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Voters will be participating in several of the 273 contests across Lake County in the upcoming April general election for a variety of local offices, but only 62 of the races will be contested.
Lake County voters will choose mayors, village presidents, school board members, township officials, park commissioners, library trustees and fire protection district representatives on April 1, officials who will have a direct influence on their lives.
Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega said local officials make decisions dealing with schools, public safety, property taxes, garbage pickup and much more. People also have easier access to local office-holders than those in state or national positions.
“Voters have more direct access to local officials,” Vega said. “As the county clerk, people often approach me in the grocery store. These are the people who oversee your libraries and parks.”
With voters picking their next mayor or village president in 31 municipalities across the county, only voters in 10 towns will have the opportunity to choose among more than one candidate. There are primaries on Feb. 25 in Waukegan and North Chicago.
Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor and Ald Keith Turner, 6th Ward, are already on the ballot as independents in that city’s mayoral contest. They will be opposed by the Democratic primary winner — former Mayor Sam Cunningham or Miguel A. Rivera Sr. — and Republican Harold Beadling. Beadling is unopposed in the GOP primary.
Either North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. or Ald. Kenneth Smith, 5th Ward, will advance from the primary to face independents Ald. Anthony Coleman, 2nd Ward, and David Hood in the face to lead their city.
In Gurnee, Mayor Thomas Hood is facing a challenge from Trustee Quin O’Brien. With Mundelein Mayor Steve Lentz not seeking reelection, Trustee Robin D. Meier and Trustee Tim Wilson hope to win the job.
Seeking to replace Grayslake Mayor Rhett Taylor, who is not running for reelection, are Avon Township Trustee Jeffrey Loffredo and Grayslake Trustee Elizabeth Davies. In Round Lake, Trustee Brian Brubaker is challenging Village President Russell S. Kraly for the top job.
Three other area mayors are facing challenges. Winthrop Harbor Mayor Michael Bruno is competing against Trustee Robert Marabella to keep his job, while in Fox Lake Mayor Donald “Donny” Schmidt will compete against Sean R. Stochi. Round Lake Park Mayor Linda M. Lucassen is defending her job against Robert H. Seminary.
A three-way contest for mayor in Island Lake pits current Mayor Richard McLaughlin, Trustee Stacey Pyne and Public Works Director Brian Bartnick against each other.
Of Lake County’s 45 municipal legislative offices with elections for city councils or village boards, only 12 have contested races.
In township contests, there are 56 races. They include 12 township supervisors, along with trustees, assessors, clerks and highway commissioners, Of the 12 supervisorial positions, six are contested.
With 64 election contests among 64 school boards, including the College of Lake County, 17 are contested while most of the others are not. In some situations, there are not enough candidates to fill all open slots.
Though most school board elections are uncontested, in places like Waukegan, Antioch, Highland Park, Wauconda, Lake Zurich and Libertyville, twice as many candidates are running for the available positions or nearly that amount.
Seeking two seats on the College of Lake County Board of Trustees are seven individuals. Voters will also pick legislative bodies for their parks, libraries and fire protection districts.
While there are currently 273 elections countywide, Vega said those listed are the contests that have been certified with his office. Governmental entities have until Jan. 23 to certify their candidates.
Vega said voters can request vote-by-mail ballots to be permanently sent to them. They can also seek one for the Feb 25 primary in Waukegan and North Chicago, but must wait until Jan. 2 to ask for one for the April contest.
Early voting for the primary starts Jan. 16 on the ground floor of the Lake County Courthouse and Administration Building in Waukegan, and Feb. 10 at North Chicago City Hall.
A complete candidate list of all 273 elections is available on the county clerk’s website.
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