Posted on 10/21/2002 2:22:22 PM PDT by The FRugitive
Libertarian U.S. House candidate Stephanie "Vs. The Machine" Sailor has won the right to have her unusual nickname appear on the November ballot in Illinois -- although the Cook County clerk's office has filed a lawsuit to overturn the decision.
On October 10, the Illinois State Board of Elections (SBOE) unanimously agreed that Sailor's nickname did not violate state election law. Illinois law permits candidates to list their nicknames on the ballot.
A week earlier, Cook County Clerk David Orr had removed "Vs. The Machine" from the ballot, saying the nickname went "too far."
However, SBOE spokesman Dan White said the eight-member board decided the clerk did not have the power to make such a determination.
"The clerk has no authority to alter that certification," he said -- while acknowledging, "I don't think we've ever had a case like this."
Sailor, 29, said she was pleased with the SBOE decision.
"It's my identity," she said. "The Cook County board may not like my nickname, but that doesn't authorize them to illegally delete it."
The nickname, she said, represents the fact that she is "truly an average citizen fighting against The Machine."
Also benefiting from the decision was Republican Les Golden, a candidate for state representative who listed his nickname as "Cut-the-Taxes."
However, the legal saga of "Sailor Vs. the Election Machine" goes on: The Cook County clerk filed an appeal in circuit court, requesting that it overturn the SBOE decision.
An expedited hearing is scheduled for October 22.
Sailor is running for U.S. House (District 9) against Democratic incumbent Jan Schakowsky and Republican challenger Nicholas Duric.
For more information, visit: www.sailorvsthemachine.com.
Heck, I might marry her.
[thwap!]
OK, dear...I'll...uh...go to a different....uh....site....
In Seattle we have had a perennial candidate for various offices named Mike the Mover, who is so listed on the ballot. He doesn't get any criticism from the election board, though. He simply had his name legally changed to Mike The Mover. Problem solved.
I wonder if the Republican gubernatorial candidate could list his hame as 'Jim "Nothing whatever to do with that waste of protoplasm George" Ryan'?
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