Glendale Heights village president loses bid to be put back on the ballot

Glendale Heights Village President Chodri Khokhar lost his bid Thursday to have his name appear on the April 1 consolidated election ballot.

DuPage County Judge Bryan Chapman ruled that Khokhar’s judicial petition for review had to be dismissed because his attorney did not serve the petition on time to the other parties in the case, missing the deadline by about eight minutes.

Khokhar said after the hearing that the case “was not decided on the merits.” But he added he has not decided whether to appeal the ruling. He also said he could run as a write-in.

“I’m a little disappointed, but it is not the end of the world,” Khokhar said.

The village’s electoral board removed him from the ballot on Dec. 23. It agreed with objector Matthew Corbin, who contended that Khokhar had shown a pattern of fraud in collecting signatures on his candidate petition. They believed he allowed people to sign for other people.

Khokhar then appealed the decision in DuPage County Circuit Court.

He had until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 30 to file the judicial request with the circuit court clerk and mail copies of the petition to the electoral board, Corbin, and the DuPage County clerk.

Chapman said Khokhar’s attorney, Frank Avila, had not provided sufficient evidence the copies were mailed on time.

Avila argued that he and an assistant handed the envelopes to a clerk at the main Chicago post office at least 10 minutes before midnight. He said it was not their fault if postal workers did not stamp them until after midnight.

Chapman said Avila had not provided any documentation to support his contention nor an affidavit from himself or his assistant.

Corbin’s attorney submitted documents to the court showing the notice to Corbin had a postage stamp printed on Dec. 31 and a certified mail tracking report indicating the post office was “in possession” of the notice at 12:08 a.m. Dec. 31.

Michael Ontiveroz, Rebecca Giannelli, James F. Sullivan and Michael J. Light are running for village president. Light is currently a village trustee.

After the hearing on Thursday, an investigator from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office interviewed Khokhar about his election petitions. The state’s attorney has previously declined to say whether it is investigating Khokhar.

Khokhar has a disorderly conduct case pending. The next date for that is Feb. 27.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250213/local-politics/glendale-heights-village-president-loses-bid-to-be-put-back-on-the-ballot/