Dupage Policy Journal

Glendale Heights Village President Linda Jackson is vowing to fight on after she was removed from the ballot just days before Election Day after a challenge to her nominating petitions.

“What I want to say to voters is I’m going to keep following this through the court system because I feel what was done was fundamentally wrong and unconstitutional,” Jackson told the DuPage Policy Journal. “It took away my right to run even as a write-in because of the timeframe of the court system and also took away rights of voters to vote. We have people out there still planning to write my name in even though the county says it’s not going to count.”

A five-time incumbent, Jackson was formally removed from the ballot along with rival Edward Pope after Glendale Heights resident Matthew Corbin challenged their nominating petitions for having fewer registered voter signatures than required by the election code.

Earlier this month, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed an appellate court ruling allowing Jackson and Pope to remain on the ballot, leaving Chodri Ma Khokhar and Mike Ontiveroz as the only viable candidates in the April 6 election.

Even though Jackson and Pope's names will remain on the ballot, village officials have stressed any votes cast for them will be discarded.

“I don’t know; I’m not a lawyer,” Jackson added. “I just know I’m going to take it as far as I can so voters have a choice. It’s not about me; it’s about our town and it’s about the people that want to support me not being given the chance anymore.”

Up until this point, election officials said they have not received direction from the Supreme Court about what to do with any early votes that may have been cast for either Jackson or Pope.