PEKIN, Ill. – Pekin Mayoral Candidate Becky Cloyd will be removed from the ballot following a hearing Friday before the local electoral board.
Cloyd had been one of three candidates who filed to seek the next term in the mayor’s office in next April’s election.
Council member Dave Nutter and former Tazewell County treasurer Mary Burress had also filed to run.
Outgoing Pekin Mayor Mark Luft had announced an endorsement for Burress prior to the dust-up involving Cloyd and election paperwork she had not properly completed.
The electoral board, which made Friday’s decision, was comprised of the soon-to-be mayor, senior city council member Lloyd Orrick, and city clerk Sue McMillan. A vote for Luft to recuse himself was rejected.
“Because I know for a fact that I have a good group of supporters behind me, and they will in fact support me too, as far as I need to go to make a point,” Cloyd told 25 News. “Because this is about principal. More than getting my name on the ballot. It is about principal., because there is a clear conflict of interest, and political hit job that is being done today,” Cloyd added.
25 News reports Cloyd could appeal through Tazewell County Circuit Court, or could become a write-in candidate.
