Alice Saudargas removed from April ballot

Staff Report

A three-member Education Electoral Board voted unanimously Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 15, to remove the name of Alice Saudargas from the April ballot for the Rockford Board of Education in Subdistrict C.

The board ruled 28 of the signatures on Saudargas’ petitions were invalid, leaving her with only 41 valid signatures. That number was short of the 50 valid petition signatures required for candidates under the Illinois School Code.

In removing Saudargas from the ballot, the board sustained objections filed by Julie Pick.

Under Illinois law, a candidate’s petitions can be challenged on grounds the signatures are invalid, were improperly gathered or other information on the petitions is incorrect. In the case of Saudargas’ petitions, the signatures did not include addresses, were not legible, were not qualified voters or voters in Subdistrict C. Neither Saudargas nor a legal representative appeared at the hearing, which was in the third floor board boom of the Administration Building and was open to the public. The electoral board issued its ruling in open session after discussing the matter in closed session.

The electoral panel consisted of Harmon Mitchell as Rockford Board of Education president, Tim Rollins as board member and community member Paul Logli.

Saudargas, 96, was challenging incumbent board member Kenneth J. Scrivano, who represents Subdistrict C. He is now unopposed on the ballot. Seats in all seven subdistricts are up for election April 9.

Posted Jan. 15, 2013

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