Objections filed against DeKalb City Council’s 5th Ward aldermanic candidate

DeKALB – An incumbent candidate for the DeKalb City Council is facing objections to his spot on the ballot in the April 2023 consolidated election.

The DeKalb city electoral hearing board in January plans to consider two objection petitions filed against 5th Ward Alderman Scott McAdams, who is running unopposed in the spring consolidated election.

DeKalb residents Derek Van Buer and Mark Charvat filed objections against McAdams. Van Buer lives in the fifth ward, though Charvat does not.

McAdams, first elected in March 2019, told the Daily Chronicle he can’t say much about the matter. But once the electoral hearing board is over, he will be happy to share more.

McAdams declined to comment further, deferring to a statement posted Dec. 29 to his private Ward 5 aldermanic Facebook group.

“I look forward with great confidence to the hearing,” McAdams said in a statement, adding that his candidate filling included “31 authentic and valid signatures.”

Van Buer and Charvat’s objection filings allege none of McAdams’ petitions were properly fastened together and then consecutively numbered. The signature affixed to the top of the candidate’s receipt acknowledges the information and that it is understood that had the documents been bounded, it is required to be noted, the objections state.

The electoral hearing board consists of Mayor Cohen Barnes, City Clerk Sasha Cohen and 7th Ward Alderman Tony Faivre.

City Attorney Matt Rose said further details about when the electoral hearing board will meet have yet to be finalized.

Van Buer and Charvat’s objection filings also allege McAdams’ petition sheets contain signatures of individuals who are not registered voters in the city’s 5th Ward. The pair said that striking six signatures from the nomination petition leave McAdams falling short of meeting the minimum requirement, which is 27 signatures.

Charvat said it is his intent to bring the matter before the electoral hearing board to ensure elected officials don’t skirt state law.

“I’m hoping that they read the law to the letter, that the letter of state statute is followed,” Charvat said.

Van Buer said he’s not targeting McAdams personally, but his goal is to ensure what he believes is proper protocol for candidate paper filings.

“There’s nothing personal about it,” Van Buer said. “[I] would have done the same thing if the mayor did it. I would have done the same thing if there was multiple candidates in the 5th Ward that failed to do it.”

The consolidated election is April 4.