Today, in order to keep Anna Goral off the ballot as a challenger to Michael Madigan’s candidate fro the 21st District of the Illinois House of Representative, Michael J. Zalewski, the Chicago Board of Elections’ issued a decision that as a precedent will change the process of defending petition challenges making it more administratively cumbersome and costly for the Board itself. (Michael J. Zalewski should not be confused with Michael R. Zalewski, third term Chicago alderman from the 23rd ward.)
Going forward a challenged candidate would be wise to subpoena all petition signers whose signatures are questioned (a burdensome task for the entire election system) instead of relying on obtaining sworn affidavits.
I was astounded at Anna's Rule 8 hearing last week.
The hearing officer’s process assumed that the affidavits brought in to rehabilitate invalidated signatures were phony. (Which assumes the affidavit signers were all perjurers.) So the signature on each of the affidavits were studied and judged NOT BY AN EXPERT HANDWRITING ANALYST but by the hearing officer and the attorney for the challenger.
This system needs overhauling so badly. It’s the soft side of corruption in Illinois, a system designed by and for those in control. Before the year is through and another cycle of elections begins I promise to provide some useful insight on getting on and staying on the ballot.
Going forward a challenged candidate would be wise to subpoena all petition signers whose signatures are questioned (a burdensome task for the entire election system) instead of relying on obtaining sworn affidavits.
I was astounded at Anna's Rule 8 hearing last week.
The hearing officer’s process assumed that the affidavits brought in to rehabilitate invalidated signatures were phony. (Which assumes the affidavit signers were all perjurers.) So the signature on each of the affidavits were studied and judged NOT BY AN EXPERT HANDWRITING ANALYST but by the hearing officer and the attorney for the challenger.
This system needs overhauling so badly. It’s the soft side of corruption in Illinois, a system designed by and for those in control. Before the year is through and another cycle of elections begins I promise to provide some useful insight on getting on and staying on the ballot.
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