THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BAILEY
ABOVE: An election petition objection has been filed against Danville Area Community College President Stephen Nacco’s board of trustees April election filing. A hearing will be set on the matter.
DANVILLE — Two election petition objections have been filed by Monday’s deadline — one against Danville Area Community College President Stephen Nacco’s filing to run for DACC Board of Trustees and a second against Danville City Council Ward 1 Alderman candidate Jaleel M. Jones.
DACC Board Secretary Kerri Thurman said Danville resident Lynn McLinden filed an objection to Nacco’s election petition based on McLinden’s claim that some of the signatures of registered voters are not legitimate, with address and other issues.
Thurman didn’t have a specific number of signatures and addresses McLinden is questioning. She said Nacco had “plenty” more signatures of registered voters than the 50 needed.
Thurman was in the processing of contacting all those involved Tuesday afternoon to set up a hearing on the matter.
Danville Election Commission Executive Director Sandy Delhaye also reported that Danville City Council Ward 7 Alderman Darren York also filed an objection to Jones’ petition to run as Ward 1 alderman in April’s election.
Jones is running against incumbent Ward 1 Alderman Robert Williams.
York also claims Jones submitted election petitions with signatures, addresses and/or missing or inaccurate information.
York claims at least five signers are not registered to vote in Ward 1 or the city and therefore are ineligible to sign the petitions for election to city offices.
York claims Jones’ petitions also only include “Alderman” at the top as the office he’s running for and doesn’t also designate Ward 1, the actual office he’s running for.
For Ward 1 alderman, 25 registered voter signatures are needed on election petitions, and Delhaye said 14 are being questioned, but Jones submitted 50 signatures.
York acknowledges the signatures alone might not make Jones ineligible, but he’s also questioned if Jones failed to properly complete the nominating papers.
Delhaye too on Tuesday was in the process of notifying those involved in the matter.
She said she’ll be notifying the election commission board and they’ll be setting a meeting to discuss and act on the objection.
If any nomination papers, petitions, are ruled as insufficient in law and fact, rulings could mean their names would not be printed on the ballot as a candidate in the April 1, 2025 election.
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