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Early interest waning in northern Fox Valley races

Besides a trio of village president races and two for village trustee, there are no other contested races so far in the northern Fox Valley.

Monday marked the first day of filing for the upcoming municipal elections in the spring, but in most cases, people weren’t exactly breaking down the doors to get on the ballot.

In East Dundee, Village President Jerald Bartels and Trustee Lael Miller are each running for the highest office. While Bartels and Miller agree on most policy issues, Miller has been critical of Bartels’ leadership style and says he gets too involved in divisive personal issues, a claim Bartels has denied.

In neighboring West Dundee, Trustee Andy Yushka and political newcomer Chris Nelson are both on the ballot for village president to replace Larry Keller, who is not running again. Longtime Lake in the Hills Village President Ed Plaza is not seeking another term, and Trustee Paul Mulcahy and newcomer Bill Dustin are each vying to replace him.

Carpentersville Village President Ed Ritter, Algonquin Village President John Schmitt, Fox River Grove Village President Robert Nunamaker and Gilberts Village President Rick Zirk are unopposed through midday Monday.

No one had yet to submitted paperwork for village president in Huntley, Hampshire and Pingree Grove, although Chuck Sass in Huntley and Jeff Magnussen in Hampshire both said they will run.

The only contested races for trustee are ones for Lake in the Hills and Pingree Grove. Four candidates — three incumbents — are running for three seats in Lake in the Hills, while five people are running for three spots in Pingree Grove.

In Algonquin, incumbents Jerry Glogowski and Robert Smith are running for three available trustee seats. Cary Trustee Rick Dudek and political novice David Chapman signed up, leaving two seats open. No one has yet filed petitions in Sleepy Hollow.

Carpentersville Village Clerk Terri Wilde hopes the lack of interest on the first day of filing isn’t a strong indicator for the rest of the period.

She pointed out that in the 2011 municipal election only 846 people voted out of the 13,881 registered voters.

“Sometimes I think this (election) affects us more personally than the president because these people vote for our ordinances and our tax levy,” Wilde said.

Ÿ Daily Herald staff writer Tara Garcia Mathewson contributed to this story.

  East Dundee Village President Jerald Bartels files his election paperwork with Deputy Village Administrator Heather Maieritsch, who is also the acting village clerk. Bartels also submitted materials for Trustee Paul VanOstenbridge, who was out of town. Christopher Hankins/chankins@dailyherald.com
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