Jackson re-elected in Glendale Heights

Linda Jackson, the longest-serving village president in Glendale Heights history, vows to keep working to improve the village’s business climate during her next term at the helm.

Voters on Tuesday decided to keep Jackson in her position, despite challenges from former village Trustee Ed Pope and former Queen Bee Elementary District 16 school board member Marilyn Liwanag.

Jackson finished with 1,590 votes, Pope tallied 812 and Liwanag had 556, according to unofficial results.

Jackson, first elected village president in 2001 and previously appointed to the job in 1999, has overseen construction of a senior center and upgrades to the village’s sports hub and aquatic center. A new police department headquarters is now under construction.

“We’re going to keep working with the businesses, trying to bring in new development, communicate with the residents, and do the same things we have been doing,” Jackson said.

During the campaign, Pope, a village trustee for 10 years until he lost in the 2011 election, said he had been a part of the progress the village made and shared a similar vision to Jackson’s. But he said he would have been more aggressive in attracting new businesses to town. Liwanag, a school board member for 12 years, had said she would bring a “new vision” to the village.

In village board contests, Jackson’s slate of incumbents — Sharon Fonte, Chester Pojack and Mary Schroeder — withstood challenges in their respective district races.