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A drawn-out objections process in the 28th Ward alderman’s race came to a close this week, with two more candidates emerging victorious and cementing their place on the Feb. 22 ballot.
That brings the total number of candidates vying for the four-year term on the Chicago City Council seat to four:
- Carmelita Earls, commander of operations for the Chicago Fire Department’s Training Academy
- Jason Ervin, the village manager of Maywood and longtime aide to former Ald. Ed Smith
- William Siegmund, a bar manager and former aldermanic candidate
- Michael Stinson, pastor of the First General Assembly Church in Englewood.
Officials at the Chicago Board of Elections overruled objections late Tuesday against Earls and Stinson, whose attempts to get on the ballot had been held up by appeals. The objector against both candidates – Eileen Jackson, a staffer for former Ald. Ed Smith – argued, among other claims, that both candidates were ineligible for office because they owed money to the city of Chicago.
The most severe of the objections against Earls focused on an alleged tax debt to the Cook County Assessor’s office. Earls said she failed to remove her “home exemption status” from her home when she moved four years ago.
“It was an oversight, and they presented it as I was trying to defraud the city,” Earls said, adding they were “28 frivolous charges. Just a bunch of nonsense to keep me off the campaign trail.”
Elections officials overturned the tax claim, finding that a debt to the county shouldn’t keep a candidate from running in a city election.
The most effective objection against Stinson claimed that he owed more than $600 in parking tickets to the city. But election officials overturned that claim as well, finding that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove that the parking tickets belonged to Stinson.
According to hearing documents, Stinson told the election panel that he has not owned a car for 10 years. Stinson did not immediately respond to requests for comment this week.
Elsewhere in Austin, eight candidates have been approved for the ballot in the 29th Ward race, including the newly appointed incumbent Deborah Graham. Six candidates are running in the 37th Ward, including longtime Ald. Emma Mitts.
Candidates must receive 51 percent of the vote on Feb. 22 to avoid going into a run-off election April 5.
Objection hearings are still ongoing in wards throughout the city. Click here for the most up-to-date list.
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This letter was sent to Jason…. from Carmelita Earls………. Jason, please share with the people, how your mentor has trained you in dishonest manuevers. Tell the people that behind the scenes you watched Ed Smith slander people who are merely like you. Trying to make a difference, for the 28th Ward. Young man I don’t know you. What I do know is, if you would have ran independent of Ed Smith, I would have considered supporting you myself. Instead, I now understand that the you represent the same product, just in a different package. I think it’s appauling that we as a people, allow others to mentally terrorize us into accepting anything less than what we deserve. Jason Ervin, you are about as integral as your mentor. – – The Ward office address is 259 N. Pulaski. The Annezette Collins, State Representative’s office is 261 N. Pulaski. Jason’s website has his campaign office listed as 261 North Pulaski. So the tax payers are paying for him to run his campaign, in their rented space, with city workers at no expense to him. Wake up people. In 2006, he testified in court on nehalf of Ed Smith. Jason dentified himself as the landlord of that same 259-261 building. Ed Smith was accused of running the 28th Ward Organization out of the same building. I dont believe I saw this property listed on the Statement of Economic Interest form…. Jason was disciplined by Maywood for working on his campaign while on the clock. Google – – Jason Ervin. Why, I see the apple don’t fall too far from the tree. Now the mayor has appointed this mentee as the interim leader of the 28th Ward. The Mayor, Alderman nor Candidate has a monopoly on the voice of the people. Well this is my message. Go to change28.org. Acquaint yourself with an honest servant of 20 years. One who has walked the walk, while putting her life on the line…..for the citizens of Chicago, not Maywood. I have been denied billboards, because of Ed Smith. I have been denied office space. One landlord at least confessed, that he didn’t want any trouble from the Alderman. Pastors who has benefitted from my skills as a directress or singer, are now scared to allow me access to congregations. Well, I’ll use other means such as this site to speak to all who will listen. 28th Ward on February 22, 2011, ABORT the fix and PUNCH 56.
I agree with you carmelita.we have been getting screwed for far to long ed smith jr is the same thing.this is a news sight why dont they investigate it???and call the inspector general.anyone but ervin
I saw your article on the list of candidates for the 28th Ward. As a ” Write In Candidate” I continue to let voters know that there are other options. No the name “Carol Johnson” is not printed on the ballot but voters can exercise their right to choose who they want to represent them. I will continue the fight to make a difference in this race which is something that I have always done. To say that there is only four candidates is a statement, not a fact. It was done in Alaska and it can done in here.