GOVERNMENT: INDICTED ALEXANDER COUNTY CLERK RESIGNS

CAIRO, Ill. -- Alexander County Clerk Louis Maze resigned Friday in the midst of vote fraud allegations. Gloria Patton, a former worker in the circuit clerk's office, was named to replace him.

Maze, 67, of Olive Branch, Ill., faces a 21-count indictment stemming from a state investigation of votes cast during the March primary elections. The state attorney general's office believes Maze encouraged a person to forge five absentee ballots and ballot applications for that election, then accepted the ballots and applications and mixed them with others.

If found guilty, Maze faces the possibility of up to five years in prison.

Maze submitted his resignation to the Alexander County Commission just three hours before the resignation became effective at 4 p.m. Friday. A small group of county officials and others were on hand during a news conference to announce Maze's decision to resign.

Maze offered no comments before or after the news conference. Instead, he sat quietly while a friend, Cairo Mayor James Wilson, read a statement.

Wilson said Maze was resigning because of the stress of caring for his health problems and those of his wife, mother and 16-year-old granddaughter, whom he has adopted.

That stress, coupled with Maze's need to defend himself against the indictments, was too much to bear, Wilson said.

"The additional strain, both emotional and financially, of defending himself against allegations of misconduct in office and the apparent betrayal by a very good friend has taken its toll," Wilson said. "Louis has served the citizens of Alexander County for many years as an elected official. He prays that the action taken today is best for all concerned."

Maze also was accused by former circuit clerk Sue Hileman of forging voter registrations during the same election. Hileman, who was seeking a fifth term in the primary, sued to void the election after she lost to Democratic challenger Sharon McGinness by 210 votes. Hileman claimed absentee voters were paid to vote for certain candidates.

Earlier this week, an appellate court sent Hileman's suit back to a local court for a hearing to be held in mid-November.

Prior to the news conference, Patton, of Cairo, was sworn in as county clerk. Patton, who formerly worked 16 years in the circuit clerk's office, will hold the position until the next regular election in 2002.

With general elections just two weeks away, Patton said she is prepared for her new role and doesn't anticipate any problems. "I do know the law, so I'll deal with it to the best of my ability," said Patton.

Alexander County Commission Chairman Andy Clarke said Patton will have "all the help she needs from the Illinois Board of Elections and experienced office staff" during the elections.

"We tried to ascertain who would be the best candidate, and her name kept coming up," he said. "We just looked for someone that would have a good sense of integrity and a good sense of the process."

Clarke would not comment on Maze's resignation or the charges pending against him.