Pettifog the Petition

With the Bears now bound for the Super Bowl, Lake County has little in the way of diversion between now and super-game-day -- Sunday February 6. So naturally everybody's attention is now diverted to petition challenges. Candidates throughout the county have been scrambling to get their opponents tossed off the ballot before the 2011 consolidated election, scheduled for April 5.

Just this week, Joe "Sledge of Allegiance" Ptak hammered his opponent down the memory hole and off the ballot. The Daily Herald has details of the preemptive strike ...

Island Lake village board candidate bumped from ballot

Incumbent candidates for trustee in East Dundee fared better, emerging from their petition challenges unscratched. Petition challenges are argued before an electoral board -- one comprised of elected officials sitting on the same governmental body that the candidate is running for -- so 'nuff said! LakeCountyEye operatives are encouraged to read for themselves between the lines of the Daily Herald account ...

All six E. Dundee candidates still in the race

Operatives tasked with both passing petitions and challenging petitions are advised to know the law and pay attention to detail. Here are the 10 most common mistakes made by noobs when submitting a nominating petition:

Ten Things to Look for When Challenging a Petition in Lake County

1) Petition is notarized with Lake County Fair hand stamp. 2) Petition has a column for credit card numbers. 3) Petitions must be bound with a staple. The petition is not valid if the $100 bill is attached with a paperclip. 4) Look for obvious fake names like: Dick Hertz or Ben Dover or Louis G Atsaves 5) Petitions printed on back of unused Lake County Courthouse restaurant placemats. 6) Washington DC is not a valid Lake County address. Unless the signer is named Rahm. 7) Nominating Petition was not phrased in the form of a question. 8) Every petition passer listed is named Princess Nudelman. 9) Petition has a coupon for nine free holes at Fort Sheridan. 10) The petition submitted is a petition for bankruptcy.

Look for your LakeCountyEye at the checkout line, toting that year's supply of black (or blue) ballpoint pens.