Steve Balich seeks to have uninitialed ballots thrown out in GOP race

Homer Township Supervisor and Will County Board Republican Leader Steve Balich said he believes he will be victorious in a recount of the March 19 election for Republican precinct committeeperson after losing the race by one vote.

Balich said up to five ballots were not initialed by the election judges so he challenged their validity and wants them thrown out. If they are tossed, he believes he will be declared the winner of the precinct committeeperson race, he said.

The March 19 election was certified earlier this month with Homer Glen resident Tami O’Brien besting Balich, who was the leader of the Homer Township Republican Organization, by one vote. O’Brien received 115 votes to Balich’s 114.

An initial discovery recount of the precinct committeeperson votes was done Wednesday at the Will County clerk’s office.

Will County Judge John Anderson ordered Friday another recount of the ballots on Wednesday, April 24 at the clerk’s office, said Charles Pelkie, chief of staff for Will County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry.

Contested races for precinct committeeperson were rare in Will County with only a handful of contested races, mostly in Homer Township.

O’Brien ran as part of the Neighbors United for Homer Township slate whose goal was “to return civility and harmony to Homer Township.” Neighbors United won 11 of the 19 races for precinct committeeperson, including some races that were not contested, defeating Balich as well as Homer Glen Trustee Dan Fialko and Homer Township Assessor Carmen Maurella. The results bring new Republican leadership to the Homer Township Republican Organization.

O’Brien said she was tired of the division that plagued the area as well as divisive social media posts. She ran to be a liaison to keep her neighborhood updated with village matters and end confusion.

“I want to be there for the people,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said the winners from the March 19 election for precinct committeemen recently had a good meeting and agreed to work together. But Balich challenging the results of the race has not allowed the local Republicans to move forward. She said instead of working for the residents, she is trying to defend the race results.

“This is ridiculous,” O’Brien said. “This is taking votes away from people who voted for me.”

O’Brien said she plans to keep up the fight.

“What bothers me is this is a non-paid position,” she said. “I’m going to fight. I’m not backing off. I worked too hard.”

Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike, who endorsed the Neighbors United candidates, said because a small number of ballots were not initialed by the election judges, Balich could win on a technicality.

“We think it’s wrong for Mr. Balich to feel his precinct committeeperson position is more important to him than the people who voted,” Neitzke-Troike said. “He’s not for the people. He’s for himself.”

Neitzke-Troike said it is frustrating that people’s voices aren’t being heard.

She likened it to the fight over Will County’s recent pursuit to widen 143rd Street where Balich said the voice of the people who have been protesting the widening should matter, and the votes of the county board that wanted to stop the widening should be enforced.

“Every vote should count,” Neitzke-Troike said. “That’s an American right. He is taking away someone’s right to vote.”

She has started a GoFundMe page, Justice for Tami, to raise money for O’Brien’s attorney fees.

Neitzke-Troike said the Homer Township Republican Organization under Balich’s leadership was divisive, and the new precinct committeepersons were planning to rebrand themselves.

Balich said if someone loses by a single vote, they should see if a mistake was made. He said he is protecting the integrity of the election.

“If an election judge doesn’t initial the ballot, how do you know the ballot is legitimate?” he said. “How do we know it’s not a fraudulent ballot? It could be a mistake. The law says it has to be initialed so that it is not fraud. The law is very clear on this. If a ballot is not initialed, it does not count.”

Balich said he enjoys the position of precinct committeeperson so he can support other Republican candidates who share his goals of less government, lower taxes and fewer regulations.

“I do a lot of work and I like it,” Balich said.

He said he also plans to run for reelection in 2025 as Homer Township supervisor.

Precinct committeeperson can vote to endorse candidates for the races, and if Balich is a committeeperson, he has a vote to endorse himself and his slate of candidates. If 70% of the committeepersons agree to endorse candidates, then they receive the organization’s support, Balich said.

Neitzke-Troike said that in 2021, when Balich ran for supervisor, the local Republicans held a caucus to support Balich and his slate. They were the only Republicans who could run, bypassing the primary process and forcing the incumbent Supervisor Pam Meyers to run with her slate as independents.

Balich’s slate ultimately swept the 2021 election.

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.