Pair wants back on E. Dundee ballot

A pair of candidates for East Dundee village board who were removed from the ballot earlier this month, have both asked a county judge to reverse the local electoral board's decision.

In petitions filed this week in Kane County court, attorney Thomas Tyrrell representing Howard Schock and Patrick Clarke called the decision to remove their names from the ballot for improperly binding paperwork "erroneous," "arbitrary" and "capricious."

The electoral board on Feb. 9 ruled Schock and Clarke ineligible to appear on the April 7 ballot because the candidates' nominating petitions "were not fastened in any manner when presented to the election official."

The Illinois Election Code requires that nominating petitions "be neatly fastened together in book form, by placing the sheets in a pile and fastening them together at one edge in a secure and suitable manner."

During the electoral board hearing, Assistant Village Manager Heather Zipparo said none of the nominating papers from either Schock or Clarke were securely bound with a staple, binder clip or paper clip. But Schock stated he submitted paperwork in a pile and placed them in a sealed envelope fastened with a paper clip.

Meanwhile, Clarke contended his papers were secured with a binder clip and presented photographic evidence to the board.

A hearing to overturn the electoral board's decision has not been set.