Filing errors knock Kane clerk off election ballot

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Jack Cunningham

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Updated: March 4, 2012 8:07AM

Longtime U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert will be the lone Republican in the 11th Congressional District primary, after the State Board of Elections removed her two opponents from the ballot Thursday.

The Board of Elections upheld challenges to the candidacies of Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham and former Joliet mayoral candidate Diane Harris over problems with addresses on their petitions.

The decision was especially stinging for Cunningham, who — as clerk — is in charge of the county’s elections.

“I’m an elected official and if we did it wrong, we don’t belong on the ballot,” Cunningham said Thursday. “It over and it’s time to move on.”

Republican and Democratic candidates are required to collect signatures of 600 district residents on election petitions. Often the signatures are challenged by other candidates or supporters who argue the petitions were not filled out correctly. The goal is to disqualify enough signatures that the candidate no longer meets the minimum requirement.

In the 11th District Republican primary, all three candidates faced ballot challenges.

The problem with Cunningham’s petitions centered around a worker who incorrectly recorded his address on the petition sheets, officials said.

Cunningham said in the past he and his supporters have gathered the signatures he needed. But preparing for the upcoming elections and the illness of his chief deputy clerk, Jay Bennett, (who died in January) spurred Cunningham to hire a firm to gather signatures on his election petitions. Cunningham admitted the process got away from him with an outside company involved.

He said Thursday that he was disappointed, but he won’t challenge the board’s decision in court.

“I was enjoying talking about the national issues,” said Cunningham, who ran for Congress in 1972. “I waited 40 years for a district without an incumbent so I think I can wait two more (years).”

Harris was removed over problems with addresses that were incorrect or not in the district. Harris did not return calls for comment Thursday.

The board unanimously rejected challenges to Biggert’s petitions.

Biggert will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Orland Park Fire Protection District President Jim Hickey, former Congressman Bill Foster and former Aurora Township Clerk Juan Thomas.

The new 11th District covers most of Aurora, Naperville and Joliet. Without primary opponents, Biggert will be able to save her substantial campaign funds for what is expected to be one of the state’s most-watched races.

An objection had also been filed to petitions of Jonathan Farnick of Woodstock, who is running in the 14th District Democratic primary. That objection was overruled and Farnick will remain on the ballot.