Kankakee Times

Colton Ekhoff, currently serving as the Kankakee County Board Member for District 2 and also running for the position of County Auditor, has escalated his campaign by highlighting an issue he refers to as "Ghostpayroll." He levelled criticism at the incumbent Auditor, Jake Lee, accusing him of a prolonged pattern of absenteeism.

“Ghostpayroll: Accepting a paycheck and not showing up to work,” Ekhoff said on Facebook. “Our current Auditor Jake Lee has a long record - of being AWOL from County Finance Meetings, not showing up to work, collecting two government paychecks, two taxpayer-funded pensions, and completing zero annual audits in over 7 years.”

“The numbers just don’t add up...except for the auditors own benefit.”

Using the hashtag #actionnotabsence, Ekhoff underscores the need for integrity and accountability in the Auditor's Office. He urges voters to prioritize action over absence.

"On March 19th let’s restore integrity and accountability to the Auditor’s Office. Let’s vote for Action, Not Absence. Elect Colton Ekhoff as Auditor," Ekhoff said. 

Recently marking the one-year anniversary of his campaign, Ekhoff highlighted Lee’s lack of attendance at Finance Committee meetings. Expressing dissatisfaction with Lee's perceived inefficiency despite receiving substantial compensation and benefits over more than 1,400 days in office. According to previous reports by Kankakee Times, Ekhoff underscored Lee's lack of accountability and collaboration and reiterated his campaign slogan: "action, not absence."

Ekhoff represents District 2 which covers all of the City of Momence except for the west side of Elm leading to Junior High. It also includes Sumner Township from 11000 East to 5000 East, spanning from County Line Road to 6000 North, as per another news release from Kankakee Times. The primary election, scheduled for March 19, will see Ekhoff pitted against Lee. This race is set to influence the future leadership of the Auditor’s office and provide voters with a choice in determining the direction of Kankakee County.