Longtime Will County Board member intends to run as write-in candidate

Longtime Will County Board member Herbert Brooks Jr. said he intends to run for reelection as a write-in candidate after being knocked off the ballot for the June 28 primary election.

An electoral board voted Monday to remove Brooks’ name from the ballot after it ruled that he did not have the requisite number of signatures on his candidate petitions.

Brooks, D-Joliet, said he met with attorneys to evaluate his options after the electoral board’s decision. He said he concluded it might be difficult to win an appeal and involve some of the individuals whose signatures were deemed invalid.

Still, he said he’s received several calls from constituents who were “outraged” by his removal from the ballot and who still urged him to run. Brooks said Thursday that he intends to run for a fifth term on the board as a write-in candidate, although he has yet to file any paperwork.

“I’m up for the challenge,” Brooks said. “The work is not through yet.”

He added he’s aware of the challenges of running as a write-in candidate.

April 28 is the last day to file to run as a write-in candidate, according to the Will County clerk’s website.

“For the people who want me back on the Will County Board, I owe it to them [to run],” Brooks said. “I think I can give it a good challenge.”

Three other Democrats will appear on the ballot: incumbent Denise Winfrey, Janet Diaz and Jazmin Martinez.

No Republicans filed to run in the district so the top two Democratic vote-getters in June primary will run unopposed in the general election.

Brooks has been on the County Board since 2008 and previously served as speaker. He filed to run for reelection in the new District 6 that encompasses much of the city of Joliet.