Former Death Row inmate Aaron Patterson got one step closer to a seat in the legislature Monday when the opposition to his candidacy agreed he had enough valid signatures on his nominating petition.
“Next week, he’ll be on the ballot,” said Tom Leach, spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
Hearing examiner John Ashenden said he would recommend to the board that Patterson’s name appear on the March 16 Democratic primary ballot for the Chicago South Side district of first-term Rep. Patricia Bailey.
The board is likely to adopt the recommendation in its meeting next week since there is no longer any objection, said Leach.
“It’s pretty cut and dried,” he said.
At Bailey’s urging, Patricia Jones challenged the more than 850 signatures Patterson collected. After 336 were verified, three dozen more than the required 300, Jones’ attorney said at a Monday hearing that his client would no longer contest the signatures.
“We’ll stand on the results,” Jones’ attorney, Brian LaCien, said during the hearing.
Jones, reached at the shelter in the 1600 block of West 63rd Street where she lives, declined to comment on the decision.
Bailey did not return calls for comment.
Most of the signatures that were dismissed were disallowed because the signers were not registered at the addresses given, but Leach said that is common in nominating petitions.
“That’s why we tell candidates to always file twice what you need,” he said.
Patterson has already begun knocking on doors to recruit volunteers for his campaign, said his attorney, Chris Bergin.
“Now’s the hard part–trying to get the votes,” said Bergin.
Patterson, 39, was pardoned last year by Gov. George Ryan after 17 years behind bars for the stabbing deaths of a South Side couple. The former gang leader maintained his innocence and refused to sign a confession. He has contended police detectives beat him during his interrogation.
