DeKalb County election judge candidates nearing County Board vote

SYCAMORE – A list of election judge candidates from the two major political parties could go before DeKalb County Board, which has authority to approve them as qualified electors eligible to serve as election judges, next week.

The DeKalb County Executive Committee will decide whether the list will advance to a full County Board vote at Wednesday’s committee meeting, according to DeKalb County documents.

In each even-numbered year, DeKalb County Board is required to select and approve qualified electors to serve as election judges at each precinct in the county, according state law.

In a memorandum to the Executive Committee regarding the appointment of election judges, DeKalb County Clerk Tasha Sims wrote that she would seek to shuffle around election judges to meet precinct requirements.

“Some precincts have an insufficient number of election judges to meet statutory requirements, and others have more than required. Judges from precincts with more than sufficient numbers will be assigned to work in other precincts as required to fill vacancies, and any extra judges will be used as alternates to fill vacancies as needed,” Sims said.

DeKalb County Democratic Party Central Committee Chairwoman Anna Wilhelmi and DeKalb County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman Tim Bagby supplied their respective party’s list of dozens of election judge candidates.

The election judges would be given two-year terms, according to state law, but they don’t have to serve the precinct they’re marked down for.

Overfilled at some precincts, and under at others, Sims said her office will continue to work with officials from both parties to fulfill election judge needs at all precincts in the county.

“We will continue to work with the Central Committees to furnish sufficient election judges for the needs of DeKalb County voters,” Sims said in the memo.