Robertson buoyed by recommendation that keeps her on ballot to face State Rep. Ugaste

If the state’s electoral board upholds a hearing officer’s recommendation Friday, Linda Robertson’s name will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot as a Democrat, challenging incumbent Daniel Ugaste, R-Geneva, to represent Illinois’ 65th Legislative District.

Robertson, of St. Charles, filed nominating papers to be on the general election ballot after the June 28 primary. Officials of both parties slated candidates for ballot vacancies when there was no primary candidate.

Kenneth Shepro, an attorney from Wayne and former Kane County Republican Chairman, challenged her nominating papers as insufficient on several grounds, including that each nominating paper stated she was being slated for the primary – not the general election, and that the signatures were not collected during the legal period for the general election.

But hearing officer James Tenuto recommended Aug. 18 that Shepro’s objection be overruled and Robertson’s name be certified to be on the Nov. 8 ballot, according to the information provided to Robertson via her attorney Mike Griffin.

“It was very good news,” Robertson said.

She said volunteers who collected signatures for her signed affidavits attesting to the period of time they collected signatures.

Shepro could not be reached for comment about the hearing officer’s recommendation.

But in earlier comments when he filed the objection, Shepro had said the issue is that candidates should follow the law when filing their nominating papers.

“If you don’t like the law – change the law, repeal the law – don’t ignore the law,” Shepro had said.

The 65th District covers district covers portions of Kane and southern McHenry counties which includes Elgin, South Elgin, St. Charles, Campton Hills, Hampshire, Huntley, Pingree Grove, Batavia and Geneva.

Ugaste is seeking his third term. He ran unopposed in the June 28 primary.