Naperville mayor's race likely starting with February primary
The race to replace George Pradel as mayor of Naperville looks like it will begin Feb. 24 with a primary to knock one of five candidates off the ballot before the April general election.
The mayor's race already had four candidates - the maximum that can appear on the general election ballot April 7 - after the first day of filing Nov. 17. So when Matthew J. Dubiel filed Monday afternoon, the contest hit the magic number to trigger a primary.
Assuming all five candidates remain on the ballot, the race for mayor will feature Dubiel, city council members Steve Chirico and Doug Krause, dental office manager James Haselhorst and retired firefighter and Exchange Club official Marty Walker.
Dubiel was the only mayoral candidate to file Monday, but five more candidates filed to run for eight available seats on city council.
Stephen M. Purduski, Rebecca Boyd-Obarski, Becky Anderson Wilkins, Kevin M. Gallaher and Steve Peterson all joined the council race Monday, bringing the total number of candidate seeking the eight seats to 20. There will not be a primary for the council race because that would have required 33 candidates.
Four of the council candidates are incumbents: Joseph McElroy, Paul Hinterlong, David Wentz and Judith Brodhead. Dick Furstenau and Gallaher are former council members.
Others who filed last week to run for city council include Robert Hajek, Harry Thomas O'Hale, James Bergeron, Patricia Gustin, Wayne Floegel, John Krummen, Nancy J. Marinello, Bill Eagan, Kevin Coyne and John J. Colletti.
With the filing period complete, the city now can hold lotteries to select the candidates whose names will appear first and last on the ballot. City Clerk Pam LeFeber said the lotteries will take place during the first week of December but the exact date has not yet been set.
Candidates who were in line before the first day of filing began Nov. 17 will be in the lottery for the first ballot position, while those who filed within the last hour of the final filing day Monday are in the running to appear last.