An objection to the nominating petitions of a 19-year-old candidate for Glenview’s Village Board of Trustees was withdrawn Jan. 10 after a review by the Cook County clerk’s office.
Signatures on Benjamin Polony’s petitions were reviewed at the clerk’s office Jan. 9, and following that inspection the four residents who objected to his candidacy withdrew their objection, according to the village.
On Jan. 9, Cook County election clerk Christine Tucker sustained only 64 of 254 objections to Polony’s petitions during an inspection process that lasted more than two hours at the Cook County Administration Building in Chicago.
Polony, who collected 286 signatures, needed only 196 to remain on the ballot, said Ricky Bahena, Polony’s campaign manager.
“Even with the sustained objections, it would still be enough to get him on the ballot,” Bahena said at the time.
A representative of the four Glenview residents — Elizabeth Brown, Kathleen Gazda, Judith Traynor and William Traynor — who filed the objections to Polony’s petitions declined to comment or provide her name after the review.
However, she did voice objections to all of the objections Tucker overruled.
After Wednesday’s review, Polony has 222 valid signatures.
Polony did not attend the review of his petitions. His father, attorney Richard Polony, and Bahena represented him during the process.
Richard Polony said he was confident some of the objections that were sustained could be easily overturned.
“The numbers do look good,” Richard Polony said. “On some of the sustained objections, we would be able to get affidavits from the voters. Some of the people in question live right on our block.”
His hunch was proved correct after the objectors withdrew their challenge.
Mary Ryan Norwell, an attorney representing the four residents, could not be reached for comment.
The village’s electoral board, which consists of Village President James Patterson, Village Clerk Matthew Formica and Trustee Debby Karton, sent the case to the Cook County Clerk’s Office for review.
Polony is seeking one of three trustee seats in the April 2 election. He is running against two slates of three candidates each.
Mary Cooper, Chuck Gitles and incumbent Michael Jenny comprise the Citizens for Glenview ticket. Tom Greenhaw, Dia Morgan and Cathy Wilson make up the Better Government in Glenview ticket.
