HARRISBURG - Tuesday, a Saline County circuit court judge ruled that paper clip-fastened petitions will not keep three Jackson County Republican candidates off the 2012 General Election ballot.
Langenstein reviewed the situation via email with Illinois Review this afternoon.
"We filed, then the objectors filed. The Electoral Board convened, kicked us off the ballot, claiming that the use of paper clips does not comply with the statute requiring the documents to be 'securely bound,'" Langenstein said.
"We (the Candidates) appealed to the Circuit Court. The Objectors filed a motion to dismiss that appeal, claiming that we didn't properly serve all parties. The Circuit Court granted the motion to dismiss. We appealed that decision to the Fifth District of the Appellate Court in Mt. Vernon. The Appellate Court agreed with the Candidates, reversed the Circuit Court decision that dismissed our appeal, and ordered the Circuit Court to hold a hearing on the paper clip issue. The Objectors appealed to the Supreme Court, but as of now, they have not had a response."
Today, she wrote, the Circuit Court held its hearing on the paper clip issue. It decided that the candidates' documents were securely bound under the statute. He ordered the three back on the ballot immediately.
The three Jackson County candidates have just six weeks to ramp up their campaigns before early voting starts October 22. Gloria de Campos is Jackson County's GOP Chairman.
Langenstein, who is a family law attorney, was in Tampa Florida last week as an elected delegate for Rick Santorum in the 12th CD. She was appointed by Illinois' Romney campaign chairman Treasurer Dan Rutherford to serve on the RNC Platform Committee. She serves with Eagle Forum as their religious freedom national director.
