DuPage County races draw cast of dozens
With the primary less than three months away, more than three dozen residents rallied supporters and launched bids for elective office in DuPage County by the 5 p.m. filing deadline Monday. Eight office hopefuls turned in their paperwork on the final day, along with dozens of applicants for precinct committeemen posts. Supervisor of Elections Chuck Hinds estimated the final-day filers at around 100 people.
Although DuPage historically favors Republican candidates, the unofficial filing list on the Election Commission's Web site shows at least one Democrat will appear on the ballot for nearly every available position. In some cases, there are more.
Two challengers from across the aisle hope to take on District 5 County Board incumbent John Zediker, the Naperville resident appointed in February to finish out the term vacated by newly elected state Rep. Mike Connelly. Zediker's potential opponents are Naperville residents Brian Duewel and Joseph C. Wozniak, who was the last to turn in the required paperwork, shortly after 4 p.m. Monday. Also running as a Republican is Joseph M. Wozniak, the father of Joseph C.
Joseph M. Wozniak ran for the District 5 seat in the 2008 Republican primary, in which he was bested by current board member Jim Healy, and he also applied for Connelly's vacancy earlier this year.
Five people have their eye on the gavel now wielded by County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, who hopes to move up to the governor's mansion next year. The roster includes current County Board member Debra Olson, R-Wheaton; state Sen. Dan Cronin, R-Elmhurst; state Rep. Carole Pankau, R-Itasca; Republican Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso; and Aurora Democrat Carole Cheney.
Pankau was among the throng that lined up at the Wheaton administration center when the filing period opened at 8 a.m. Oct. 26, but she held off until the final day to turn in her petitions.
"My campaign manager pointed out that with four of us filing, I only had a one-in-four chance of being first on the ballot," Pankau said Monday afternoon, reporting that she had made her candidacy official at about 10 a.m. and was virtually certain her name would be the last to appear — a good plan B.
Each of the County Board's six districts will see at least one race next year.
Elmhurst Democrat Kathryn Tracy Salzano will challenge incumbent Don Puchalski, a Republican from Addison. In District 2, first-term incumbent Jeff Redick of Elmhurst will face Catherine D. Sewell, a Democrat from Villa Park. Westmont resident Karol Sole, a Democrat who filed Monday, hopes to fill the District 3 seat also sought by Republican hopefuls Brian Krajewski of Downers Grove, Dennis Brennan of Hinsdale and Greg Abbott, who lives in Woodridge.
In District 4, incumbent J.R. McBride will run a primary race against Sam Jacob of Winfield and Brad Webb of Glen Ellyn. Hoping to win the seat among the Democrats are Glen Ellyn resident Tom Wendorf and Wheaton resident Thomas Grimston, another of those who filed Monday.
Vying to fill the board seat left up for grabs with longtime District 6 representative Linda Kurzawa's decision not to run again are GOP candidates Bob Larsen of Wheaton, Matt Fuesting of West Chicago and Paul Darrah of Bloomingdale. Democrat Dave Barry of Bartlett will take on the primary victor next fall.
Republicans aspiring to take positions on the Forest Preserve District board include Joseph Cantore of Oakbrook Terrace, District 2; incumbent District 4 member Mike Formento of Glen Ellyn, being challenged by former longtime Wheaton mayor C. James Carr; and District 6 hopefuls Al Murphy of West Chicago and Roger Kotecki of Warrenville.
The Democrats seeking Forest Preserve District seats include Hilary Denk of Downers Grove, District 2; Eric Bergman of Glen Ellyn and Don Kirchenberg of Glendale Heights, District 4; and Shannon Burns of West Chicago, District 6.
Republican Dewey Pierotti, who has been president of the Forest Preserve District board since 1995, filed to keep the job. He will face Democratic challenger Dennis Clark, a Winfield resident, next fall.
Although a Democratic majority on either the County Board or the Forest Preserve District board would be unprecedented, it's not inconceivable, Bob Peickert said.
The chairman of the Democratic Party of DuPage County said he and other local party faithful are upbeat about their candidates' prospects for winning the election next November.
"We are, as a matter of fact," Peickert said, noting that for the first time in 34 years, three Democrats are serving on the County Board at once. "We have every spot filled with a candidate. We feel these are extremely well-qualified people."
He is quite optimistic about Cheney's chances for winning the top spot.
"I think when people meet Carole Cheney and they hear what she's all about, I think they're going to change their attitudes about having a Democrat in that spot," he said. "I think people are going to be very impressed with Carole, as we were."
For a look at the unofficial candidate roster, go to www.dupageelections.com.
