Lockport Township Candidate Files Paperwork To Get Back On Ballot

LOCKPORT, IL — Lockport Township Highway Commissioner candidate Kevin "Kollins" Hedemark has filed appropriate paperwork to get back on the ballot for the April 1 consolidated election, according to a release from the Will County Democrats.

Hedemark was removed from the ballot due to outstanding fines and fees from the State Board of Elections.

Matt Dietrich, Public Information Officer for the State Board of Elections, told Patch Thursday that Hedemark owed a $100 fine for two late reports in 2022.

"He paid that fine on Jan. 30, which was seven days after the Jan. 23 deadline," Dietrich said. "Fines need to be paid before the ballot is certified - for this election certification was Jan. 23, for the candidate to appear on the ballot."

Will County Clerk Annette Parker sent a news release on Feb. 4, stating that four candidates had been removed from Will County ballots due to outstanding fines. The other candidates on the ISBE's Forfeiture of Ballot list were Cesar Guerrero, for Joliet Township supervisor; Aurora City Council candidate Giovanni Santana; and Peter Adamson, for Plainfield village trustee.

The statute reads:

The State Board of Elections shall not certify the name of any person who has not paid a civil penalty imposed against his or her political committee under this Article to appear upon any ballot for any office in any election if the penalty is unpaid by the date required for certification.

"With direction from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, (who is legal counsel for the Will County Clerk), and the information and guidance provided by the Illinois State Board of Elections, the Will County Clerk has no discretion in this matter," Parker said in the news release.

Will County Democrats said Wednesday that Democratic organizations in Lockport Township voted to nominate Hedemark to fill the vacancies created by the clerk. Paperwork was filed Wednesday to get back on the ballot.

"As soon as we were alerted, the fine was paid," Hedemark said in a release. "I filed all the appropriate paperwork on Wednesday and will be running for Lockport Township Highway Commissioner this spring."

WJOL reported that the State Board of Elections has said that county Democrats are relying on the vacancy in nomination provision of the election code, and the courts will likely get involved.

If Hedemark is removed from the ballot, then only one candidate, Jim Louch, a Republican and the incumbent, will appear on the April 1 ballot.

Patch has reached out to the State Board of Elections for comment.