Ramirez-Sliwinski back in Carpentersville race

A little more than a week ago, Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski was removed from the ballot for Carpentersville trustee after the local electoral board determined she did not collect enough valid signatures to run in the April 7 election.

But on Friday, the first-term trustee proved them wrong. At least six of Ramirez-Sliwinski's signatures were deemed eligible during the final electoral board hearing.

On Feb. 12, the electoral board, composed of Village President Bill Sarto, Trustee Judy Sigwalt and Village Clerk Terri Wilde, could not find at least 45 of Ramirez-Sliwinski's signatures in Kane County voting records, leaving her six shy of the 148 needed to appear on the ballot.

Ramirez-Sliwinski provided affidavits and other evidence showing at least nine of the names stricken from her petition were registered voters and that the board had rejected four other signatures in error.

The board reinstated four signatures that resident Frank Stoneham argued were printed and not signed. "There is no legal requirement that says the petition must be signed in script," countered Ramirez-Sliwinski attorney Matthew Flamm. People "sign their name in print, script, Greek or a fancy symbol."

Electoral board attorney Michael Duggan agreed, stating electoral board members moved beyond the scope of the objection when they cross-checked signatures against county voting records.

Stoneham said that decision leaves the door open for fraud.

"People who don't have enough signatures will find Joe Blow and print his name ... and fill in his address," said Stoneham, who filed objections against six candidate petitions. "You cannot determine who signed the petition."

Ramirez-Sliwinski had enough approved signatures after she presented affidavits from two residents who signed.

"I knew I would be on the ballot," Ramirez-Sliwinski said shortly after the board approved the last signature she needed. "I had to put a little extra work into it ... but in the end justice prevailed."

The trustee now will appear on the ballot along with trustee candidates Kenneth Andresen, Debra Lowen, Joseph Haimann, Bradford McFeggan, Patricia Schultz and incumbent Kay Teeter. The ballot for village president will include incumbent Bill Sarto and challengers Trustee Ed Ritter and James Krenz.