Challenge to Joliet candidate goes to court
By Bob okon bokon@stmedianetwork.com January 25, 2013 2:46PM
David Piekosz
Updated: February 28, 2013 6:52AM
David Piekosz’s candidacy for city council is being challenged again.
The challenge to Piekosz’s candidacy has been taken to the Will County Circuit Court after failing last week before the Joliet Electoral Board.
“While we respect the electoral board’s decision, we disagree with the conclusions that they reached,” attorney Bryan Kopman said Friday.
The appeal filed in county court seeks a reversal of the electoral board’s decision.
Kopman represents Joseph Fischer, a Joliet resident who is the objector in the challenge but has declined to comment about the case.
The Fischer challenge did lead to one candidate, John Gnutek, being taken off the ballot.
But the electoral board rejected Kopman’s argument that there was too much discrepancy between signatures on Piekosz’s nominating petitions and those on file in the county voting records to merit his removal from the ballot.
Piekosz issued a statement, saying, “We’re looking into our options as to how we’re going to proceed. But we thank everyone in the community for signing our petitions and for their support.”
There would be five candidates on the April 9 ballot for three council at-large positions if Piekosz stays in the election. The other candidates are Troy Township Clerk Jim McFarland and the three incumbent council members, who are Don Fisher, Jan Quillman and Michael Turk.
