City Council Update, Nov. 26
By the end of the petition-filing period at 5PM Mon., Nov. 26, 12 hopefuls had filed their petitions. Incumbent Judy Brodhead and newcomer Tara Leigh Gregus added their names to the roster of 10 earlier in the day. That means there will be no need for a primary election for City Council in February.
Three citizens who had filed on Nov. 19—incumbent Doug Krause and hopefuls Wayne Floegel and Dave Wentz— were at the City Clerk’s office at 5PM to observe the end of the filing period.
Now all petitioners will wait during the five-day period for signatures to be verified. When the nominating petitions are verified, the candidates will be official.
Last week’s post after 10 hopefuls turned in petitions
During the first hour of filing on Nov. 19, 10 candidates for City Council were off and running to vie for a spot on the ballot for the Consolidated Election on April 9, 2013.
Depending if the number of residents who file petitions during the next week is more than 16, a primary could be held on February 26. In April four seats for 2-year terms on City Council will be filled.
The first 10 candidates to file of 28 potential contenders who had picked up packets were Jo Malik, Dave Wentz, Tom Glass, Bill Habel, Kevin Coyne, Wayne Floegel, John Krummen, Jeff Davis, Paul Hinterlong and Doug Krause. All 10 were present with their packets when the City Clerk opened her office at 9AM Nov. 19, in the Naperville Municipal Center.
First-time city council candidate Jo Malik, who said she was “more than a 20-year resident,” was first to arrive about ten minutes after 7AM. Another first-timer Dave Wentz, a 23-year resident, arrived at 7:30AM. Then by 9AM, citizens with a history of three years to 47 years of Naperville residency all were standing, ready to throw their hats in the ring.
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 hybrid district system beginning in May 2015. At that time, all nine City Council members, including the Mayor, will be up for election, with five districts electing their own Council member and three members being elected at large.
High return of petitions will lead to Primary
Again, if at least 17 of the 28 interested parties who pulled City Council packets return their completed petitions, a primary will be held on February 26 to narrow the field to 16. A lottery will be held in early December to determine the position of candidates on the ballot.
Four City Council seats end in May. Currently, Judith Brodhead, Paul Hinterlong, Doug Krause and Kenn Miller fill those seats. Miller announced earlier this year that he will not seek another term. Hinterlong and Krause were both among the first 10 to file. Brodhead is expected to file by the deadline, Mon., Nov. 26.
Petition packets became available on Aug. 28, 2012, for this upcoming election. Other residents who picked up packets are Kevin Lynch, Tim Messer, Charlie Schneider, Ted Power, Ann Edmonds, Tara Leigh Gregus, Tiffany Stephens, Jennifer Stahl, David Bendis, Gerard Shilling, James DerKacy, Matthew R. Rasche, Judy Singer, Anthony Abbinante, Gary Paluch, John Zediker and Nicholas A. Baker. Zediker already has withdrawn and at least four other residents—Lynch, Messer, Schneider and Edmonds— have indicated they will not be running. That narrows the list of hopefuls to 23 who can file anytime from now to Nov. 26.
That said, if the past is any indication, some of the remaining 13 petition packets will not be returned.
About the PN photos
Just prior to the City Clerk’s opening her office, the first 10 candidates lined up for a photo. (See above.)
“You should get a photo of us reading Positively Naperville,” suggested Councilman Krause, who said he noticed that every issue of the monthly publication had a picture of someone reading PN.
By the time the photographer returned with enough copies of the November issue for all the candidates, four candidates had already departed to get on with their day.
Pictured here outside of the City Council Offices in the Naperville Municipal Center are hopefuls Kevin Coyne, Jeff Davis, John Krummen, Doug Krause, Paul Hinterlng and Wayne Floegel.
On with the race! May the campaign be in the spirit of Kindness in Naperville or KIN. Join a grassroots community movement to promote good-natured civility.
PN Voter’s Guide will return Jan. 1, 2013
All the candidates are welcome to request a link to the Positively Naperville web site for PN Consolidated Election & Voter’s Guide. In time, the voter’s guide will include a listing of all the hopefuls running for local governing bodies as well as all local referendum measures that could be on the 2013 ballot.
Thanks for reading. Stay tuned and pay attention as the candidates begin to discuss issues and put forth the challenges in Naperville they want to meet.
A “comment” section welcomes questions and issues voters would like to see addressed during this election.
Filing for school board members and the Naperville Park District Board of Commissioners is from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24.
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