Remaining 'Better Government In Glenview' Candidates Drop Out

GLENVIEW, IL — Ahead of Thursday's deadline for municipalities to submit final versions of their ballots to election authorities, the remaining two members of the Better Government in Glenview Party dropped out of the race for village trustee.

The party announced its slate of three candidates last month to challenge a trio endorsed by a caucus slating system. At the time, it said it would offer Glenview voters the first opportunity to choose between two full slates of candidates in 18 years.

Then on Jan. 10, after an attorney linked the party withdrew a petition challenge to an independent candidate, the group issued a statement saying it looked forward to the "first fully contested" election for Glenview village trustee since 2001.

"With more candidates," it said, "Glenview voters will hear a wider range of viewpoints and ideas that can only improve the dialogue about the future of Glenview."

Only about 10 percent of registered Glenview voters took part in elections four years ago. Now in 2019, only 57 percent of registered candidates are taking part in the election.

After seven candidates filed paperwork to run, the choice has now dwindled to four candidates for three seats, as Tom Greenhaw filed paperwork to remove his name from the ballot last Friday and Dia Morgan and Cathy Wilson submitted documentation to withdraw Wednesday, according to a village spokesperson.

Greenhaw said he withdrew as a result of a vote by village trustees to opt in to Cook County's minimum wage and sick leave ordinances as of July 1. Morgan and Wilson cited unspecified "unexpected personal and work-related issues" as the reason for their withdrawal.

Wilson, chair of the Better Government in Glenview Party, did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. She issued a joint statement Friday morning on behalf of herself and Morgan and declined to answer any questions.

"We plan to remain active in Glenview civic life. We will advocate for issues we support and oppose those with which we disagree," Wilson said in the statement. "We encourage every village resident to do that same."

Morgan, an attorney, said she and Wilson, a marketing professional, were grateful to residents who supported their campaign.

"Since submitting our signed nominating petitions, we've experienced unexpected personal and work-related issues that would make it difficult to devote the time needed to serve on the Village Board. This was not a decision we made lightly," Morgan said in the statement. "We had several long discussions about whether to continue with the campaign, but ultimately decided we could not."

Four residents linked to the defunct slate filed a petition challenge on Dec. 24 to keep the sole independent candidate in the race, Benjamin Polony, off the ballot. That triggered an electoral board hearing and a record check with attorneys for the residents. With little chance of invalidating Polony's signatures, the challenge was withdrawn. Two weeks later, so were the candidates from the Better Government in Glenview slate.

Wilson said voting was the "foundation of our democracy" and called for all registered voters to take part in the April 2 election, which will determine several local school boards as well as add at least two new trustees to the village board.

Four candidates are seeking three seats in Northbrook/Glenview School District 30, and Danielle Pollack is the sole candidate without a caucus endorsement. In Avoca School District 37, four people are running for three seats, with Robyn Schiffman the lone candidate without a caucus endorsement.

School board races in Glenbrook High School District 225 and Glenview School District 34 are not competitive, nor is the race for Glenview Public Library Board of Trustees.

Regular registration is open until March 5, and early voting for the April 2 municipal election begins March 18.

Related:

• Citing Minimum Wage, Sick Leave Vote, Tom Greenhaw Withdraws From Trustee Race
  
• 4 Glenview Residents Withdraw Petition Challenge To Independent Candidate
  
• 7 Candidates Running For 3 Seats On Glenview Village Board