O'Dekirk's Re-election Bid: Here's Who's Donating

JOLIET, IL - In eight days, Sept. 18, candidates for Joliet City Council, including Mayor, can start circulating petitions to run for office. The city's non-partisan, consolidated election is quickly approaching, April 2, 2019. According to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform website, first-term Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk has already raised at least $189,744, including $43,000 since June 30, toward his re-election campaign.

With the election now less than seven months away, nobody in the city's political circles has announced their candidacy to mount a challenge to unseat O'Dekirk. A former councilman, O'Dekirk ascended into office in 2015 by defeating incumbent Mayor Tom Giarrante by a considerable margin.

O'Dekirk has made downtown revitalization a high priority and worked to bring more economic development and jobs to Joliet. In recent months the mayor has worked closely with 'sJoliet Housing Authority on plans to tear down the Fairview Public Housing complex, which has been plagued by street gangs, drugs and violent crime for years.

Besides choosing their mayor, voters must decide their council representatives for District 1, District 2, District 3, District 4 and District 5.

How did O'Dekirk amass such a large campaign nest egg?

Who are some of his top donors?

Joliet Patch has analyzed the campaign contributions of Citizens for O'Dekirk and made the following observations:

20

Number of donations to Citizens for O'Dekirk during August 2018 between $1,000 and $5,000.

2

At least two groups of city of Joliet employees, Joliet Firefighters Local 44 and Joliet City Employees Local 440 made donations of at least $1,000 during the month of August.

Local 440 transferred $3,850 to Citizens for O'Dekirk on Aug. 18. The Joliet Firefighters Local 44 transferred $1,100 on the same date.

10

The number of donations during August that topped at least $2,000 for Citizens for O'Dekirk.

That group included:

• D Construction, $2,100
• D'Arcy Motors, $2,100
• Car Care Towing, $2,200, donated in-kind
• Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, $2,500 transferred
• Law Offices of Parente & Norem, P.C., $2,500
• Rock Run Crossings, $3,100
• Austin Tyler Construction, $3,100
• Joliet City Employees Local 440, $3,850 (also mentioned above)
• Local 150, $5,000
• P.T. Ferro Construction Company, $5,000

If you are interested in learning more about the city of Joliet's consolidated election next April, including more information about candidacy requirements and the deadlines for submitting petitions to run for office, visit the city of Joliet website here.

To review more political campaign donations for Joliet's mayor's race or other local and state government races in Illinois, including November's governor race, visit the not-for-profit Illinois Sunshine website.

RELATED: City of Joliet political stories: Joliet City Councilman Not Seeking Third Term

O'Dekirk Has $146,000 In Campaign Donations

Bob O'Dekirk Ousts Incumbent Tom Giarrante

Main Image via John Ferak