No one kicked off Des Plaines ballot yet; more hearings scheduled
Des Plaines City Council candidates trying to disqualify their opponents from the upcoming election sharply criticized one another Wednesday, but so far all remain on the April 4 ballot.
Bob Porada, an attorney and candidate for 7th Ward alderman, is challenging the candidacy of his opponent, Alderman Don Smith.
Porada also represents 1st Ward candidate Mark Lysakowski, who filed objections against opponent Steven Mokry. Mokry, a member of the library board, is challenging Lysakowski in return.
A preliminary hearing on the challenges lasted more than two hours Wednesday, as the electoral board - which includes Mayor Matt Bogusz, City Clerk Gloria Ludwig and Alderman Dick Sayad - slogged through the filings.
Before they could get far, however, Porada asked Bogusz and Ludwig to remove themselves from the city's electoral board in his case against Smith. He, along with Sayad, argued that Bogusz and Smith are political allies.
Bogusz said he could be fair and argued that state law prohibits him from removing himself from the board.
"I have been commanded by Illinois law not to shirk this duty," he said.
Porada also wanted to remove Ludwig, saying he needs her testimony during the hearing. Both efforts failed, with Sayad providing the lone vote to remove the mayor and city clerk.
The board will reconvene next week to hear arguments on Smith's request to throw out Porada's objections.
In the Mokry and Lysakowski challenges, the Cook County Board of Elections will examine signatures on Lysakowski's nominating papers Friday to determine if enough are valid to keep him on the ballot. The electoral board did not rule on Lysakowski's objections that Mokry used the wrong forms to gather petitions and file for candidacy, instead waiting to research the topic and hear arguments next week.
The electoral board is scheduled to hear additional arguments on each case at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 13, in Room 102 of the civic center, 1420 Miner St.