A Cook County Electoral Board ruling Wednesday resulted in two Norridge Elementary District 80 Board candidates — whose nominating petitions were challenged by the board president — being removed from the April 2 ballot.
Mary “Molly” Dec and Louis Mezzano were both removed based on objections filed by Srbo Radisavijevic. The action leaves the race for four open seats on the board uncontested.
Dec and Mezzano had individual hearings in January, and the Electoral Board has been reviewing their nomination papers. It was determined in both cases nomination papers did not properly designate which term of office they were seeking.
“I am disappointed in the Cook County Board of Elections to uphold the hearing officer’s decision that my petition heading was potentially misleading to the registered voters that signed it,” Dec said. “I respect the process and although unhappy about it, I accept the decision.”
Mezzano said because of the decision, Jan. 23 is “a sad day for our community.”
“The school board is not a position that most are lining up to take on,” Mezzano said, noting it is an unpaid position. “I would bring so much knowledge and experience to the building and grounds that it saddens me to think that has been taken away.”
Dec and Mezzano were two of six candidates who filed to run for four open seats on the Norridge District 80 Board in the April 2 election. Remaining in the race, now unopposed, are Kevin Moore, Frank Tribuzio, Sebastian “Sam” Palazzo and Michael Bellafiore.
Frank Stoffel and Oronzo “Renzo” Berardi are also running for one two-year term.