Elgin City Councilman Corey Dixon, who’s running for mayor in the April election, was fined $6,600 by the state for missing mandatory campaign disclosure deadlines seven times in the last four years.
Between 2019 and 2022, Dixon and his political committee, Citizens for Corey Dixon, submitted quarterly reports as many as 77 days past their due date and in one year, 2021, missed three out of four filing deadlines, according to Illinois State Board of Elections records.
Dixon, a councilman since 2017, said he took responsibility for the missed deadlines but he declined to discuss the situation beyond a news release that was issued by his political committee.
In the statement, the filing problems were attributed to “miscommunication.”
“I recognize the importance of this. I have taken ownership and made changes to ensure delays do not happen again,” Dixon is quoted in the release.
According to state records, Dixon was fined these amounts by the state for the following deadline violations:
$75 for being three days late on his June 2019 quarterly report;
$2,050 for being 21 days late on his June 2020 quarterly report;
$75 for being one day late on his December 2020 report;
$500 for being 19 days late on his March 2021 report;
$600 for being 25 days late on his June 2021 report;
$3,000 for being 77 days late on his September 2021 report;
$300 for being 15 days late on his July 2022 report.
The fines added up to $6,600, but Dixon reached a settlement with the state board under which he paid of $3,438.16 in January to resolve the outstanding debt and violations, documents show.
Under state law, elected officials and people running for office are required to create committees with treasurers to keep detailed records of campaign receipts and expenditures that can be viewed by the public. Committees are to file financial reports every three months, which must be submitted within 15 days after the close of the reporting period, the board of elections website says.
It’s not clear when Dixon became aware of the missed deadlines or the outstanding fines other than they were resolved in January.
When asked to clarify the timetable, explain how the deadlines were missed and expound on how the errors reflect on his candidacy, Dixon via email said his only comment was the statement he and his committee released.
The statement said Dixon paid the accrued fines using his own money, not campaign funds, and noted that his action shows “remarkable leadership and integrity in response to these issues” and demonstrates “his commitment to accountability and ensuring his campaign’s compliance.”
The filing problems were the “result of an oversight due to miscommunication,” the statement said. “(Dixon) has reached out to the Illinois State Board of Elections and appointed a qualified treasurer to manage his campaign finances to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.”
His opponent in the upcoming April 4 election is incumbent Mayor Dave Kaptain, whose campaign disclosure records are in good standing.
Dixon, who is the senior assistant director of administration for the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, “recognizes the important role that campaign finance reporting plays in ensuring transparency in the political process and promoting fair elections,” the political committee statement said.
“(Dixon) believes that by requiring candidates and campaigns to publicly disclose information about their contributions and expenditures, voters are empowered to make informed decisions, and campaigns are held accountable to the law and ethical standards,” the statement said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.