No-show again: City 5th Ward candidate likely out

KANKAKEE — For the second time in as many hearing dates before the Kankakee Electoral Board, the planned 5th Ward Independent candidate was a no-show at the hearing to debate his election fate.

Candidate Kelly Anthony, just as he did for the Nov. 7 hearing before the three-member electoral board, failed to attend to defend himself against a challenges to his nominating papers for the April 1 municipal election.

A decision from the electoral board will be announced at 10 a.m. Friday in the Kankakee City Hall council chambers.

It’s anticipated Anthony, of 780 N. Ninth Ave., will have his nominating papers rejected by the board.

In doing so, Anthony’s planned campaign against 5th Ward Alderman Victor Nevarez will be thwarted.

Nevarez, a Democrat, challenged that Anthony’s Statement of Candidacy papers were filed in error. He listed the election date as Feb. 25, when the election is April 1.

Feb. 25 is the date of the municipal primary election. As an Independent candidate, Anthony would not have had to run in the February primary.

He also erred, Nevarez noted, when he stated he was running in the Democratic Party primary. Anthony is not a Democratic candidate.

Anthony is also alleged to have not submitted a receipt for the filed Statement of Economic Interests with the city clerk’s office, as is required.

Nevarez attended the hearing, but offered no other evidence other than the legal challenge he previously filed.

On Friday, the panel will also make a ruling on 6th Ward Democratic Party candidate Deborah Ivy. That ruling is slated for 9 a.m. Friday.

The three-member electoral board is comprised on Mayor Chris Curtis, city clerk Stacy Gall and 4th Ward Alderwoman Danita Grant Swanson.

At last week’s hearing, Ivy told the electoral board she was withdrawing as a Democratic candidate. The resident at 935 S. Wildwood Ave., said she was planning to run in the April 1 election as an Independent.

Her nominating papers had also been challenged based on some errors with the filing of papers with the city clerk.

The 6th Ward representative she would face is Democratic Alderwoman Kelly Johnson.

With Ivy’s withdrawal from the primary, the city will not have a primary election.

https://daily-journal.com/news/local/kankakee/no-show-again-city-5th-ward-candidate-likely-out/article_6a315ce2-a16f-11ef-9e8e-235bb127429a.html