Steve Balich wins tiebreaker to reclaim Homer Township Republican post
By MICHELLE MULLINS | Chicago Tribune
PUBLISHED: May 2, 2024 at 1:23 p.m. | UPDATED: May 2, 2024 at 1:49 p.m.
Homer Township Supervisor and Will County Board Republican Leader Steve Balich won a tiebreaker lottery on Thursday for Republican precinct committeeperson, after initially losing the March 19 election by one vote.
“First off, I thank God,” Balich said. “After I’m done thanking God, then all the people that came out and voted for me. And the ones who didn’t, I’ll represent them properly. I would hope that my opponent doesn’t run away because we need everybody we can get to win the next election. And I hope she would help me as I would have helped her.”
The chance lottery came after Balich challenged the certified election results in which Homer Glen resident Tami O’Brien beat him 115 votes to 114 votes. During the recount process, the candidates saw one ballot marked for O’Brien had not been initialed by an election judge.
Will County Circuit Court Judge John Anderson threw out that ballot earlier this week, citing the election code, and ordered the clerk’s office to conduct a lottery.
Will County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry drew Thursday from a small box containing two balls, with one marked for O’Brien and the other for Balich, and Balich was named the winner.
O’Brien’s attorneys, Pericles Abbasi and Paul O’Grady, said they had not yet consulted with her on potential next steps.
“(Balich) has won the election, but has not assumed the position,” O’Grady said. “She’s already been sworn into the position so it’s not vacated. There’s no position to be occupied.”
In his ruling, Anderson wrote there is some question as to whether and how the court can procedurally remove O’Brien from office if she does not win the tiebreaker, and cited a 2023 appellate court decision that may apply.
“If Mr. Balich is declared the winner, the parties should meet and confer for purposes of agreeing to a resolution,” Anderson wrote. “If they cannot agree to a resolution, the court will ultimately give them one.”
A hearing was set for May 8.
O’Brien said Tuesday she may run for future elected positions in the community and plans to continue to help Republican candidates.
“I’m not going away,” she said. “I’m a strong woman. I’m not going to crawl in a hole.”
Balich said he challenged the results of the election because it was so close.
His attorney, Ross Secler, said the issue of initialed ballots has been a requirement held by the Illinois Supreme Court to avoid any issues of fraud and protect the integrity of the elections.
Secler said he hopes O’Brien graciously steps aside, but he is prepared to continue the case, if necessary.
“If (O’Brien) wants to continue arguing, that is her legal right,” Secler said.
Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike, who backed O’Brien in the election, said the results show the importance of voting.
She said she was disgusted the race came down to a simple mistake by an election judge, adding O’Brien was willing to hire attorneys and defend the election results to protect one person’s ballot from being thrown away.
“Steve didn’t win the election; he got lucky in a coin flip,” Neitzke-Troike said. “The voters should come out in volumes to make sure who they want in office gets into office. Local politics in the base of all politics. Local government affects residents in their day-to-day lives.”
Neitzke-Troike noted all positions for Homer Township government and three trustee positions in Homer Glen are up next spring and she plans to back a slate of candidates for those offices.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
