Your Libertyville Guide to 2019 Local Elections

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Election Day is fast-approaching in Lake County. On Tuesday, April 2, voters will head to the polls to make their selection of candidates for municipal offices, library trustees, park district commissioners, school board members, community college trustee, fire protection district trustees and more. There are also a handful of referenda questions some voters will get to sound off on.

Early voting is underway in the county and voters can get out before April 2 to cast their ballot. Spring elections historically have low voter turnout but choosing the candidates that will sound off on how your tax dollars are being spent is important. More information on registering to vote, voting options and more can be found on the Lake County Clerk's website.

We've picked out three local contested races that will appear on Libertyville residents ballots and provided you with the resources to learn more about the candidates up for election.

Libertyville Village Board

In Libertyville, voters will pick three candidates in a four-way village board race. Incumbents Peter W. Garrity, Donna J. Johnson and Scott Adams are squaring off against newcomer Jeanine C. Chyna in the contested race. The candidates recently spoke with the Libertyville Review regarding their top concerns for the village moving forward, listing $46.2 million in stormwater upgrades and making tough financial decisions for the town as top priorities.

More information on the candidates can be found on the Libertyville Review website and via candidate profiles on the Daily Herald

Cook Memorial Library District

Six candidates will be vying for four open seats on the Cook Memorial Library District board. The library district is responsible for operating libraries in LIbertyville and Vernon Hills. Gayle Tavares, Wendy Vieth, Jennifer Banek, Jim Larson, Karen Singer and Nathan Johnson are seeking your vote in the April 2 election.

The Daily Herald provided the following additional information about the candidates in a recent article:

• Tavares is a Vernon Hills resident and retired teacher who hopes to use his “skills and experience to contribute to providing lifelong learning for all community members”
• Vieth has been a library board trustee since 2008 and is focused on the Aspen Drive Library expansion being completed on time and on budget
• Banek, of Green Oaks, is certified registered nurse anesthesiologist and a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve who cites the district’s bookmobile service as a concern
• Larson who has been on the board since 2015 says keeping up with technology is an important aspect of libraries
• Singer, of Vernon Hills, is a travel agency administrator who is harnessing her love for libraries and touts library programs and events as a passion and
• Johnson, of Vernon Hills, has been on the board since 2010 and wants to make sure his town continues to be represented on the board since he is often the only board member from Vernon Hills at board meetings

More via the Daily Herald

District 128

The five-way race for three four-year terms on the High School District 128 board include three incumbents, Lisa Hessel, Katherine Rooney Casey and James Batson and two newcomers, Loubna Kiliouine and Elizabeth Bruckner. Don Carmichael is running unopposed for a two-year term.

A hot topic for those running include an expected growth in enrollment for District 128 due students coming from Hawthorn District 73 in Vernon Hills, according to the Libertyville Review.

The Libertyville Review has more information on candidates as does the Daily Herald.

College of Lake County Board

Three candidates, including a 30-year CLC employer, retired director in project management and a former Lake Co. sheriff’s office deputy, are vying for two seats on the College of Lake County Board. The elected trustees would serve six year terms on the seven-person board.

During a recent candidate forum, candidates Julie Shroka, Vaseem Iftekhar and Timothy S. Powell sounded off on their vision for CLC, how they would use their experience to bolster the community college and equity between the three CLC campuses, according to the Lake County News-Sun.

More via the Lake County News-Sun and Daily Herald endorsements for CLC Board races