All registered voters who reside in the corporate limits of Naperville are permitted to sign petitions for City Council elections. Signing simply helps a resident who wants to run to serve on City Council get his or her name on the ballot. A signature on a ballot does not necessarily mean support of the petitioner.
From now until Nov. 26 when petitions are due in the City Clerk’s Office, local residents may be asked over and over to participate in the American way of placing candidates on the ballot. Again, to participate, you must be a registered voter who lives in the corporate limits of Naperville in either DuPage or Will county.
Petition forms to run for Naperville City Council in the April Consolidated Election became available on Aug. 28. As of the afternoon of Sept. 10—after the initial rush of 16 people by Aug. 31— 22 people had picked up petition packets with information about running to serve on City Council.
Up for election next April are four two-year terms on the City Council. The change to two-year terms for this election happened because of a referendum vote in the fall of 2010 to change the city to a district system beginning in 2015. At that time, all City Council members will be up for election, with five districts electing their own Council member and three members being elected at large.
Currently, all the members of the City Council, including the Mayor, are elected at large for four-year terms.
Since the race has attracted so much early attention, it’s likely the city will host a primary on February 26. That said, if the past is any indication, some of the petition forms will not be returned.
To date, incumbent City Council members Doug Krause and Paul Hinterlong are passing petitions. Terms of incumbents Judy Brodhead and Kenn Miller also end this spring. Councilman Miller announced he would not run for re-election.
Petition packets also were picked up by Kevin Coyne, who serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission; attorney Kevin Lynch; John Krummen, former City Council in the last election; Tim Messer, who is on the Planning and Zoning Commission and former City Council candidate in the past; Charlie Schneider, former City Council candidate in the last election.
In addition, packets went to Wayne Floegel, former City Council candidate in the last election; David Wentz, member of the Naperville Township Board; Tiffany Stephens, former City Council candidate in the last election; and newcomers Jeff B. Davis, former member of School District 204 Board; Ted Power; Ann Edmonds; Tara Gregus; Gary Smith; William Habel; Jennifer Stahl; Thomas Glass; David Bendis; Gerald Schilling; James DerKacy and Matthew R. Rasche.
Gary Smith is City Councilwoman Judy Brodhead’s husband.
Stahl and Glass picked up packets on Sept. 4. Bendis, Schilling and DerKacy followed on Sept. 5. At this posting, Rasche was last on Sept. 7.
Petitions for candidacy in the Consolidated Election are available in the City Clerk’s Office at the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. Petitions for nomination are filed with the office.
Hopefuls can file petitions from 9AM to 5PM on weekdays only, Nov. 19 through Nov. 26.
To qualify to run for City Council, a resident must be a registered voter of the City of Naperville and have resided within the corporate limits of the city for at least one year.
STORY UPDATE on Sept. 24, 2012: Packets last week were picked up by Jo Malik on Thurs., Sept. 20, and Judy Singer on Fri., Sept. 21.
Yes Elect City Council At Large Petition Drive
In addition to the candidate petitions, another petition drive seeks signatures to put a referendum item on the April ballot. Again, signing a petition does not mean you are pro or con. It simply means as a registered voter, you support giving voters the opportunity to vote the question up or down.
Under the leadership of Co-Chairs Rebecca Obarski and Dean Reschke, Yes At Large wants to ask the question, “Shall the City of Naperville elect the city council at large instead of part of the councilmen at large and part of the councilmen from districts?” as a referendum item on the Consolidated Election ballot of April 9, 2013.
For details, check the earlier post “Yes At Large petition drive begins, website launched.” or visit www.yesatlarge.com or contact Rebecca Obarski at (630) 355-8100 or yesatlarge@gmail.com.
