Mount Prospect trustee challenges candidate's petition

Mount Prospect election officials will consider an objection to a trustee candidate as early as next week.

Candidate Ken Schmalzer, who's running for trustee, will appear before the 3-person board to discuss his petition, which was challenged by Trustee Steve Polit, who is running for election.

The board on Friday is expected to set a date for a hearing, perhaps next week, Polit said.

Polit said Schmalzer's petition violated several election rules by not properly dating and numbering the pages. Additionally, the county and state of the candidate was not filled out on the form, he said.

Polit said he has nothing personally against Schmalzer's candidacy, but believes candidates should be prepared to handle basic requirements of a filing petition; otherwise, they aren't ready to be a trustee.

"The job requires a tremendous amount of attention to detail," Polit said. "I do want more people to join politics, but the integrity of the election is very important."

Schmalzer will appear before the election board made up of Mayor Irvana Wilks, Trustee Paul Hoefert and Village Clerk Lisa Angell.

Schmalzer could not be reached for comment Thursday.

As for Polit, even though he's an incumbent, it will be his first trustee election. Last July, he was appointed to the board after Trustee Richard Lohrstorfer resigned. He's serving out the remainder of the term and is now eligible to run for the spot. Polit has previously served on the Mount Prospect Foundation and the park district board.

Other candidates for trustee are Trustee John Matuszak, Trustee Michael Zadel and Matt Stankowicz.

Running for mayor are Wilks, Ernie Lasse and Patricia Bird.