6 hours Ago By Olivia Stevens
Thornton Township has settled which candidates for supervisor will appear on the April 1 ballot, as objectors to Democratic nominee and state Sen. Napoleon Harris dropped their challenge Monday. Michael Smith and Keith Price, who is food assistance program manager in Supervisor Tiffany Henyard’s township administration, objected to nominating petitions of numerous candidates running for supervisor or trustee in April.
Supervisor candidates knocked off the ballot include Sidney Moore and Stafford Owens. Nate Fields also was removed by the township electoral board, but its decision was overturned by a Cook County Judge John Tully. Others on the ballot for supervisor are Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark, as a Reform Thornton Township Party candidate, and Republican Richard Nolan.
Smith and Price filed their challenge to Harris’ candidacy after Harris won the party seat for supervisor during a caucus he presided over in his role as Thornton Township Democratic committeeman. He beat out Henyard, prompting her to file a lawsuit, dismissed last month, seeking another caucus. During a township electoral board hearing Friday, Smith and Price, through their attorneys, argued Harris is not a Thornton Township resident, as is required to serve on the township board, but rather lives in the Flossmoor in Bloom Township.
Harris’ defense was expected to continue next week, until the objectors withdrew their challenges Monday morning. Burt Odelson, one of the attorneys representing Harris, said the withdrawal affirms that Harris belongs on the ballot. “The election will now take place where is should be, at the polls, and by the people,” Odelson said in a written statement.
Keri-Lyn Krafthefer, an attorney representing Smith and Price in their objection to Harris, said they withdrew the challenge due to the short timeframe they had to make their case and their inability to receive testimony from Harris. Krafthefer said objectors stand by their argument that Harris lives in Flossmoor, not in Harvey. “We believe the constituents know where he lives, so they’re going to have to determine whether they want somebody who doesn’t live in Thornton Township as Thornton Township supervisor,” Krafthefer said.
Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones presides over a City Council meeting Nov. 9, 2023. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune) Within the township, Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who is challenged in the Democratic primary Feb.
25, recently won his case against an objector claiming he is unable to serve both in the Illinois House of Representatives and as mayor. Calumet City Clerk Nyota Figgs, running on a slate with Jones’ challenger for the mayor’s seat, 6th Ward Ald. James Patton, filed the objection that was first dismissed by the city’s electoral board and on Thursday dismissed by Cook County Judge Araceli R.
De La Cruz. Figgs claimed an Illinois Supreme Court ruling on Jones’ eligibility to run in 2021, a referendum not certified until after the election, would disqualify Jones from serving as mayor once he sought reelection. However, the General Assembly, aided by Jones in his role as state representative, passed a law nullifying the referendum.
Figgs did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday. Jones called the ruling “good news for the residents,” and said efforts to undermine his right to seek reelection amounted to “a smoke screen.” Jones’ slate for the primary includes Cassandra Holbert for clerk and Gerald Tarka for treasurer.
In contested aldermanic races his slate is Shalisa Harvy, 1st Ward; Erica Jenkins, 2nd Ward; Roger Munda, 5th Ward; Miacole Nelson, 6th Ward; and Anthony Smith, 7th Ward. The slate also includes 3rd Ward Ald. DeAndre Tillman and 4th Ward Ald.
Ramonde Williams, who do not have challengers. “We’re running a strong campaign, and I know we’re going to have a strong showing,” Jones said. “I’m confident that my team is going to win.
We’re making sure we move Calumet City in the right direction.” The slate running with Patton and Figgs includes Aradia Clark for clerk and in contested alermanic races Michael Navarette, 1st Ward; Monet Wilson, 2nd Ward; DuJuan Gardner, 5th Ward; Garnadette Stuckey, 6th Ward; and Melissa Phillips, 7th Ward. ostevens@chicagotribune.
com.
