(Crain’s) — The Republican candidate for Illinois secretary of state is asking for a probe into what he alleges was illegal hiring in the office by Democratic incumbent Jesse White.

But Mr. White’s office says nothing improper occurred.

In a Springfield press conference, GOP nominee Dan Rutherford said he believes Mr. White broke the law when he allowed the wives of two highly paid aides—Chief of Staff Thomas Benigno and Personnel Director Steve Roth—to be given no-bid contracts for part-time jobs with his office.

Crain’s reported on Aug. 28 that Benedetta Benigno recently was retained as a $2,000-a-month secretary and that Melissa Roth works as a $30.12-an-hour speaker on safety issues. Mr. White himself also has several relatives on his payroll, including his daughter, Glenna White-Jones, whose salary has tripled to $112,512 since her father took office.

Mr. Rutherford said the Benigno and Roth hirings appear to be improper since their husbands make $139,296 and $103,500 a year, respectively—enough to be covered by a state law that generally bans the hiring of relatives of top state staffers. He said he’s written Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan asking her to review the matter.

Mr. White’s spokesman disputes that anything wrong has occurred. He says both Ms. Benigno’s and Ms. Roth’s hirings are exempt from state law because their positions are “ministerial,” rather than policymaking.

Mr. Rutherford replied that giving speeches is not ministerial and that Ms. Benigno’s business card says she is an “intelligence analyst” with the office. Mr. White’s spokesman denied that, terming her “the receptionist and secretary” for the intelligence unit.

A spokeswoman for Ms. Madigan said she has not yet received the letter.