Republican trustee challengers knocked off ballot in Bourbonnais

BOURBONNAIS — The ballot for Village of Bourbonnais’ general election next April will have three less names on it for trustee.

Republican candidates for trustees — Jacob Alexander-Hildebrand, Chad Meents and Ryan Krusinger — were knocked off the ballot following Tuesday’s Village of Bourbonnais Electoral Board hearing.

The general election is April 1, 2025.

The challenges were filed by Bourbonnais residents Chester Maricle and Berry Franks.

Maricle is the husband of Dondi Maricle, who is running for trustee on the People’s Choice Party.

They charged the candidates did not have the minimum 25 signatures on their petitions, documents said.

All three Republican candidates’ nomination petitions did not have the required minimum 25 registered voters names, the board ruled.

Alexander-Hildebrand and Meents each had only 24 signatures, according to documents.

Krusinger’s nomination petition had only 10 names.

The electoral board is comprised of Bourbonnais Mayor Paul Schore, Clerk Brian Simeur and attorney Tony Brasel.

Per state law, the senior member of the board of trustees is supposed to be on the board.

However, Bruce Greenlee, who holds that distinction, is running for trustee. The second-longest serving trustee is Rick Fischer, who also is up for re-election.

Thus the Chief Judge of the 21st Judicial Circuit, Thomas Cunnington, made the appointment of the third board member.

The village will have a primary race on Feb. 25, 2025.

Schore is being challenged in the Citizen’s Party by current trustee Jeff Keast.

https://daily-journal.com/news/elections/republican-trustee-challengers-knocked-off-ballot-in-bourbonnais/article_b739c04c-a1f1-11ef-bf7d-cb86245ad074.html