenging whether Hamen meets residency requirements.