From Nunda Township Supervisor candidate Mike Shorten:
Candidate Mike Shorten Demands Transparency and Accountability Following Removal of Campaign Signs
Nunda Township, IL – This morning, February 24, 2025, Mike Shorten, candidate for Nunda Township Supervisor in the February 25, 2025 primary, received a third-party report at 7:25 AM alleging that two campaign signs criticizing his opponent’s record were removed from in front of the Nunda Township office.
The signs, which included a QR code linking to mikeshorten.org/factsmatter, were taken down by Mike Lesperance, the Highway Commissioner, allegedly while using his private vehicle.
While driving to the Township offices shortly after, Shorten observed that similar signs he had placed over the weekend at two locations along Terra Cotta Rd. were also missing, suggesting they may have been removed by the same person who took down the signs from Township property.
Upon arriving at the Nunda Town Hall at approximately 7:50 AM, he noted that all other signs—those supporting his opponent, bearing his own name, and an additional unattributed sign—remained untouched.
Only the signs critical of his opponent were targeted and removed.
Shorten promptly contacted the McHenry County Sheriff’s non-emergency line and requested an officer to file an incident report (Incident Report 25-005640).
A deputy responded, took the report, and subsequently found that Mike Lesperance had two of the missing signs in his possession.
The signs were returned to Shorten. Lesperance claimed he removed them because the Township property ceased being a polling place after 12:00 PM on Saturday.
The property is set to resume as a polling location tomorrow, February 25, 2025, at 6:00 AM.
The deputy also checked the Township dumpster and requested that the Highway Department provide video footage of the alleged incident, which would clearly show who removed the signs and when.
Lesperance’s justification raises questions, as the Township owns the property in question, and the Highway Commissioner has no formal responsibility or agreement to maintain it.
After Shorten filed his report, the deputy informed him that the remaining signs in front of the Town Hall had been removed and relocated to the Highway Commissioner’s yard.
Lesperance did not remove them until 43 hours after the polls closed.
Leda Drain was at the polling place at noon on Saturday as well and did not request that signs be removed, nor did she remove her own signs.
In response, Shorten has submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to both the Township Supervisor’s office and the Highway Department, seeking all communications between his opponent, incumbent Supervisor Leda Drain, and Mike Lesperance regarding the alleged removal of any signs, as well as video footage from the Highway Department’s cameras capturing both the initial removal and the subsequent relocation of the remaining signs after his sheriff’s report.
Copies of all FOIA requests are attached to the email version of this press release.
Shorten demands the immediate release of this information to the public.
“I call on Leda Drain and Mike Lesperance to immediately release all requested FOIA information—including communications and video evidence—establishing a clear timeline of these events,” Shorten said.
“If video evidence shows Mike Lesperance, acting officially or unofficially, removed signs he disagreed with and then orchestrated the removal of the remainder off the signs after being caught, he should resign immediately and withdraw his candidacy for the April 1st election.”
Shorten further stated, “Political speech is a First Amendment right, and any candidate or official caught suppressing it has violated their oath of office and proven they are unfit to hold any office in this country.
“If communications reveal that Leda Drain coordinated or conspired with Lesperance on the removal of these signs, I call for her immediate resignation and withdrawal of her candidacy from tomorrow’s primary as well.
“If Leda Drain was not aware off Lesperance’s activities, she should echo my condemnation and demand Lesperance’s resignation from office and withdrawal of his candidacy.”
Mike Shorten’s campaign stands firm in its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the protection of free expression.
Updates on this matter will be provided as new information becomes available.
FOIA Requests Made to Opponent and Road Commissioner
An email from Nunda Township Supervisor candidate Mike Shorten to his opponent, incumbent Supervisor Leda Drain:
Iron Mike took down 2 political signs from township property this morning. A report has been filed with the County Sheriff’s Office.
To find out who did what, Nunda Township Supervisor candidate Mike Shorten filed the following Freedom of Information request to Road Commissioner Mike Lesperance:
Good Morning,
Pursuant to Illinois statutes governing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), I am requesting copies of any text messages, emails, or phone call records between Supervisor Drain and her staff and Mike Lesperance or his staff concerning the removal of campaign or political signs from Township property. This request covers the period from January 1, 2025, to the date of this FOIA request. Please note that this information may be relevant to pending legal action.
This request includes communications made via personal devices used to issue requests or instructions that resulted in any action regarding the removal of campaign signs from Township property or any other public roads.
