ROCKFORD (WREX) -
Winnebago County could have to call-back absentee and military ballots that have already been sent out and reprint thousands of others for the march 20th election. That's because a judge ordered the Winnebago County Electoral Board to reconsider one candidate's nominating petitions. Glenn Patterson was removed from the 34th District Democratic primary ballot last month after the electoral board said he didn't have enough valid signatures.
"Two hundred names that my attorney tried to present to them that they didn't even want to look at," says Patterson.
A circuit court judge ruled that five pages of Glenn Patterson's petitions were not properly reviewed during his electoral board hearing and several documents his attorney tried to present as evidence, which had been blocked, should be allowed in. The judge says the electoral board must reconvene to reconsider his case.
"Depending on what is given to us next week during the hearing, we will have to go through everything. Ultimately he has to have 1,000 good signatures to be on the ballot. And I know that is something he does not have at this time," says Margie Mullins, Winnebago County Clerk.
Mullins who also heads up the electoral board says her staff is also planning for the potential of having to reprint the ballots. It's already cost about $3,500 to print more than 13,000 of them. They would also need to re-send military and absentee ballots, some of which have already been returned.
"Depending on how quickly the answer comes whether or not his name is going to be on the ballot. And again, if his attorney is not pleased with the outcome and she decides to take it to another level we could be two weeks before the election and still, is his name on or is it off?"
As for Patterson, he says his objection is not a waste of taxpayer money or time because he says he was not the one to first bring the objection he's just fighting it.
"Wasting money by standing up for what is right, for standing up against a system that is unfair?" says Patterson.
Steve Stadelman, Marla Wilson and Dan Lewandowski are also running in the 34th District Democratic Primary. Stadelman and Wilson faced objections as well, but both won their cases. The electoral board will hear Patterson's case next Thursday, February 23rd.
