DuPage Clerk Seeks Restraining Order; Says Over $230K Owed To Election Vendors

[RandySF]

DUPAGE COUNTY — A motion for a temporary restraining order was recently filed by DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek against the DuPage County Board and County Auditor Bill White seeking "immediate payment" for two election vendors owed more than $115,000 each, a news release said.

Per the DuPage County Clerk's Office, Prager Moving & Storage is owed $115,000 for its delivery, logistics, security and management services during the Consolidated Election on April 1.

Governmental Business Systems (GBS) is owed $116,414.83, the news release said. GBS performed accuracy testing on voting machines prior to the Consolidated Election and also provided election kits that were "highly customized," per the news release.

Kaczmarek asserts that the county "refused" to pay both vendors, "despite explicit, unambiguous guidance from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office."




https://patch.com/illinois/wheaton/dupage-clerk-seeks-restraining-order-says-over-230k-owed-election-vendors

[ShazzieB]

1. Here's some background on this.

From the article:

In 2024, a lawsuit was filed against Kaczmarek by the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office asserting Kaczmarek was in violation of the state's Local Government Prompt Payment Act. In September 2024, County Board Chair Deb Conroy said Kaczmarek failed to comply with DuPage County's practices.

Kaczmarek asserts that the county "refused" to pay both vendors, "despite explicit, unambiguous guidance from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office."

I found this rather cryptic, so I googled and found an article from July that gives some background:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/11/illinois-attorney-general-investigation-of-dupage-county-clerk-a-concern-for-countys-democratic-growth/

The Trib has a paywall, so here's a no paywall link for those need it: http://archive.today/Yd0Z9

Illinois attorney general investigation of DuPage County clerk a concern for county’s Democratic growth

When activist Jean Kaczmarek was elected DuPage County clerk seven years ago, she became the first Democrat elected to countywide office in 84 years and her subsequent work as clerk to make voting easier and more available was lauded by the party faithful.

But the appointment of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office as special prosecutor to investigate Kaczmarek’s office over allegations of official misconduct has prompted concern among Democrats that the gains they have made in wresting significant control of the once strongly Republican suburban county could be at risk.

Kaczmarek, hailed in 2022 by the Democratic Women of DuPage County with its leadership award, is already facing a primary challenge as she seeks a third term next year. And her previous budgetary actions helped lead to a change in state purchasing law for most Illinois counties — a law that is now at the center of the Raoul investigation.

DuPage County Circuit Judge Bonnie Wheaton’s order on Monday appointing Raoul’s office as special prosecutor is rooted in more than two years of internecine battles between the Democratic clerk and the Democratic-led DuPage County Board involving the often labyrinthine world of budgetary control and power in county governance. (Lots more at either of the above links.)

If anyone reading this is familiar with what's going on DePage County and can shed more light on this, please don't hesitate to chime in.