Politics & Government

Racine Woman Files Complaint Against Illinois Clerk Over Election Day Scolding

Woman wearing a "Recall Walker" button ends up getting into a confrontation with an Illinois county clerk who was a poll observer during the June 5 election.

A complaint has been filed against the county clerk in Lake County, IL, for allegedly intimidating a Racine woman who wore a "Recall Walker" button to the polls on election day.

Nicala Aiello filed a complaint against Lake County Clerk Willard Helander with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board stemming from her activity during the June 5 recall election, according to the Chicago Tribune and in . 

Helander was among a number of Illinois Republicans who worked as poll observers in Racine.

Find out what's happening in Caledoniawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to the Chicago Tribune story:

Aiello maintains that after she entered a polling site, a woman addressed her from across the room and ordered her to remove a "Recall Walker" button on her shirt. Aiello claims Helander then "started berating me."

Find out what's happening in Caledoniawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Helander, who oversees elections in Lake County, confirmed Thursday that she did inform Aiello that it is illegal to wear campaign buttons at the polling site. But she disputed Aiello's assertion that she, along with a poll worker, followed Aiello to the ballot box in an attempt to stop her from voting.

Michael Haas, a lawyer with the Government Accountability Board, told a Chicago Tribune reporter that poll observers are not supposed to talk to voters or enforce the law, but they can lodge complaints with the chief polling inspector in that precinct. The polling inspector Charita Itson said in the Tribune story that she wouldn’t have a problem with a person wearing a button while voting. According to the Tribune:

Itson said a Racine city clerk employee arrived at the polling place after Aiello called City Hall to complain. Itson said the employee told the observers that if citizens are coming in merely to vote and aren't actively seeking to sway other voters, "just let it be."

Citing confidentiality, Haas declined to comment about the complaint or how the GAB will proceed with the investigation.

Keep checking back, Caledonia Patch is also working on a story about voter irregularities today.


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