Array of Fox Valley mayoral candidates unopposed
Perhaps Batavia residents just can’t imagine anyone but Jeff Schielke being their mayor.
Schielke is running unopposed for his ninth term in the April election.
After announcing his candidacy earlier this month, he moseyed in to city hall to file his petitions Wednesday, the last day candidates could do so.
Schielke, the longest-serving mayor in Kane County, is hardly the only mayoral candidate with an unimpeded path to re-election.
Also running unopposed are incumbents Dave Anderson in Elburn; Edward Ritter in Carpentersville; John Schmitt in Algonquin; Jim Hansen in South Elgin; Robert Nunamaker in Fox River Grove; Stephen Pickett in Sleepy Hollow; Rick Zirk in Gilberts; Kathleen Curtis in Maple Park; and Dale Berman in North Aurora.
Despite the apparent contentment with the status quo in much of the Fox Valley, there are some contested local races at the top of the ballot.
It appears the hottest race is on tap in St. Charles, where Jotham Stein, Alderman Raymond Rogina and John Rabchuk filed Dec. 17 to become mayor.
A fourth man, Jake Wyatt, announced a candidacy in early December. Neither he nor St. Charles officials could be reached Wednesday afternoon to confirm whether Wyatt actually filed nomination petitions.
Mayor Don DeWitte is stepping away after two terms. Stein ran against DeWitte in 2009.
In Geneva, Mayor Kevin Burns said he had not heard of anybody but Bob McQuillan running against him for re-election. Burns and McQuillan filed petitions Dec. 17. City administrative officials could not be reached to confirm this.
In Sugar Grove, Kevin Geary, a trustee, and Village President Sean Michels filed last week to duke it out for the top post. Michels said he hadn’t heard of any other people filing, and the village staff could not be reached for confirmation.
In East Dundee, Village President Jerald Bartels and Trustee Lael Miller both are running for the top job.
In Lake in the Hills, Trustee Paul Mulcahy and Bill Dustin, who unsuccessfully ran for trustee in 2009, are seeking to replace longtime village president Ed Plaza, who announced earlier this year he would not seek re-election.
In Cary, Trustee Bruce Kaplan and former Trustee Mark Kownick are running for village president.
Village President Tom Kierna is not seeking re-election. Kaplan was elected in 2011, when Kownick was unseated after being appointed in 2009.