An appellate court issued a ruling on Monday that supported a Will County judge’s decision in 2025 that allowed Cesar Guerrero to go back on the ballot for the election of Joliet Township supervisor after he paid his fines.

Attorneys for Will County Clerk Annette Parker asserted a section of election state law does not provide “any exceptions for being on the ballot if a candidate pays his penalties past the ballot certification date,” according to the ruling from the 3rd District Appellate Court in Ottawa.

But the “plain language” of the election state law “does not support the county clerk’s argument,” according to the appellate court.

“Rather, the statute provides that the election authority—in this case, the county clerk—shall not place a candidate whose name appears on the ballot forfeiture list on the ballot ‘while the [civil] penalty is unpaid,’” according to the appellate court.

As Will County Judge Victoria Breslan reasoned, the plain language of state law does not restrict a candidate’s inclusion on the ballot “upon payment before the certification date; rather, the statute conditions inclusion upon payment only,” according to the appellate court.

“On [Jan. 29, 2025], the county clerk sent notice that Guerrero would be removed from the ballot; however, at some point on [Jan. 29, 2025], Guerrero had no unpaid penalty,” according to the appellate court.

State law was not “properly employed” by Parker to refuse to print Guerrero’s name on the ballot, the appellate court ruled.

This is a developing story. Check back later for further updates.