By the conclusion of the third Referendum Objection Hearing on Friday afternoon, the Naperville Electoral Board had accepted the withdrawal of 17 of the 25 objections filed by Paul Sjordal to the petition for a binding April referendum on keeping the at-large system for electing Naperville City Council members. The three-member Naperville Electoral Board is comprised of Mayor A. George Pradel, Naperville City Clerk Pam LaFeber and most senior Naperville City Council member Douglas Krause with counsel provided by City Attorney Margo Ely.

The objector withdrew his objections related to the validity and number of signatures on petitions gathered by Yes At Large for its proposed referendum question stating, “Shall the city of Naperville elect city council at large instead of part of the councilmen at large and part of the councilmen from districts?”

Rebecca Obarski, Co-Chairman of Yes At Large, considered the objector’s withdrawal to be a positive step.

“This afternoon the objector’s attorney withdrew all of the objections that pertained to the signatures, circulators and notaries (Items 8-23 and 25 of the Objector’s Petition),” noted Obarski. “The purpose of the hearing this afternoon was to receive the report of the Voter Records Examination, have the Electoral Board review some of the questionable signatures and then let us identify those signatures that we would have wanted to rehabilitate. Since he withdrew those objections, we do not need to do that. We consider it a victory.”

A petition was filed in December 2012 to place this referendum question on the 2013 Consolidated Election ballot. Friday’s hearing was the third hearing since Jan. 18. The next hearing to evaluate the legal merits of the objection is scheduled at 2PM Tues., Jan. 29. The 2013 Consolidated Election is April 9.

“The remaining issues before the Electoral Board all pertain to the legal sufficiency of the petition papers,” explained Obarski. “The objector is challenging the language used in the heading on the petitions, the statute that we are relying on, and the form of the question. He alleges that the petition papers are ‘internally inconsistent,’ the ‘question is excessively vague and misleading,’ ‘designed to confuse the electorate,’ and a ‘usurpation of the voters’ intent’ as expressed in 2010.”

Yes At Large is petitioning the city in an effort to reverse the decision of a 2010 referendum that will put into place a new hybrid system of electing the nine city council members, including the mayor, beginning in 2015. At that time, five council members will be elected from five previously drawn districts and the other three and the mayor will be elected at-large.

If the petitioners’ question is placed on the April 9 ballot,voters will have an opportunity to reconsider the earlier vote, If the outcome changes, the Elect City Council At Large system of representation will remain in place under the Council-Manager form of government as provided by state law. Since 1969, Naperville has operated under the Council-Manager form of government.

Hearings are broadcast live on cable TV, archived for on-demand viewing online

The hearing is scheduled to reconvene at 2PM Tues., Jan. 29, in Council Chambers of the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St.

The proceedings will be broadcast live on government access TV station WCNC (Ch. 6 – WOW, Ch. 10 – Comcast, Ch. 99 – AT&T) as well as streamed live and available for on-demand viewing on the City’s website at www.naperville.il.us/granicus.html. Note also that all workshops, city council meetings and other selected public meetings are available on demand via the City’s website.

Now is the time for voting citizens to become educated about the process and the proposed ballot measure. All three of the unedited public hearings are posted in the City’s archive special meetings. To watch the hearing held on Jan. 25, visit the direct link at http://naperville.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2. Friday’s hearing lasts about one hour and five minutes.