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4 write-ins crowd once-uncontested Libertyville trustee race

It was almost only one candidate for Libertyville village board after another chose not to run

When one of three incumbents decided not to run for another term as a Libertyville trustee, it was assumed a businessman who had expressed interest in the village board would enter the race.

The would-be candidate gathered the required signatures to run for office but reconsidered the time commitment of elected office and opted not to submit the paperwork. With the filing deadline past and only incumbents Donna Johnson and Scott Adams officially on the ballot, Mayor Terry Weppler scouted for someone to round out the field as a write-in candidate.

The choice was Peter Garrity, a retired executive with Snap-on Inc. and longtime village resident who announced his candidacy Jan. 10. But he was not the first to go the write-in route.

Though she didn't alert the media, Angela Trillhaase, an IBM executive and restaurant co-owner, was qualified as a candidate by the Lake County clerk a few days before Garrity.

About a month later, Thomas Beyer, an investment executive with National Securities who describes himself as a "regular guy," became the third write-in. The next day, Bethany Williams, a research analyst with the Lake County Workforce Investment Board, became write-in number four.

Now, the field of six candidates for three 4-year seats could be considered somewhat crowded, despite a lack of burning issues. Of the write-ins, only Trillhaase has experience on an elected body, and that was limited. In 1996, she was appointed to the Mundelein village board but served less than a year. She chose not to run for the seat during the next election because of a job promotion.

Adams and Johnson can rely, in part, on name recognition, but the other candidates will need a different strategy. Since their names won't appear on the ballot, voters literally will have to remember and write in any they want to support.

"Two of them have their names on the ballot," Williams said. "That changes everything."

That's a much different scenario than in 2013, when Weppler as mayor and three village trustee candidates ran unopposed. He said he's happy about this year's candidate turnout.

"I think contested elections always are good on the local level. Issues get discussed," Weppler said. He theorized a deadline during the holiday season may have affected how many candidates filed to be on the ballot.

"I think it's going to be an unusual race with four candidates running as a write-in. It's not an easy campaign," he said. "I think it will be a lot harder. People need to know your name rather than check a box."

Garrity claims endorsements from Weppler, as well as former Mayor Duane Laska and Adams, who in August was chosen by Weppler to fill a village board vacancy.

"The huge issue is getting people to vote," Garrity said. "Issue number one is awareness." The 32-year resident cited "broad based" business experience and the time and desire to serve the community as his reasons for running.

"It's a good way to give back. As a democracy, we need more people running than we have spaces," said Trillhaase, who moved to Libertyville about seven years ago.

Beyer has lived in town 25 years. He said an extensive background in finance and not being "connected to the village board or endorsed by our current or former mayor" were among the reasons he was best for the job.

"I built my business and (am) an empty nester. I want to give back to the community a little bit," he said.

Williams said the makeup of governing bodies in Lake County doesn't seem to represent community demographics. She described herself as a "young professional woman and mom" who would be a "new voice" on the board.

"I think I have a background that lends itself to this type of work and it seemed like the time is now," she said.

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