Tiny voter bloc rears its head in DuPage in anti-incumbent wave

While a historic number of DuPage County voters took the day off from the political process on Tuesday, the few who went to the polls made their opinions very clear.

The small electorate ousted incumbents, ignored the endorsements of entrenched local political parties and rejected any hint of a tax increase.

“There was an anti-incumbent wave even though voter turnout was low,” said Phillip Hardy, an assistant political science professor at Benedictine University in Lisle.

Only 16.4 percent of DuPage’s 559,603 eligible voters cast ballots on Tuesday — the lowest percentage in the 30-year history of the county’s consolidated elections.

Doreen Nelson, the DuPage County Election Commission’s assistant executive director, says she has no idea why the turnout wasn’t better for an election that determined decision-makers for municipalities, parks, libraries and school districts.

“If you can figure that out, let me know,” Nelson said. “I can’t comprehend how people can’t care about these elections when these are the individuals spending our (property) taxes.”

Meanwhile, many of those who did vote showed their anger.

Incumbents were defeated in various board races, including Bensenville Community Public Library, Fenton High School District 100, Bloomingdale School District 13 and Addison Park District.

Longtime Wood Dale Mayor Kenneth Johnson and two aldermen lost their seats. And in Winfield, two village board candidates who had previously lost elections to an established political party ousted two incumbents who had received the party’s official endorsement.

Benedictine’s Hardy, who lives in Winfield, said some members of Winfield United were surprised when Tim Allen and Tony Reyes beat incumbents Glenn VadeBonCoeur and Cliff Mortenson after a bitter campaign. Political newcomer Jim Hughes earned a spot on the board with Winfield United’s backing, but also received some support from the group’s opposition during the campaign.

The long-dominant Roselle United Party also saw all three of its endorsed village board candidates defeated by independent candidates. The three winners included Barbara Rendall-Hochstadt, a former Roselle United member who decided not to be a part of the party this election.

Mayor Gayle Smolinski said she believes voters satisfied with the status quo were the ones who stayed home.

“Having people labeled as independent appealed to those voters who were motivated to come out and vote,” she said.

Hardy said one reason people vote is because of dissatisfaction, especially when it comes to budget or tax issues.

Apparently, that happened in Glen Ellyn, where three candidates who ran on a slate emphasizing fiscal restraint won park board seats.

And in the Carol Stream library board race, voters elected two anti-tax candidates who accused administrators of irresponsible spending. David DeRango and Dominick Jeffrey also criticized the library’s purchase of land for a new facility, even though voters rejected calls for the new building in three referendums.

“As part of the campaign, we feel (we wanted) to stop waste, excessive spending and excessive taxing,” DeRango said, “and voters are looking for that.”

Voters also dispelled the one-time belief that well-organized proponents have a better chance of getting tax increases approved during sleepier elections.

Medinah District 11 voters overwhelmingly rejected a multimillion-dollar tax increase for school building improvements, despite the efforts of an organized group of residents and parents. Even a flat $10 tax on real estate transfers was defeated in West Chicago.

“There’s so much discussion about debts and deficits right now, it may be difficult for voters to accept even small increases when they see governments, broadly speaking, not handing their existing funds very well,” Hardy said. “It’s just a tough time to be asking for more money.”

Ÿ Daily Herald staff writers Christopher Placek, Elisabeth Mistretta and Marco Santana contributed to this report.