Campton Hills referendum spat goes to county officials

Three high-ranking Kane County officials will decide the fate of a referendum that could undo the incorporation of Campton Hills, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Chief Judge Donald Hudson appointed the county's regular electoral board to investigate objections to hundreds of signatures on a petition proposing a referendum to dissolve the village.

The panel will consist of Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham, State's Attorney John Barsanti and Circuit Court Clerk Deborah Seyller, or assistants appointed by each of those officials.

The board, which typically decides cases only at the county level, replaces four Campton Hills officials yanked from the case by a judge after dissolution supporters questioned their ability to remain impartial.

The village electoral board, however, still is responsible for hearing unrelated objections to candidate petitions for village president hopeful Robert Young and village clerk contender Carolyn Higgins in the Feb. 5 primary election.

Village President Patsy Smith, chairwoman of the village's electoral board, has agreed to recuse herself because she is running for election. Three other village officials who aren't seeking election will fill the village electoral board.

Both Cunningham and village attorney Donna McDonald said Wednesday they did not know if the village will accrue costs associated with bringing in the county electoral board.

Cunningham pointed out the extra work comes as his office gears up for the primary, as well as a special election to determine who will temporarily replace retired House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

"We are busy," he said. "It will be an added burden on the office."

The objection alleges, among other things, that 269 of the 2,354 signatures on the referendum petition came from residents who are not registered to vote. The panel must pore over county records to see if that's the case.

No hearing date was set Wednesday, but attorneys for both sides expect it to be in the next few days.

Even if the objections are found invalid, the referendum question likely wouldn't appear before voters until November. That's because the village already placed three non-binding questions on the Feb. 5 ballot -- the most allowed in a single municipal election.

Kane County Civil Judge Michael J. Colwell -- the same judge who pulled village officials from the electoral board -- refused dissolution supporters' request to allow a fourth referendum on the ballot Monday, citing election code.

Richard Skelton, attorney for dissolution supporters, has said he might appeal Colwell's decision, depending on the outcome of the objections.