On Friday, December 30, 2011, the DeKalb County Electoral Board will convene to decide the objection to the ballot question petitions submitted by Gary Grandgeorge, (petitioner), a resident of Somonauk, Illinois, of which his petitions seek to have the question of whether the Somonauk Fire Protection District should have an Elected Board, rather than appointed.
Ballot questions can be submitted to the voters in two ways; the first being that an elected or appointed board can decide whether to seek input on, or ask voters a question during any given Election. The second is that any resident of a jurisdiction can gather petitions, (usually 5 to 10% of the Electorate’s signatures), to place an advisory or binding question on the ballot.
In the case of the Somonauk Fire Protection District, the petitioner submitted 10% of the Electorate’s signatures on a petition to the Fire Protection Board, which certified that the petition question shall be placed on the ballot.
The question, is to determine whether the Somonauk Fire Protection District’s Trustees shall be elected, rather than appointed.
Much like candidate’s petitions, there is an objection period in which residents of that jurisdiction can ‘object’ to the ballot question petitions.
Richard D. Meyer, Jerry M. Cronin, Dianne L. Kazak, and Dealas E. Wiley, (Objectors), contend that some of the wording within the petition “language leading up to the requested ballot question on each sheet of petitions submitted is inconsistent, ambiguous, vague and confusing to any and all individuals signors of said petition…”
The Electoral Board will meet on Friday, December 30, 2011 at 10:00 AM in the DeKalb County Courthouse’s Third Floor Jury Room to hear testimony from each party and determine if the question shall remain on the ballot.
For questions or inquiries, please contact the Elections office at 815.895.7147.
Attached: Objection Packet, Petition Packet
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