Five Lisle trustee candidates trying to stay on April ballot

A crowded field of Lisle trustee hopefuls could be thinned dramatically if objections successfully prevent the names of five candidates - including two incumbents - from appearing on the April ballot.

Last month, 10 candidates filed nominating petitions to run for three open seats on the village board: incumbent Mark Boyle, incumbent Cathy Cawiezel, Stephen Winz, Charles Rego, Richard Wilkie, Sara Sadat, Claire Goldenberg, Michael Olson, John Gergits and David Melsbakas.

But objectors challenged the petitions belonging to six of the candidates - Cawiezel, Gergits, Sadat, Melsbakas, Rego and Boyle.

Instead of fighting the objection, Melsbakas dropped out of the race on Monday. The five others must overcome the challenges to keep their names on the April 2 ballot.

Lisle's electoral board is set to review the cases during a series of hearings scheduled for Jan. 18. The panel - featuring Mayor Christopher Pecak, Village Clerk Kim Brondyke and Daniel Porter - will decide if the candidates should appear on the ballot.

"You want candidates on the ballot to give people a choice," said Cawiezel, who has served as a Lisle trustee since 2009. "So I don't think trying to pick off candidates on technicalities is noble."

Cawiezel's candidacy is being challenged by Lisle resident Irena Binkiene, who filed similar objections against Rego and Boyle.

Binkiene claims Cawiezel didn't submit a statement of economic interest in a timely manner and failed to get enough valid signatures on her petitions.

Trustee candidates need 210 valid signatures to run in Lisle.

Cawiezel said she personally collected all but 17 of the roughly 280 signatures on her petitions. She said she asked everyone who signed if they were registered to vote in Lisle.

"To the best of my knowledge, all my signatures were valid," she said.

In her objection to Rego's and Boyle's nomination petitions, Binkiene claims the candidates didn't collect enough valid signatures. She also says four sheets in Boyle's petitions weren't notarized.

Boyle, who has served as a trustee since 2007, said he's hoping to stay on the ballot.

"The politics is unfortunate right now," Boyle said. "Let's get to the election."

Meanwhile, Boyle is challenging the petitions submitted by Gergits and Sadat.

Boyle claims several sheets of Sadat's petitions contain invalid signatures, duplicate signatures or triplicate signatures. He makes the same claim about petitions for Gergits.

"I was aware of signatures getting challenged," Sadat said. "I wasn't aware it would be a frivolous challenge that would bear no fruit other than me spending money fighting it."

Sadat said her petitions have roughly 350 signatures, so she's confident there's enough valid signatures for her to remain on the ballot.

Attorneys for Sadat and Gergits have filed motions to dismiss the objections. The motions will be argued during the Jan. 18 hearings.

Gergits said he's running because he cares about what's happening in Lisle. He didn't expect to have his nomination papers challenged.

"This is the first time I've ever done anything like this," he said. "So it's been a learning experience."