Berwyn 4th Ward Alderman Michele Skryd stricken from Feb. 26 ballot

BERWYN — Berwyn Fourth Ward Alderman Michele Skryd will not be on the primary ballot in February following the findings of the Berwyn Electoral Board last week.

Board members Mayor Robert Lovero, City Clerk Thomas Pavlik and First Ward Alderman Nona Chapman voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of counsel to strike Skryd’s name from the ballot based on the testimony of residents who claimed Skryd was not present at the time they signed nomination petitions for the Feb. 26 primary elections.

An objection to Skryd’s nomination papers was filed by Ronald Pechota.

Lovero said based on the testimony, he believed Skryd was not present to witness the signatures.
During a Jan. 2 hearing, the Electoral Board, with Skryd in attendance, listened to the testimony of witnesses. One who circulated ballot petitions for the 4th Ward alderman said Skryd did not accompany those who were circulating petitions at the time they were signed. The witness who testified he circulated petitions was not named as the circulator on the petitions he collected.

When reached after the Jan. 9 decision, Skryd said she was in the process of reading a 10-page verdict and needed time to review the document before making any comment. Skryd did not attend the Jan. 9 hearing, and could not be reached in additional attempts to request comment in the days following.

Under state law, Skryd had until Monday file an appeal over the findings of the Electoral Board with the Circuit Court of Cook County. As of Monday afternoon at press deadline, Skryd had yet to file an appeal.
The 4th Ward alderman cannot run under another party or as an independent in April, as the deadline to declare another affiliation was Dec. 26, 2012. Skryd is affiliated with the Democratic Citizens of Berwyn.

In a hearing preceding Skryd’s last week, the Electoral Board also removed candidates from the February primary based on technicalities regarding their petition circulation.

Removed from the ballot were Gerald O’Connor, running for 1st Ward alderman; Sandra Radtke, 7th Ward; Jeanmarie Hajer O’Connor, 6th Ward; Michael O’Connor, city treasurer; and David Miklos, township trustee. All five candidates have filed appeals with the Cook County Circuit Court.

Skryd, who was first elected to the City Council in April 2005, was an opponent of the installation of red-light cameras when they were first being considered in 2009. The cameras went live in July 2011.
In 2010, Skryd also proposed an ordinance to change the city's public indecency laws to include language that forbids sagging, baggy pants.