Former Island Lake mayor bounced from ballot
By Beth Kramer ekramer@stmedianetwork.com March 7, 2013 7:22PM
Updated: April 9, 2013 11:44AM
A former Island Lake mayor is still fighting to get his name on the ballot.
The village’s electoral board voted 2-1 Thursday to keep candidate Charles Amrich’s name off the ballot, according to Mayor Debbie Herrmann.
Amrich signed a statement of candidacy Dec. 18.
The local electoral board, three village trustees, removed him from the ballot Feb. 4 because he had a $174 debt to the village when he signed the statement, Herrmann said.
He failed to file the paperwork in time, which is why the electoral board again voted to remove Amrich from the ballot, she said.
This means Herrmann is running unopposed in the April 9 election.
Amrich’s attorney David McArdle called the electoral board’s vote “political.”
“This was not a surprise,” McArdle said.
“We’re hoping a judge takes a brand-new look at it. The judge is not bound by the electoral board’s decision.”
McArdle said he planned to file a petition to review the decision in court by the end of the day Thursday. He said he hoped to be before a judge Friday in an attempt to appeal the ballot issue.
“We remain hopeful,” McArdle said.
The case was in court Thursday morning to dismiss the complaint against Village Clerk Connie Mascillino.
The complaint was made because she did not certify the ballot with Amrich’s name on it, Herrmann said.
“The reason she did not was because (paperwork was) late in being filed,” Herrmann said.
Amrich served as mayor from 1985 to 2005. Herrmann has been mayor since 2009.
Her campaign’s name is United for Progress. She has worked with a group of residents, business owners and developers to come up with a strategic plan to redraw the village’s downtown. She said she is looking for a way to build a new village hall.
“I have not changed my plan. I filed correctly. We didn’t owe anybody any money. We’re continuing our campaign as planned. We are going to initiate that process as if we have a full slate or two others running against us. We can’t get caught up in the dramatics of what’s going on with Mr. Amrich,” Herrmann said.
