Local News

Hearing focuses on challenges to Flossmoor candidate petitions

Flossmoor’s local election board this week will consider objections to the petitions submitted by a resident seeking a village trustee seat.
 
Two incumbent trustees, Perry Hoag and James Mitros, filed objections to the candidate petitions filed by David Bruni. Hoag and Mitros are running for another term in the April 2 consolidated election.
 
The election board – comprised of Flossmoor Mayor Paul Braun, Clerk Joni Bradley-Scott and Trustee Philip Minga – will hold a hearing on the objections at 10 a.m. Jan. 2 at the village hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road.
 
Under state law, municipal election boards are made up of the mayor, clerk and a member of the elected legislative body. 
 
According to the agenda for Wednesday’s hearing, the election board will adopt rules for the proceeding, hear the objections from Hoag and Mitros, discuss the evidence and come to a decision. The board has the power to prevent a candidate from appearing on the ballot if the objections are upheld.
 
Hoag and Mitros told the H-F Chronicle that their objections to Bruni’s campaign petitions are nearly identical.
 
In his formal objection, Hoag listed five reasons why he believes Bruni should be prevented from appearing on the election ballot.
 
Hoag said Bruni failed to submit a minimum of 131 valid signatures on his petitions. Bruni’s petitions included a total of 138 names but 11 of the people signing are not registered voters, are not registered voters at the listed address or are not residents of Flossmoor, he said, adding that three of those persons live in Homewood. That brings the number of signatures to 127, four shy of the minimum, Hoag said.
 
Also, Bruni’s petitions are not numbered, as required by state election law, Hoag said. The petitions are not bound “in a manner required by the Illinois Election Code,” he said, and that Bruni’s petitions “inadequately describe the election” and “inadequately described his candidacy.”
 
All five of those reasons are grounds for disqualifying Bruni from the ballot, Hoag’s objection petition said.
 
Five persons filed petitions for three trustee seats on the village board in the April election – Hoag, Mitros, Bruni, Gyata Kimmons and Stephen Kelly.

Braun said Monday that Hoag and Mitros also filed objections to Kelly’s candidacy. Kelly withdrew from the election on Dec. 29, Braun said.

Braun added that he cannot recall any election challenges in Flossmoor in the 16 years that he has served as either a trustee or mayor in the village.

 

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