Cesar Guerrero Ignored His $6,500 Election Fine For Years: Will Co.

JOLIET — For many years, Joliet Township government has been a stronghold of power for the Will County Democratic Party, but on Friday morning, Will County Judge Victoria Breslan will decide whether the Democrats will even have a candidate on the April 1 ballot for one of the most important positions in township government: supervisor.

Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow, who is a Democrat, has asked the judge to keep Cesar Guererro's name off the election ballot, just as newly elected Will County Clerk Annette Parker, who is a Republican, has decided should be the case.

In recent days, Guerrero, the outgoing Joliet City Councilman, filed a lawsuit and an emergency injunction asking Will County's judges to overturn the county clerk's decision. In December, Guerrero changed his mind about running for reelection to the Joliet City Council, withdrawing his candidacy so he could instead run for the Joliet Township Supervisor's position.

A court hearing took place Thursday morning, and Guerrero was called to the witness stand by Assistant State's Attorneys Scott Pyles. Pyles wants the judge to keep Guerrero off the ballot because he said Guerrero knew for several years, since at least 2022, that he had outstanding fines owed to the Illinois Board of Elections, but Guerrero ignored those fines and refused to pay them.

In fact, Guerrero acknowledged on the witness stand Thursday, that last October, the state election board sent a letter to his east side home on Joliet's Francis Street. The letter notified Guerrero he was ineligible to be a candidate for any offices in the 2025 consolidated elections because he still owed $6,500 in state election fines.

The outstanding fines stemmed from Guerrero's candidacy for an at-large seat on the Joliet City Council in the 2021 election. The penalties were imposed because Guerrero did not file his financial disclosure reports revealing his campaign donations and how his campaign spent the money, according to Thursday's courtroom testimony.

Pyles and the Will County State's Attorney's Office argued that the state law was clear: Guerrero needed to have that fine paid by Jan. 23.

"If we don't follow basic rules ... there's a penalty," Pyles told the courtroom. "For this election, he waited too long."

Guerrero ultimately paid his $6,500 fines and on Feb. 4, the Precinct Committeepersons of the Democratic Party within Joliet Township held a special meeting to select a candidate to fill the vacancy, agreeing to re-nominate Guerrero to be their candidate on the April 1 ballot for the Joliet Township Supervisor's position.

However, County Clerk Parker refused to certify Guerrero's candidacy, and the election ballots posted on the Will County Clerk's website show Guerrero's name, but the voters are notified that Guerrero has forfeited his right to be on the ballot.

As it stands, Darrell Boisdorf is the only valid candidate on the Joliet Township Supervisor ballot, and Boisdorf is a Republican.

As for Guerrero, he is being represented by one of the nation's most notable local election law attorneys, Burt Odelson of Evergreen Park.

In Courtroom 905, Odelson argued Thursday that Guerrero's name should be reinstated on the ballot because Guerrero's fines were paid, and the state election board has removed Guerrero from its list of candidates who are ineligible for office because of outstanding fines.

Because Guerrero's candidacy is valid and proper at the state level, Will County's Clerk must reinstate Guerrero immediately because the municipal election is rapidly approaching, it's on April 1, Odelson argued.

"Mr. Guerrero should be on the ballot. This is a ballot access case. He is not on any unpaid (fine) list."

Judge Breslan did not give any indication on how she plans to rule.

She advised all the lawyers and Guerrero that she will reconvene at 9 a.m. on Friday. "There will be a decision," she promised.