Stephens Stays On Mayoral Ballot After Electoral Board Ruling

NAPERVILLE, IL — The Naperville Municipal Officers Electoral Board ruled Friday that Tiffany Stephens can stay on the ballot for mayor, following an objection that was filed challenging her residency.

Arian Ahmadpour, who is part of the Will County Young Democrats, filed a challenge against the validity of Stephens' nomination, claiming that she had been living at an Aurora address as of July. Illinois code requires nominees to have resided in the municipality in which they are running for at least a year ahead of the election.

The electoral board, made up of Mayor Steve Chirico, City Clerk Pam Gallahue and City Council Member Paul Hinterlong, ruled 2 to 1 in favor of keeping Stephens on the ballot. The ruling came after Stephens contended that Ahmadpour had not provided proof that she did not live in Naperville one year prior to the upcoming election.

The Stephens case had been continued from a Dec. 12 hearing to allow Ahmadpour and Stephens the option of subpoenaing documents pertinent to the case.

At the Dec. 12 the electoral board ruled on two other challenges made to candidate nominations. Ahmadpour had also filed a challenge against the nomination of Derek McDaniel to city council, arguing that McDaniel's petitions had not been numbered or bound per the Illinois Election Code. Nag Jaiswal, who is running for city council, also faced a similar challenge presented by resident Elizabeth Zega.

The board ruled in favor of McDaniel and dismissed the challenge against Jaiswal, as neither Jaiswal nor Zega attended the hearing.