Fountaindale Library Candidate Won't Be On Ballot After Signature Objection

BOLINGBROOK, IL — A candidate for Fountaindale Public Library Trustee will not be on the ballot after an objection to nominating papers was sustained on Jan. 6 by the Will County Officers Electoral Board.

According to the decision documents, Margaret Danhof had filed an objection to Demetrius Bunch's nominating papers. Bunch was one of three candidates who had filed to run for two positions up for election on the Fountaindale Library Board of Trustees.

The objection, which was filed due to "improprieties effecting the validity of various voters' signatures" was sustained at a hearing on Jan. 6.

State statute requires that the petition for library trustee must have at least 50 signatures, or 2 percent of the votes cast in the last election, whichever is less. For Fountaindale Library, 50 signatures are required.

The objection filed claimed that various signatures were invalid due to signers who weren't registered at the listed address, who weren't in the district, or false signatures.

The candidate had 54 signatures in their petition, and objections were sustained to 12 signatures, according to decision documents from the Will County Clerk's Office. The sustained objections left 42 valid signatures, which is less than the 50 required.

Since Bunch's papers no longer have 50 signatures, they are no longer authorized to be on the ballot. According to the decision documents, Bunch does have five days to seek judicial review of the decision.

With Bunch removed from the ballot, that leaves two candidates, Robert Kalnicky and Meraj Alam, seeking the two open 6-year terms. Kalnicky and Alam are both currently on the board.