Green Party candidate OK’d
A South Elgin man has secured his opportunity to campaign for the 14th Congressional District seat.
Dan Kairis collected enough signatures on his nominating petition to have his name placed on the ballot for the Feb. 2 Green Party primary election, the Illinois State Board of Elections ruled Thursday.
Kairis’ petition had been challenged by Elgin Democrat Jean Cattron, who claimed Kairis had not collected enough valid signatures.
Cattron questioned the validity of two-thirds of Kairis’ petition signatures, including the signatures of Kairis’ son, brother and mother.
In a statement, Kairis lashed out at the system, which allows such challenges to be commonplace.
“It was gratifying to know that we defeated the Illinois Democratic Party in its attempt to restrict the voters’ rights,” Kairis said. “The taxpayers should be outraged as they are billed for the entire objection process, including the overtime for the board employees and the attorney fees of the hearing officers who are contracted by the state.”
Kairis is the sole Green Party candidate on the ballot for the congressional seat now held by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Batavia.
Primary voters will also choose the Republican Party’s nominee. Ethan Hastert, a lawyer and son of former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, and State Sen. Randy Hultgren, R-Winfield, are opponents in that race.
