DeKalb – DeKalb resident Albert William Vanstone Vodden, Jr. sought to disqualify Linh Nguyen from running in the 2025 DeKalb mayoral election, and the DeKalb Municipal officers Electoral Board gathered to hear objections to the nomination papers brought by Vodden Jr. to the nomination of Nguyen, an NIU staff member.
The objections, brought by Vodden, Jr., a registered voter in DeKalb, were heard by the electoral board at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the DeKalb Police Department.
The electoral board members are Alderman Tracy Smith, Alderman Mike Verbic and DeKalb Executive Assistant Ruth Scott.
Vodden, Jr. objected to the candidacy of Nguyen for Mayor of DeKalb in the upcoming consolidated election. The petition argues Nguyen’s nomination papers are invalid and fail to comply with statutory requirements for nominating independent candidates.
The arguments are based on each side’s interpretation of Illinois filing procedures in the electoral code for partisan and nonpartisan candidates and whether DeKalb mayoral elections fall under the rules for partisan or nonpartisan elections.
Vodden Jr.’s petition claims Nguyen’s nomination papers were not filed within the proper time frame, did not contain required statement of party affiliation, and used inconsistent names.
The petition filed by Vodden Jr.’s attorney states Nguyen’s nomination was filed Oct. 25. The petition cites a City of DeKalb notice that states candidates for the consolidated election should submit petition packets between Nov. 12 and Nov. 18. The Illinois candidate guide states independent, new party, commision-municipal and non-municipal nonpartisan candidates should file in this period.
Vodden Jr.’s filing also states Nguyen did not declare a party affiliation in her nomination papers. In Illinois, municipal elections are nonpartisan, with exceptions for some cases.
Vodden Jr.’s petition states that Nguyen cannot be a nonpartisan mayoral candidate because the city has partisan elections for its officers, and if she is an independent candidate her nomination papers were not filed in the proper period.
The Illinois 2025 candidate’s guide states the filing period for established political party candidates and nonpartisan candidates participating in a primary was Oct. 21-28.
The Illinois candidate guide distinguishes races for mayor as being part of Council-Manager, or Mayor-Alderperson forms of government. For each form of government, requirements vary.
During the hearing the parties agreed to stipulate that DeKalb uses a council manager form of government.
Vodden, Jr.’s filing challenges the names used on Nguyen’s filing papers.
Nguyen’s full name is Bao Linh Tran Nguyen.
The objectors petition states that the candidate’s nomination papers fail to consistently state her “given name” in violation of 10 ILCS 5/10-4 and ILCS 5/20-5.1 and cites Nguyen signed the papers with her full legal name, and lists her name in other areas as Linh Nguyen.
The petition also objects to Nguyen’s use of ‘Linh Nguyen’ as meeting statutory requirements in the election code for candidate names.
“The name ‘Linh Nguyen’ is not the candidate’s given name, an initial, commonly known nickname, or combination thereof,” said the objector’s petition.
In a brief filed in response to the objector’s petition, Nguyen’s attorney argues that 10 ILCS 5.1 provides that a surname is required, and a nickname may be used.
Vodden, Jr. and Nguyen both declined to comment for this story.
Nguyen’s campaign released a statement challenging the objections as a strategic political move meant to undermine Nguyen’s campaign.
“When candidates focus more on navigating objection procedures than articulating their visions, it can lead to a less robust campaign,” the statement from Nguyen’s campaign said. “Qualified, rule-abiding candidates who lack the financial backing of special interests encounter severe difficulties when faced with a more affluent opponent who exploits the objection process.”
The objector’s attorney requested a five day continuation of the hearing to respond to a 100 page brief filed by Nguyen’s attorney. The request was granted by the electoral board.
The next hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 19.
LEGAL CONFLICTS
During the public comment portion of the hearing, public commenters raised issues with the hearing.
Illinois election code states that objections are heard by the municipal officers electoral board which by statute should be the mayor, the longest serving alderperson, and the city clerk, according to City Attorney Matthew Rose.
The mayor is a publicly announced candidate and has been disqualified from sitting on the electoral board.
The protocol to resolve this is to appoint the longest serving alderperson in the mayor’s place. There is a tie for the longest serving alderperson between Alderman Tracy Smith and Alderwoman Carolyn Zasada.
To break the tie, a lot is drawn to choose which alderperson sits on the board. In this case, Zasada recused herself from sitting on the board as she is the campaign manager for Nguyen.
Smith sits on the board in place of the mayor, and Verbic as the longest serving alderperson.
Ruth Scott, executive assistant for DeKalb, is on the board as she has been fulfilling the duties of city clerk.
Lynn Fazekas, former DeKalb city clerk, said that the statutory language states the city clerk should sit on the electoral board.
“It’s the city’s own fault that there isn’t a clerk here today,” Fazekas said. “The mayor should have appointed another clerk into that position within 60 days of the last clerk’s exit.”
Fazekas previously brought a case against the city related to her time as city clerk.
Fazekas said the hearing was in violation of the Open Meetings Act, as the agenda for the meeting did not list that there would be a public comment portion, but there was an announced section for public comment during the hearing.
