Dist. 302 candidates gearing up for election
The 2015 consolidated general election is still nearly eight months away, but school board candidates for Kaneland Unit District 302 are already gearing up for the biennial event.
Tuesday, Sept. 23, is the first official day prospective candidates may circulate nominating petitions for signatures for the April 7, 2015, school board election.
This will be the first year that local school districts will not be involved in the school board election process. Those duties have been moved from the school board secretary to the county clerk or county board of election commissioners, as required under a new state law that went into effect earlier this year. The Kane County Elections Office is located at 719 S. Batavia Ave., Building B (north entrance), Geneva, IL 60134; elections@co.kane.il.us, (630) 232-5990.
Candidates seeking information and forms should be referred to the county office responsible for the elections or to the Illinois State Board of Elections. The latter maintains a website that includes the 2015 Candidates' Guide: www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/ElectionInformation/PDF/2015CanGuide.pdf.
The following forms are needed from a candidate when filing:
• A Statement of Candidacy, signed and notarized;
• Nominating papers bearing the required number of signatures (each signature must have an address), and a notarized signature of the petition circulator;
• A receipt from the county clerk showing that the candidate has filed a Statement of Economic Interests before the day for filing, but with the year (2014). Note: Incumbents only need to provide a copy of the receipt from their required May 1, 2014, filing, unless they filed electronically;
• Loyalty Oath (this is optional)
Board member nominating papers must be filed with the county board or election commissioners, as the case may be, of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located. [105 ILCS 5/9-10]
• Monday, Dec. 15, is the first day that candidates may file these papers. Monday, Dec. 22, is the last day candidates may file. (Filings must be made not more than 113 or less than 106 days prior to the consolidated election.)
• Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014: Last day for candidates who have filed for two incompatible offices to withdraw from all but one of the offices with the local election official or election authority. (10 ILCS 5/10-7).
• Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014. Last day lottery shall be conducted by the local election official when two or more petitions are received simultaneously for the same office by more than one school board candidate.
• Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. Last day for local election official to certify candidates and the offices they are filing for to the election authority for the April 7, 2015, school board election (10 ILCS 5/10-15). This is also the last day candidates may file notarized papers withdrawing their nomination in the office of the local election official (10 ILCS 5/10-7).
• Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015. Last day a person may file a notarized Declaration of Intent to be a write-in candidate with the proper election authority or authorities (appropriate county clerk(s) and/or boards of election commissioners. Write-in votes shall only be counted for person(s) who have filed a Declaration of Intent. Write-in declarations are not filed with the State Board of Elections. (10 ILCS 5/17-16.1; 65 ILCS 5/3.1-25-20).
After the election, the county election authority has until April 28, 2015, to canvass the votes and proclaim results. A complete abstract of votes will be transmitted to each local official and the State Board of Elections.
More information regarding deadlines for candidates is available from the Illinois State Board of Elections calendar, which is also available online at www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/ElectionInformation/PDF/2015ElectionCalendar.pdf.
IASB posted its Annual School Calendar of legal dates and deadlines for 2014-2015 online at the end of August. Staff members proof the calendar for accuracy with the Illinois State Board of Elections calendar. IASB's calendar includes a PDF version that can easily be downloaded at www.iasb.com/pdf/cal_1415.pdf.