There's been discussion on IR about U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Hughes' State Board of Elections filings yesterday, so Hughes' campaign staffer Charlie Johnston filled us in on the details ...
"I went over to the Board of Elections around three to check on who had filed and was going to play the waiting game," he said. Johnston and the Hughes campaign were hoping to get the last spot on the Republican US Senate primary ballot. When Johnston got there the ISBE staffer asked who he was representing.
"The woman informed me Patrick Hughes had already filed. I was stunned and said that was impossible because I was the only one authorized to do so," Johnston said.
Another woman said to Johnston, "Oh, thank God I was here when you arrived. I knew this was going to happen."
One of Hughes supporters had sent a petition sheet directly to the Board of Elections via snail mail, and the ISBE had no choice but to receive it as a filing. "I was stunned and asked how could that be? It didn't have anything else with it and no one was authorized," Johnston said. The staffer said it happens more than people know, but that if they get a sheet in the mail they have to treat it as a filing. That's the law.
"I asked how we fix it," Johnston said. "She told me we had to withdraw the earlier filing and file the real packet. So she got the general counsel out, did a withdrawal form for me and then proceeded to accept the filing I had prepared. I had to find Patrick, had him notarize the form withdrawing from the earlier filing and brought that back to the Board."
Johnston said they obviously suspected some sort of dirty trick and pulled the petition of whoever had sent it in. It was not a dirty trick, he said, just a kind supporter from the Metro East who thought that would be the fastest way to get a late petition in.
A lesson for all ...
