Dolton, Illinois Mayor Tiffany Henyard has found an ally in her ongoing dispute with the local Democratic Party following allegations of voter suppression during a recent caucus. The controversy stems from the December 3rd caucus where Henyard lost the Democratic nomination for Thornton Township supervisor, a position she currently holds. Her absence from the ballot was attributed to a missing certified assessor on her ticket, a requirement for all nominees.
Henyard has been pursuing legal action against Illinois State Senator Napolean Harris, the Democratic Party committeeman who opted for a caucus instead of a primary election and subsequently won the nomination. Following the caucus, Henyard claimed that her supporters were barred from the venue, effectively disenfranchising them. Dixmoor Mayor Fitzgerald Roberts has corroborated these claims, stating that access to the voting process was indeed obstructed.
Henyard's legal team initially filed a lawsuit including Roberts as a co-petitioner, but Roberts later withdrew his name from the suit while maintaining his willingness to testify on Henyard's behalf. He criticized Harris' handling of the caucus, drawing parallels to historical voter suppression tactics. Henyard's lawyer, Max Solomon, expressed suspicion about Roberts' withdrawal, suggesting external influence.
The lawsuit alleges that a private event held by Harris at the caucus location prior to the vote hindered Henyard's supporters from entering. Henyard seeks to invalidate the caucus results and trigger a new election. Despite not securing the Democratic nomination, she retains the option of running for Thornton Township supervisor as a write-in or independent candidate in the April election. She is also seeking re-election as Dolton mayor next year.
