Will County Gazette

Justin Ozinga, a mayoral candidate in Frankfort, has accused Mayor Keith Ogle of believing "the law doesn't apply to him." This statement follows the filing of a complaint against Ogle's campaign for allegedly using Village logos on campaign materials, which is purportedly against Illinois election code. Ozinga made this assertion on March 8.

"Mayor Keith Ogle seems to think the law doesn't apply to him," said Ozinga, Mayoral candidate in Frankfort, IL, according to Facebook. "Stop violating the rules and remove the official Village of Frankfort logo from your campaign posts! Using the logo gives incumbents an unfair advantage by making it appear as if the campaign is sanctioned by the Village."

According to an official complaint document, Ogle's campaign is alleged to have violated Illinois campaign finance laws by incorporating the Village of Frankfort’s official logo into promotional materials. These materials were intended to support the re-election of Keith Ogle and included a call to action encouraging viewers to use the hashtag #reelectkeithogle and follow the Instagram account @mayorkeithogle for updates. The use of the official village logo in this manner is claimed to be an improper utilization of public resources for political purposes.

Screenshot of Ozinga's Facebook post | Facebook

The alleged violation pertains to ILCS 5/9-25.1, a section of the Illinois Election Code that prohibits using public funds, property, or resources—such as government logos—for political purposes. This law aims to prevent public resources from being employed to support or promote any political campaign, candidate, or party. Generally, under this statute, using a public entity's official logo in campaign materials is prohibited unless explicitly authorized.

The complainant has provided documentation that includes photos and digital copies of the questioned campaign materials showing the logo and directing viewers to the candidate's social media account. According to the complaint document, Ogle's campaign instructed viewers through multiple Instagram posts to #reelectkeithogle and follow @mayorkeithogle. The alleged violation could lead to legal or administrative actions, including penalties or corrective measures aimed at preventing misuse of government resources for political campaigning.

The upcoming mayoral election in Frankfort, Illinois, scheduled for April 1, 2025, will see incumbent Mayor Keith Ogle face challenger Justin Ozinga. Ogle has served as mayor since 2021 and previously held positions as Village Trustee and Clerk. Ozinga is campaigning on a platform focused on increased government transparency and economic development. A "Meet the Candidates" event took place on March 11, 2025, at CD & ME in Frankfort.

Ozinga is running for mayor with an emphasis on bringing new leadership centered around community growth and transparency.