Felons Eligible to Run for Office: Airhart v. Municipal Officers Electoral Board for the Village of Riverdale, Illinois
By Zachary Frye
Local Government Law,
April 2025
A question of statutory construction regarding the Illinois Municipal Code and the election of municipal officers recently came before the 1st District Appellate Court. Prior to the consolidated primary election that was held on February 25, 2025, Michael Airhart filed a signed “statement of candidacy” to run for Village President of Riverdale, Illinois. As part of that statement, Airhart affirmed that he was “legally qualified” to hold the office. A ballot objection was filed with the Electoral Board for the Village of Riverdale, alleging that Airhart was not legally qualified, as he had been convicted of three felonies and was not pardoned by the Governor. Airhart argued that he is not precluded from seeking office, only from holding it, and that he was in the process of having his rights restored. The Electoral Board sustained the objection, which was then appealed to the Circuit Court of Cook County. The circuit court reversed the Electoral Board’s judgment.
Spot an error in your article? Contact Celeste Niemann at cniemann@isba.org. For information on obtaining a copy of an article, visit the ISBA Newsletters page.
Select a Different Author
