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Eight file for soon-to-be crowded Elgin council race

One former councilman, one incumbent, one second-time candidate and two newcomers will be at the top of the ballot in the race for Elgin City Council. All five residents had their candidate petitions ready by 8 a.m. Monday to turn into Elgin City Clerk Kimberly Dewis, who will draw names for the ballot order Nov. 28.

Two other incumbents and another newcomer filed later in the day.

The Elgin City Council race is expected to be a crowded one. Candidates have until 5 p.m. Nov. 26 to file their petitions, which must include 73 signatures. Their names will be placed on the ballot in the order in which their petitions were submitted.

Among the crack-of-dawn filers, Terry Gavin, who was elected to the council in 1995 but lost re-election in 1999, is throwing his hat back into the ring. Gavin said there is a lack of taxpayer representation on the current council.

“They’re moving forward with their own agenda, which is to increase the size of government,” Gavin said.

Rosemarie Kahn and Mitchell Esterino are first-time council candidates. Kahn is an AT&T analyst who lives in the Providence neighborhood. She said she decided to run to represent the west side, where no current council member lives.

Esterino, a sales manager of office supplies, has been involved with volunteer work and served as a block captain downtown. His desire to step up that service motivated his run for the council.

Tom McCarthy, a limo driver, made his first bid for city government in 2011, when Anna Moeller and Tish Powell were elected to the council. He is the only candidate on the Cook County end of town, so far.

There are four, 4-year seats open and one, 2-year seat — McCarthy was the only candidate to file for the two-year seat first thing Monday morning, meaning his name will be at the top of the ballot for that office.

Micheal DeBrocke, a member of the 2002-2003 Elgin Area Leadership Academy class offered by the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce, was the only other candidate to file for the shorter term Monday, turning in his petition packet later in the day.

Councilmen Richard Dunne, Robert Gilliam and John Prigge are all up for re-election. Elgin’s 2010 Census count necessitates adding two new members to the council, which is why five positions are open. Dunne was the only incumbent to file first thing Monday morning, and he did so through his wife Judy as he continues work with FEMA in New York City after Hurricane Sandy.

Prigge and Gilliam both turned in their petition packets Monday, too, but not early enough to be in the lottery for the top spot on the ballot.

According to Dewis, 20 residents have picked up petitions from her office. If 17 file for the 4-year spots, it will trigger a primary election to be held Feb. 26. If five candidates file for the 2-year spot, that office will also need a primary.

The general election is scheduled for April 9.

  Judy Dunne signs the paperwork to make her husband’s re-election bid official at the city clerk’s office Monday morning. Christopher Hankins/chankins@dailyherald.com
  Elgin City Council candidates, including Mitchell Esterino, left, Rosemarie Kahn, Tom McCarthy and Terry Gavin wait outside the city clerk’s office at Elgin City Hall early Monday morning to file their election paperwork. Christopher Hankins/chankins@dailyherald.com
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