Last Call For Write-In Candidates for April 7 Election

If your secret desire has always been to run for village president or mayor of your town, serve on the local school board, or become a library trustee, then here’s your chance.

Dozens of incumbents are running unopposed throughout DuPage County and some local seats don’t have candidates at all in the upcoming April 7 consolidated election, the Citizen Advocacy Center says.

Individuals have until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, February 5, to submit a form declaring their intention to run as a write-in candidate with the DuPage County Election Commission, 421 County Farm Rd. in Wheaton.

“Under Illinois law, any write-in votes cast in the April 7 election are ignored unless the candidate has first registered as a write-in candidate for that office,” said Maryam Judar, executive director of the non-profit civic group that assists citizens in dealing with local government.

Votes for Homer Simpson and Mickey Mouse won’t count if you write in their names on the April 7 election ballot, unless they are certified write-in candidates.

To date, no candidates have filed for 5 percent of the seats on city councils, village, school, park, library and fire boards in DuPage County, and for another 58 percent of those seats, candidates are running with no opposition.

Judar says there are many factors that turn people off from running for local office, from a lack of information about opportunities to the amount of paperwork needed to get one’s name on the ballot.

“People might be intimidated by the process.” Judar said. “It’s not intuitive and a lot of paper work needs to be filled out accurately.”

Another barrier is the thousands of local electoral boards that rule on objections to candidates whose nominating petitions are challenged.

“Often those sitting on electoral boards have adverse interests where there is very little accountability,” Judar said. “The only recourse candidates have is to appeal electoral board decisions in circuit court, which is costly.”

The process for becoming a certified write-in candidate is less intense than getting one’s name on the ballot. The DuPage Election Commission has a form that must be completed and filed at that office before 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

The Citizen Advocacy Center, headquartered in Elmhurst, can help potential candidates review their write-in candidacy forms as well as to help navigate the laws that allow the public to participate in government and the public policy making process.

“We’ll give people information on preventing an electoral challenge and how to defend yourself,” Judar said. “We’ll assist people in reviewing their paperwork. Our services are free.”

The Citizen Advocacy Center for DuPage County is located at 182 York St., Elmhurst. For more information about running as a write-in candidate call 630-833-4080 or visit the organization’s website.

No Candidates At All

These offices have at least one seat open but no filed candidates running for it, so the winner will be someone who has filed as a write-in candidate:

Board of Education Member: Fenton HS-100, Westmont U-201, Bensonville G-2, Roselle G-12 (2 openings), Bloomingdale G-13, Winfield G-34.

Library Trustee: Clarendon Hills (2 openings), Fountaindale, Indian Prairie, Lisle (2 openings), Poplar Creek, Roselle, Winfield (2 openings).

Park District Commissioner: Hanover Park, Pick Subdivision, Wheaton.

Candidates with No Opposition

These city, village, and other offices have some candidates with no competition, but write-in candidates can still register until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, February 5.

City Mayor / Village President: Carol Stream, Clarendon Hills, Wayne, Wheaton, Wood Dale.

City / Village Clerk: Clarendon Hills, Darien, Oak Brook, Wood Dale.

City / Village Treasurer: Darien, Wood Dale.

City Alderman / Village Trustee: Addison, Aurora, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Darien, Elmhurst, Glendale Heights, Hanover Park, Hinsdale, Itasca, Lemont, Lombard, Oakbrook Terrace, Roselle, St. Charles, Warrenville, Wayne, West Chicago, Westmont, Willowbrook, Wood Dale.

Board of Education Member: U-201, U-203, HS-94, HS-100, HS-210, G-2, G-4, G-7, G-12, G-13, G-15, G-16, G-20, G-33, G-34, G-48, G-53, G-58, G-61, G-62, G-63, G-66, G-89, G-93, G-180.

Park Commissioner: Bloomingdale, Brookeridge, Burr Ridge, Butterfield, Carol Stream, Darien, Downers Grove, Glen Elley Countryside, Golfview Hills, Itasca, Lemont, Lisle, Lombard, Medinah, Oakbrook Terrace, Roselle, Tri-State, Wards Creek, Warrenville, Winfield, Wood Dale, York Center.

Library Trustee: Addision, Bartlett, Bensenville, Bloomingdale, Glen Ellyn, Glenside, Hinsdale, Itasca, Lemont, Villa Park, Warrenville, West Chicago, Westmont, Woodridge, Wood Dale.

Fire District Trustee: Addison, Bartlett, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Darien-Woodridge, Glenside, Itasca, Lemont, Pleasantview, Tri-State, Wood Dale.

Download the write-in candidate form from the DuPage County Election Commission.