Hearing officer recommends Ald. Anthony Beale be kicked off March committeeperson ballot

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A hearing officer has recommended Ald. Anthony Beale be kicked off the ballot in the race for 9th Ward committeeperson after he fell six signatures short of the required minimum for that office.

Beale said he is appealing the recommendation, which was issued Saturday, before the electoral board and isn’t worried about his name not appearing on the March ballot.

“No final decision has been made, I’m not removed from the ballot. He made a recommendation, and we’re going before the board,” Beale said.

“I’m confident that once we go before the board things will be OK,” Beale said.

Asked if he would run as a write-in candidate if the board sides with the hearing officer, he said, “I don’t need a contingency plan, once we go before the board we should be fine.”

If the city’s Board of Elections agrees with the recommendation, no names could be printed on the March ballot in that far South Side race. Beale’s opponent in the committeeperson race, Cleopatra Watson, was also booted from the ballot. Both could run as write-in candidates.

Watson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

To get on the ballot, both candidates needed 891 signatures. The recommendation is expected to come before the city’s Board of Elections at its next meeting.