Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard had intended to run for reelection; however, she will not appear on the ballot. On a chilly day, a large crowd gathered early for the Democratic Party Caucus in the south suburban township. Supporters assembled both outside and inside the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Auditorium to vote on nominees for various positions in Thornton Township, including the crucial supervisor role.
During the caucus, Henyard was disqualified from the ballot because she did not have a complete slate of candidates, which is necessary. To qualify for the position of township supervisor, candidates were required to have a full slate of eight officials: the supervisor, highway director, clerk, assessor, and four trustees. Because Henyard lacked a certified assessor on her ticket, her nomination was not valid.
Consequently, Illinois State Senator Napoleon Harris, who is also the Thornton Township Democratic Committeeman, was nominated instead. His name will be on the ballot as the Democratic candidate for Thornton Township Supervisor, while Henyard’s name will be absent.
The caucus and its aftermath left Henyard feeling extremely frustrated. For the first time in thirty years, the Thornton Township Democrats chose to use a caucus to select candidates for the ballot. “You didn’t conduct any of this properly,” she told Harris. “It’s illegal, Napoleon.”
Henyard arranged for seniors to be transported to the caucus via Thornton Township buses, but many of those buses arrived late. The venue for the caucus could accommodate only 600 individuals, and a number of Henyard’s supporters who came on the buses were unable to enter. Henyard asserted that the process was not fair.
“I will be suing everyone tomorrow. This is illegal.” Henyard said, taking issue with the fact that her supporters didn’t get in. Attorney and legal expert Burton Odelson, who is representing Harris, said the caucus process was legal and democratic in nature—and Henyard would not have a case.
