Today is last day of election filing in 4 DuPage towns
Nominating petitions for the consolidated primary election are due by 5 p.m. today in four of DuPage County's largest towns.
Aurora, Downers Grove, Naperville and Wheaton require candidates for council and mayor to file during the primary filing period, which began last Monday.
A primary election appears most likely to happen in Naperville, where four candidates have already filed to replace George Pradel, who is stepping down after 20 years at the city's helm.
Primaries will occur in races in which more than four people file for one seat. The primary election, held in February, will narrow the field to four, in advance of the general election in April.
Here's how the races are looking so far:
Naperville
Four candidates have filed nominating petitions for the mayoral seat. If one more person files today for the post, a primary will be triggered.
Candidates for mayor include two sitting council members, Steve Chirico and Doug Krause, dental office manager James Haselhorst and retired firefighter Marty Walker.
Two other possible candidates have picked up nomination papers to run for mayor but had not filed as of Friday afternoon.
A total of 15 candidates have filed to run for the eight open council seats, including incumbents Paul Hinterlong, David Wentz, Judith Brodhead and Joseph McElroy.
Other candidates are former councilman Dick Furstenau, planning and zoning commissioners Patricia Gustin and Kevin Coyne, Naperville Park District board member Bill Eagan, Robert Hajek, Wayne Floegel, John Krummen, Harry Thomas O'Hale, Nancy J. Marinello, James "Jimmy" Bergeron and John J. Colletti.
A primary will occur if more than 32 people file for the council seats.
Wheaton
As of yet, Michael Gresk doesn't have anyone challenging him as he seeks his third term as Wheaton mayor.
Gresk was the only person to file his nominating papers when the filing period began at 9 a.m. last Monday morning.
Since then, only two people have filed for the two at-large city council positions that are up for grabs. That includes incumbent John Prendiville, who is seeking his third term, and Tony Lyons, a member of the city's environmental improvement commission.
Four other residents who picked up council packets are planning and zoning board member Suzanne Fitch, gopillinois.com founder David Diersen, Frank Hudetz and Ronald Almiron.
More than eight people would have to file for the at-large positions to trigger a primary.
Downers Grove
A total of six people have filed nomination petitions in Downers Grove.
Commissioner Geoff Neustadt is opting not to seek re-election and instead will challenge Mayor Martin Tully for the village's top spot.
Incumbent Commissioner Becky Rheintgen had filed to run for one of the three open commissioner seats, along with Patricia Murphy, Gina Vattimo and William Waldack.
Village officials said Sean Patrick Durkin, who currently holds a commissioner seat that is up for grabs, had picked up a packet but not filed as of Friday afternoon.
There will be a primary if more than 12 candidates file for commissioner.
Aurora
Of the six aldermanic seats that are open in Aurora, two represent the portion of the city located in DuPage County.
That includes an at-large seat - which only incumbent Richard C. Irvin has filed for - and the 8th Ward, where incumbent Rick Mervine and former Alderman Chris Beykirch will both be listed as candidates.
Other seats up for grabs include the alderman seats for the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 6th wards.
Appointed 1st ward Alderman Kristina Bohman has filed to run for the 1st Ward seat, along with Fred Collier.
In the 3rd Ward, incumbent Ted Mesiacos is the only candidate.
Four people are running to represent the 5th Ward, where Alderman John "Whitey" Peters said he will not seek re-election. Candidates include Steve Solarz, Carl Franco, Kevin Mathews and Deena Bess Sherman.
And in the 6th Ward, the only person to file is incumbent Michael B. Saville.