Candidate Withdraws from Plainfield Village Board Race

The Plainfield village trustee race just got a little less crowded.

This week, local developer Michael Guinta withdrew his candidacy in the April 9 election.

That leaves four candidates to vie for the three open seats. Remaining in the race are incumbents Margie Bonuchi, Jim Racich and Garrett Peck, plus Naperville firefighter and Wheatland Township Plan Commission chairman Mark Chmura.

Guinta’s withdrawal comes after a Plainfield resident challenged his candidacy, claiming the wrong date appeared on several pages of Guinta’s nominating petitions and questioning the validity of numerous signatures.

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The objection, filed Jan. 3 by Jeffrey Schmitt, claimed Guinta did not have enough valid signatures to remain on the ballot.

A hearing on the objection, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday, has been cancelled, according to village clerk Michelle Gibas.

Patch’s attempts to reach Guinta on Thursday were unsuccessful.

Hearings are scheduled to go on as planned for Mayor Michael Collins and challenger Michael Lambert. Both village president candidates face objections to their candidacy.

Plainfield resident John Ledvina claims that an omission on Collins’ statement of candidacy sets the stage for potential fraud, since the document does not state that the mayor is “personally known to” the person who certified the petitions.

Meanwhile, Schmitt also filed an objection to the petition forms filed by Lambert, who writes the "A Town Called Plainfield" history column on Plainfield Patch.

Schmitt claims that Lambert also doesn’t have enough valid signatures, alleging that some people who signed his petitions are not registered voters at the addresses listed, and some signatures were printed, not signed as required by the Illinois election code.

Schmitt also claims that one person who signed the petition and also circulated two pages of the forms gave two different addresses, and says the signatures she collected should be stricken.

An electoral board made up of village trustee Paul Fay, who will serve as chairman, trustee Jim Racich and clerk Gibas will preside at hearings scheduled for Friday morning.

The challenge to Collins’ petitions is scheduled to be heard at 10 a.m. at Village Hall, while Lambert’s hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m.

The village candidates aren’t the only ones facing a fight to stay on the April 9 ballot.

Three Plainfield Public Library District Board of Trustees candidates have been challenged by Plainfield Park District commissioner Peter Hurtado.

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