Committee led by state Sen. Ventura endorses Joliet Township write-in candidate for supervisor

A political action committee chaired by a Democratic state senator has endorsed a write-in candidate whom the senator once worked for instead of the Democratic Party candidate for Joliet Township supervisor.

On Saturday, Working Families Will County, formerly Working Families Joliet, announced its endorsement of Alicia Morales for Joliet Township supervisor in the April 1 election.

Morales has filed as a write-in candidate in response to a Democratic caucus choosing Joliet City Council member Cesar Guerrero as the Democratic Party candidate for township supervisor.

Morales has been serving as the township supervisor after Angel Contreras resigned last year when he pleaded guilty to felony driving under the influence.

Morales and Contreras were part of the Joliet Democratic Township Victory Slate that won elected township offices in 2021.

Joliet attorney Darrell Boisdorf is running as the Republican candidate for township supervisor.

State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, is the chairwoman for Working Families Will County. She was hired by Morales in 2021 to work as a deputy clerk for Joliet Township while she was on the Will County Board.

Ventura said Working Families Will County endorsed Morales because Guerrero has a history of not following deadlines in a timely manner, unlike Morales. Ventura said meeting deadlines is important for providing township services.

“We want to make sure we continue those services going forward,” Ventura said.

Ventura cited the issue over Guerrero failing to pay fines imposed by the Illinois State Board of Elections for campaign reporting violations. Guerrero’s name had landed on the state’s ballot forfeiture list as a result.

Ventura said it wasn’t until Guerrero was kicked off the ballot that he took paying those fines seriously.

Guerrero eventually paid his fines, and he was selected by Joliet Township Democrats to fill the vacancy created by the forfeiture list.

Will County Judge Victoria Breslan then ruled that Guerrero and township Democrats acted in time for him to stay on the ballot.

In a statement, Guerrero said Ventura is “free to choose whom to endorse.”

“[Ventura] has endorsed me previously, during the 2021 municipal election cycle. It is my hope, that [we’ll] be able to work collaboratively in the best interests of our constituents despite any differences between us,” Guerrero said.

Guerrero was endorsed in 2021 by Working Families Joliet in his successful bid for a seat on the Joliet City Council.

The PAC was launched in 2020 and endorsed candidates who opposed the NorthPoint Development plan for a logistics park in Joliet.