Mayoral field likely to swell to 14, but might not include Dorothy Brown

It’s looking like voters will have 14 choices for mayor — but it’s unclear whether Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown will be joining that field.

Tech entrepreneur Neal Sales-Griffin appeared Wednesday to be moving closer to a spot on the ballot, while Brown’s candidacy was cast in doubt.

A final examination of the records showed Brown 949 signatures short of the required 12,500 in a challenge brought against her by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, said Jim Allen, spokesman of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.

A hearing officer still must make a recommendation, and the board would make the final decision.

But history is not on Brown’s side.

“The most anyone can remember is someone trying to come back from being 100 signatures down, and that was a climb,” Allen said.

One of Brown’s attorneys, Mable Taylor, declined to comment.

Brown’s next hearing is slated for Thursday at 4 p.m.

While a cloud hung over Brown’s candidacy, the political skies were sunnier for Sales-Griffin.

Businessman Willie Wilson’s campaign officials said Wilson plans to withdraw another challenge to one of his rivals in the mayoral race on Thursday.

Sales-Griffin is the only candidate still facing an outstanding challenge from the businessman.

Scott Winslow, Wilson’s campaign spokesman, wouldn’t confirm that Sales-Griffin was the candidate Wilson decided to stop fighting, but assuming he is, that virtually assures Sale-Griffin a spot on the Feb. 26 ballot.

On Tuesday, Wilson dropped his challenge to Brown, saying he wanted the voters to decide who the next mayor would be.

If Wilson drops his challenge to Sales-Griffin, the field of mayoral contenders would rise to 14.

Allen said without a challenge, Sales-Griffin would be on the ballot since his nominating papers “met apparent conformity,” meaning they followed election rules though the matter would still have to come before the election commissioners. Of Wilson’s decision, Allen said “to work this long, and this hard, and pull the plug is interesting.”

Sales-Griffin is scheduled to have a hearing Thursday at 10 a.m. — 45 minutes before Wilson’s news conference is set to begin. Sales-Griffin was down over 2,300 signatures, according to a preliminary petition summary report from Jan. 10.

At that hearing, Sales-Griffin’s attorney Ed Mullen says the campaign will call witnesses and present evidence to try to regain those signatures. Sales-Griffin did not respond to requests for comment.