There's Still Time to Run for Local Office

The Forest Park area may have just gone through an election.

But now it's time to gear up for the local ones in the spring.

Four contests will be on the Forest Park ballot for the April 9, 2013 election, and residents interested in serving on any boards still have time to collect signatures before the filing deadline.

Packets containing petitions and other election information are available at the respective administrative offices or on the State Board of Elections website.

Petitions are filed from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24 in the administration office of the contest they want to run for.

Here's how things will shake out for April:

District 91 School Board

A school board member's term is four years. Four terms will expire: Mary Turek, Lois L. Bugajsky, MaryWin Connor and Joan White. Packets can be picked up from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at the Elementary District 91 administrative office, 424 Des Plaines Ave. Call 708-366-5700 for more information.

Park District of Forest Park

A park board commissioner's term is four years. Two terms will expire: John Doss and Sam Alonzo. Packets can be picked up from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at the Park District of Forest Park office, 7501 Harrison St. Call 708-366-7500 for more information. 

Proviso Township High School District 209

A high school board member's term is four years. Four terms will expire: Brian Cross, Daniel Adams and Kevin McDermott. The term of Emanuel “Chris” Welch also expires and the newly-elected 7th District state representative does not intend to run again for the school board. The district office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at 8601 W. Roosevelt Rd., Forest Park, the fifth floor of the district's Math and Science Academy. Call 708-338-5929 for more information.

Proviso Township

All Proviso Township officers serve four years and all terms are up for election this April: Supervisor Michael Corrigan; Clerk William J. Daugherty Jr.; Assessor Steven J. Zawaski; Trustees Timothy Gillian, Mari Herrell, Don Sloan and Anthony Williams. The collector's position, currently held by Eric R. Sawchuk, is also on the ballot but that post will not take office until Jan. 1. Information can be picked up between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays at 4565 Harrison St. in Hillside. For more information, call 708-449-4300.

To be eligible to run for public office, prospective candidates must be, on the date of the April 9 election, a citizen of the United States, a registered voter, at least 18 years old, a resident of the State of Illinois and their district or community for at least one year before the election.

Elections are non-partisan and board candidates are not required to indicate a political party affiliation.