3 DuPage candidates must fight to stay on the March ballot

Three candidates hoping to run in DuPage County's spring primary election, including a Democrat seeking to become president of the forest preserve district, are in jeopardy of being booted off the ballot.

Opponents argue that Democrats Daniel Hebreard and Irfan M. Ibrahim, and Republican Jim Broline don't qualify for the March 20 primary because their nomination papers contained errors or lacked enough valid signatures.

Broline, of Burr Ridge, entered the primary in a bid to become one of his party's nominees for a county board seat in District 3.

Hebreard and Ibrahim, meanwhile, both would be running unopposed for their party's nomination in the Democratic primary.

Hebreard, a senior ranger with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, wants to unseat forest preserve President Joe Cantore, an Oak Brook Republican, in the November general election. Ibrahim wants to challenge forest preserve Commissioner Linda Painter, a Willowbrook Republican, next fall.

All three candidates say they will defend the validity of their nomination papers when the county's electoral board reviews the objections at 2 p.m. Monday at the DuPage County Election Commission office in Wheaton.

"They (the objectors) are trying to take away options from the voters in a democratic process," said Ibrahim, who lives in Hinsdale. "I will be trying my best to make sure the voters have an option on the ballot."

Ibrahim needs 142 valid signatures to appear on the ballot as a forest preserve commission candidate in District 3, which includes all or parts of Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Darien, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Lemont, Naperville, Westmont, Willowbrook and Woodridge.

But Kathleen Abbate of Darien claims that Ibrahim failed to meet that threshold even though he filed a petition containing 317 signatures. She argues that a number of individuals who signed the petition aren't registered and legal voters of District 3.

Hebreard, of Woodridge, is facing a battle to stay on the ballot because of the way he filled out his paperwork.

According to the objection filed by Oakbrook Terrace resident Joseph Amodeo, Hebreard didn't say in his statement of candidacy that he's seeking the office of "President of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County."

Hebreard said his papers say he's running for "forest preserve president."

"I utilized the terminology from the election commission," he said.

Hebreard said the office he's seeking was clear to everyone who signed his petition.

In the case of Broline, the objection to his nomination papers stems from an incorrect date in his statement of candidacy. When Broline filled out the form, he mistakenly wrote that the date of the primary is March 20, 2017.

Gregory Abbott of Woodridge - one of the Republicans in the District 3 county board race - says the election code requires a candidate to accurately state the date of the election.

Still, Broline said he would be surprised to be removed from the ballot on a technicality.

"I'm glad that's what somebody's objection is," Broline said, "because that means there's nothing else they could object to."