Four Calumet Park SD 132 Candidates Withdraw From Election After Objections Filed –

Calumet Park (ECWd) –

Election petitions were turn in for candidates for the Calumet Park School District 132 and four of them had petition objections filed against them:

• Karen Ivy (current board member – default-no show), Kimberly Watson (current board member – withdrew), Corliss Smith (withdrew), and Affilonia Barksdale Jones (withdrew)

When it came time for their petition objection hearings in front of the Cook County Electoral Board, three of the candidates withdrew their petitions, and one did not show up to her hearing, which resulted in a default in favor of the objector.

Prior to this, and after learning of the petition objections, Kimberly Watson-Almond, current school board member and candidate for school board member, sent an email to other trustees stating she felt it was “harassing, stalkish, and unacceptable” and that she was “terrified” and appeared to urge the school board to take some type of legal action because it was becoming “scary.”

Petition objections are written in the election code and cannot be considered “harassing, stalkish, or unacceptable” even though they may feel terrified and scared because they risk losing having their name placed on the ballot.

In the end, Watson-Almond withdrew her petitions and will not be listed on the ballot.