Morales defends herself in Joliet candidacy challenge
Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Joliet City Council candidate Alicia Morales said this week she does live in District 4 despite an objection filed last week challenging her candidacy.
The Joliet Election Board met Monday and scheduled a hearing next week – tentatively set for 10 a.m. Thursday – to hear arguments in the case. Valerie A. April who also lives on Francis Street filed an objection alleging that Morales did not live at her stated address. April did not attend the meeting, but was represented by attorney George Mahoney.
Morales, who is running for the District 4 council seat, said she has lived full-time in the district since December 2009 when she moved into a home on Francis Street, which is owned by her boyfriend. She said the Francis Street address is listed as her permanent address on her COBRA health insurance, voter registration card, unemployment benefits and a Mary Kay business she started in March.
“I feel like I know what Rahm Emmanuel is going through,” she said, referring to a residency controversy involving the Chicago mayoral candidate.
She also owns a home at 311 Hunter in Joliet, which is not in the District 4, but said she rents out the house.
“In this market, I can’t sell it,” she said.
She said she moved onto Francis Street shortly before she was laid off from her job at associate director of the Office of Institutional Diversity at the University of St. Francis in January 2010. Since then, she has started working as an interpreter for the Will County Department of Health.
Morales said she does not know April, whose name is not listed as a candidate for Joliet public office.
On Monday, several friends and neighbors of Morales attended the meeting prepared to speak in defense of Morales.
The District 4 seat is currently held by Susie Barber, who is seeking re-election, and is also facing opposition from John Connelly Jr. and Leah R. Cooper. The election is April 5.
The Joliet Election Board met Monday and scheduled a hearing next week – tentatively set for 10 a.m. Thursday – to hear arguments in the case. Valerie A. April who also lives on Francis Street filed an objection alleging that Morales did not live at her stated address. April did not attend the meeting, but was represented by attorney George Mahoney.
Morales, who is running for the District 4 council seat, said she has lived full-time in the district since December 2009 when she moved into a home on Francis Street, which is owned by her boyfriend. She said the Francis Street address is listed as her permanent address on her COBRA health insurance, voter registration card, unemployment benefits and a Mary Kay business she started in March.
“I feel like I know what Rahm Emmanuel is going through,” she said, referring to a residency controversy involving the Chicago mayoral candidate.
She also owns a home at 311 Hunter in Joliet, which is not in the District 4, but said she rents out the house.
“In this market, I can’t sell it,” she said.
She said she moved onto Francis Street shortly before she was laid off from her job at associate director of the Office of Institutional Diversity at the University of St. Francis in January 2010. Since then, she has started working as an interpreter for the Will County Department of Health.
Morales said she does not know April, whose name is not listed as a candidate for Joliet public office.
On Monday, several friends and neighbors of Morales attended the meeting prepared to speak in defense of Morales.
The District 4 seat is currently held by Susie Barber, who is seeking re-election, and is also facing opposition from John Connelly Jr. and Leah R. Cooper. The election is April 5.
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