The electoral board hearing six objections to the nomination of Marion County Sheriff Anthony Decker will make their decision known on Friday morning.
One of the three members of the board, Marion County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Martin, will write a draft ruling. However, he will not consult with the other two members, County Clerk Chief Deputy Kim Burroughs and Circuit Clerk Tiffany Schiker, before the public meeting at 8 Friday morning because they don’t want to violate the Illinois Open Meetings law.
The Friday meeting will begin with the three members of the electoral board discussing the draft ruling before taking a vote.
The second candidate at the Republican caucus before dropping out because he was upset with how it was being run was the first objector. Three of his four points concerned how the caucus was being conducted. Decker’s attorney, Matt Wilzbach, successfully argued that the state statute that the objections were filed under, only dealt with the candidates nominating papers. As a result, what happened at or before the caucus was irrelevant.
The objectors were then left with little to testify about. Each of their cases was heard individually throughout the day on Monday and one case Saturday morning. Wilzbach had to make the same argument for each case to bar testimony on the caucus itself.
One Republican Precinct Committeeman Gavin Cass noted while the document submitted by the Republican Party claimed the caucus nomination was by acclimation, Cass says he and at least two others had raised their hands in opposition but were apparently not seen or recognized.
One of the objectors, Janet Carter Sullens, left before testifying when learning of the strict limitations on what they were allowed to talk about.
The objectors are trying to throw Decker off the ballot and another caucus held to select a sheriff’s candidate. If that happens, County Clerk Steve Fox believes Decker could not be considered by the caucus again.
While fighting the caucus results, Rose has also filed to be a write in candidate in the November election. Both Decker and Rose had supporters join them in the Kinmundy Parade held over the weekend. Decker also had a group at the Patoka Parade on Saturday.
