SPRINGFIELD • The Illinois State Election Board voted unanimously Thursday to remove a Belleville Republican from the March 20 primary ballot in the 12th Congressional District.

Teri Newman was not present at the meeting when the eight-member board tossed her off the ballot for failing to submit enough valid signatures with her nominating petitions.

A hearing officer determined she fell 39 signatures below the 600 signatures needed to get on the ballot.

Newman, who could not be reached for comment Thursday, can appeal the decision in court. But, for now, the GOP primary ballot will have three names on it: Theresa Kormos of O'Fallon, Rodger Cook of St. Libory and Jason Plummer of Fairview Heights.

The Democratic field includes Brad Harriman of O'Fallon, Ken Wiezer of Granite City and Chris Miller of Carbondale.

Newman won the 2010 GOP primary election to run in the 12th district. She received 37 percent of the vote in the general election, losing to U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, who received 60 percent of the vote.

Costello won’t be on the ballot this time around. The Belleville Democrat announced last year that he wasn’t seeking re-election after nearly two dozen years in Congress.

Action by the election panel came after a Granite City voter objected to 122 of Newman’s signatures. A hearing officer later determined she had only 561 valid signatures of the 600 required.

The newly configured district stretches from Madison County to Pulaski County and includes Carbondale, Marion, Mount Vernon, Cairo, Anna and Chester.