Several well-known south suburban politicians are tangled in challenges over nominating petitions filed as part of upcoming elections for school boards and other public offices.
Authorities have launched investigations into claims involving about 60 cases. Investigators will examine records and gather evidence over the next couple weeks and resolve disputes no sooner than Jan. 19.
“We’re a little heavier than we were two years ago,” said Edmund Michalowski, Cook County Electoral Board chair. “We thought we would get 30 to 40 cases.”
Michalowski represents the county clerk’s office on the three-member panel, while other members represent the state’s attorney’s office and the clerk of the circuit court.
Objectors most commonly challenge the validity of petition signatures. They often question whether signers live within a district or whether signatures match voting registration records.
Some challenges seek to verify the residency of candidates or attempt to have petitions thrown out on technicalities, such as pages not being properly attached to one another.
Investigators will have no problem addressing all objections within the time frame needed for the electoral board to resolve disputes and give the county clerk’s office ample time to print ballots for the April 4 consolidated election, Michalowski said.
“The petition requirements are pretty sparse, usually in the range of 60 to 100 signatures,” he told me Wednesday as hearings got underway at the county’s Dunne Building in Chicago.
Community activist and philanthropist Andrew Holmes, who is an elected Dolton Village Board member, and Michael Smith objected to former Dolton Mayor Riley Rogers nominating petitions for another six-year term on the three-member Thornton Township Trustees of Schools Board.
The obscure public body provides financial services to public school districts within Thornton Township. The office is sometimes referred to as the township school treasurer.
The office and the board that oversees it should not be confused with Thornton Township government, which provides general assistance and other services, or with Thornton Township High School District 205 or Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215.
Calumet City Clerk Nyota T. Figgs, who holds a second elected office as one of five Calumet Memorial Park Board members, faces a petition challenge from Christel Johnson in Figgs’ bid for another term on the park board.
Figgs is also an objector challenging petitions of candidate Erica Jenkins for the park board. Figgs has been embroiled in legal fights and public disputes with Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who also is an elected state representative.
Charlene McFadden, an elected member of the Dixmoor Village Board, is objector in challenges to five candidates who filed petitions for the Dixmoor Public Library Board: Shuaverta Miles, Arletta Evans, Joy Johnson, Elizabeth B. Smith Hampton and Denise Bonita Ruffin.
The Dixmoor Public Library District was established in 1989 and initially partnered with Harvey’s public library so Dixmoor residents could use its services. In 2011, the Dixmoor district instead partnered with the William Leonard Public Library in Robbins.
Stanley Brown, who holds an elected office on the seven-member Thornton Township High School District 205 Board, is one of two objectors to petitions filed by two incumbents seeking reelection to the Dolton Public Library Board.
Brown and Devonte E. Stewart objected to petitions filed by library board members Louise Copeland and Linda Collins.
Anthony McCaskill objected to petitions filed by two hopefuls seeking seats on the Harvey Park Board: Lakeisha R. Brown-O’Neal and Marcos C. Perez-Lopez. McCaskill formerly served on Harvey’s park board and is one of two candidates challenging Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark in the upcoming election.
Joseph Marjan, supervisor of physical plant night operations at South Suburban College, objected to petitions filed by two people seeking seats on the Thornton Township District 205 Board: Samir Vohra and Demarkus Criggley.
Kimberly Elmore-Perkins objected to petitions filed by four candidates for seats on the Park Forest Elementary District 163 Board, though one of the four withdrew his candidacy.
Randall J. White Jr., who has served on the board since 2019, withdrew his bid for another term. Elmore-Perkins objected to petitions filed by board member Judy M. Hawthorne and two hopefuls, Herbert Ferguson and Tiara Smith-Bobo.
Daniel J. Gallagher objected to petitions filed by two hopefuls seeking seats on the Blue Island-based Cook County Elementary District 130 Board: Eric Wesley Abraham and John Marek Boehning.
Three cases involve candidates for the Harvey Elementary District 152 Board. In separate cases, Julie Contreras and Wanda M. Craig objected to petitions filed by Kisha E. McCaskill, while William A. Long and Craig jointly objected to paperwork filed by Sadiya Vohra.
Larry D. Sapp objected to three petitions involving Sauk Village-based Elementary District 168. Sapp challenged paperwork filed by board President Tammy N. Jones, member Brandie Jackson-Williams and candidate Jovontae D. Murry Hasty.
Sharon Trotter objected to petitions filed by South Holland Elementary District 151 Board member Mary E. Johnson. Sharon Mack, a member of the Country Club Hills Elementary District 160 Board, objected to petitions filed by another board member, Tamara Young.
Lavell Rucker objected to petitions filed by four candidates for Calumet Public Elementary District 132 Board. Rucker objected to paperwork filed by board members Kimberly Watkins Almond and Karen Ivey and hopefuls Corliss Smith and Affilonia Barksdale Jones.
Two cases involve West Harvey-Dixmoor Elementary District 147. Terry O. Young Jr. objected to the candidacy of board member Hazel Ann Bowman. Young and Tracy L. Key objected to the candidacy of board member Kenneth Henderson.
Two cases involve candidates for the Thornton Fractional Trustees of Schools Board. Tanjnique D. Miller and Gloria K. White objected to petitions filed by Antwon T. Russell, while Russell objected to paperwork filed by White.
Ted Slowik is a columnist for the Daily Southtown.