After recently reading about the past electoral board meeting and the petitions of three local incumbents in question, I must address an issue in the article published in the CCT and some of the public’s perception on this matter. First and foremost, I urge the writer who wrote the story on the electoral board meeting to seek the truth.
It was stated in the article that only the incumbent’s petitions were copied, which is false. All five candidate’s petitions were copied the same day on December 26th. One phone call to the school administrator’s office could clear this up. Another issue with the writings of the CCT, pertaining to a previous editorial, the editorial had begun with the phrase, “…rumor has it…” What happened to the facts? Does sensationalism sell? It is the easiest and most common practice for candidates seeking public office to cross reference petitions to seek support from people who may have not signed your petition. After all, you can’t think of everybody you know when gathering your signatures.
In the caption on the front page in last week’s paper, the writer clearly states Mr. Bernot, a member of the electoral board, was “partial” because “he was defending the objections that were filed.” According to the Illinois State Board of Elections the objections were valid, regardless of who put what spin on the objections filed. I feel reassured with the fact that a board member did not go into the meeting with a blind eye, as I hope other members did as well. What is so wrong with knowing the facts and law? Why lay blame on anyone who would has the right under law to make sure the law is followed?
It is paramount to get it right for the sake of your supporters and voters, in essence they are the ones who would have suffered if the candidate would have been removed from the ballot (had it went to court) over technicalities that the law requires. We do not make up the rules and regulations for elections, the state legislature does.
My question is, since the three candidates have run for office before, why didn’t they follow the petition regulations? Why were they exempted from following the regulations? Is it to be implied that rules and regulations apply to some but not to others? I urge anyone who supports a certain candidate to have them simply follow the rules in place, we ask nothing less from our children. In a similar circumstance, my son failed a test because he didn’t follow the rules and instructions provided to him.
To object to a candidate’s petition is nothing out of the ordinary and it is not a personal attack on any individual. In fact, according to the Rockford Record, a city council candidate in Loves Park, IL was removed from the ballot, after being objected to, because he did not properly fasten the pages of his petition sheets. Also, a school board candidate was removed from the ballot after being objected to, according to the Tinely Park Patch, because the candidate did not fill out the headings of their petitions. According to the Alton Telegraph other area candidates were objected to as well, such as in Roxana School District and Woodriver Township, those candidates were removed from the ballot. In a separate incident, in CAHOKIA TOWNSHIP, an objection was made on the last day of petition filing to a petition that was submitted by someone who was going to run for Highway Commissioner. Where is the public’s outcry for him, a hardworking, God fearing public servant?
I have been in the realm of local politics for over 25 years. I have helped both democrats and republicans, canvassed, phoned, put signs up, went to events, raised funds for candidates, you get the gist. Mostly everyone has been political at least once in their life, whether they know it or not. According to the definition of “politics,” if you have tried to influence someone for a particular reason or purpose, you have been political. However, people don’t like the word “politics” or “political” because it resonates with the Chicago thugs and the Washington crooks.
For example, a church membership drive, the Pepsi grant, and any grant an entity receives from the government or other sources is political. I am personally exhausted from hearing that one person is more “political” than the other. Anyone who runs for a public office obviously cares for the public and its interests. Why else would they run for a position that pays little to no money?
However, they run for a public office hence they are political. They try to influence voters or other members of a governing body to vote for their ideas, you cannot argue this. It is absurd to say that someone is political on a governing body, but the rest are not.
Best Regards,
Tracy Brown Hellmann
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