Will County Gazette

Dan Rose of LFI Real Estate has filed a complaint against Mayor Keith Ogle's mayoral campaign, alleging a violation of Illinois campaign finance laws. The complaint, submitted to the Illinois State Board of Elections on February 28, accuses Ogle's campaign of improperly using the Village of Frankfort’s official logo in promotional materials.

According to the document, Ogle’s campaign is said to have included the village’s logo in materials aimed at promoting his re-election. These materials reportedly featured a call to action urging viewers to "#reelectkeithogle" and follow the Instagram account @mayorkeithogle for updates. The use of the official village logo in this context is alleged to be an improper use of public resources for political purposes.

The violation centers around ILCS 5/9-25.1, a provision of the Illinois Election Code that prohibits the use of public funds, property, or resources—such as government logos—for political purposes. This law is designed to prevent public resources from being used to support or promote any political campaign, candidate, or party. Under this statute, using a public entity's official logo in campaign materials is generally prohibited unless explicitly authorized.

Rose has submitted documentation that includes photos and digital copies of the campaign materials in question. These documents show the logo and direct viewers to the candidate's social media account. Ogle's campaign reportedly included instructions for viewers to "#reelectkeithogle" and directed them to follow @mayorkeithogle on Instagram in multiple posts. The violation could lead to legal or administrative actions, including penalties or corrective measures.

The Illinois State Board of Elections, established under the 1970 Illinois Constitution, is an independent agency responsible for overseeing voter registration and administering elections throughout the state.