Two candidates back on the ballot; third appeals
Two candidates for Dixmoor village trustee are back on the ballot following separate appeals of an electoral board decision, officials said, meaning there are now five candidates running for three seats.
The Dixmoor Municipal Officers Electoral Board voted March 8 to remove former trustees Alda Leavy-Skinner, Cynthia J. Mossuto and Raymond Lavigne from the April ballot.
A Cook County judge ruled Monday that Mossuto should remain on the ballot, and a judge ruled Tuesday that Lavigne should remain on the ballot, village attorney James Vasselli said.
They will face incumbents Teatroy Webster, Toni Mitchell and Judnita Smith.
The board removed the candidates for different reasons, but all three had objections for not complying with state law when filing petitions, Vasselli said.
“We respect the judges decision. The Dixmoor Municipal Officers Electoral Board respects judges,” Vasselli said.
Vasselli said last week Leavy-Skinner’s appeal was denied because she did not file it in a timely manner.
Leavy-Skinner said she has asked the appellate court to review the case and said she believes the matter will be handled fairly quickly.
Leavy-Skinner said the electoral board voted to remove her from the ballot questioning her signatures and her residency, which she said was questioned because Dixmoor and Blue Island share a ZIP code.
But, she said she did collect signatures and is a Dixmoor resident.
“I pay my water bill in Dixmoor and I pay my taxes in Dixmoor,” Leavy-Skinner said. “It’s unfortunate that an individual who advocates for the community is facing this.”
Mossuto said as former trustees running against three incumbents
she and the other challengers anticipated having to go through judicial review.
During her hearing,
Mossuto said the judge ruled in her favor because the village could not list a law that she broke to be off the ballot.
But because village officials “pushed this to the brink of time,” Mossuto said it will be difficult to campaign and yard signs can’t be made.
“It was a long, hard fight and I think it has been detrimental to the voters,” Mossuto said. “You have to keep a positive attitude because I’m doing this for the citizens.”
Lavigne said he was glad the judge ruled in his favor.
“He found no evidence, no way, for them to even attempt to remove us from the ballot,” Lavigne said.