For some suburbs, the mayor's office is the election's focus

Voters in Naperville will be electing a new mayor Tuesday - replacing the ebullient George Pradel, who has been the unabashed cheerleader of the state's fourth-largest city for 20 years.

Also in next week's election, Elgin voters will choose between a second term for Mayor David Kaptain or turning over the reins to the man who would become the city's first Hispanic to win its top elected post.

Voters in Buffalo Grove, Oak Brook, Campton Hills, Volo, Pingree Grove and Lily Lake also will be making choices about their mayors or village presidents. Several other local mayors are running unopposed.

Here is a breakdown of contested races in the suburbs:

Naperville

Pradel will be replaced by one of four candidates: Steve Chirico, Jim Haselhorst, Doug Krause and Marty Walker.

Chirico and Krause are council members giving up their seats to run for mayor.

Krause, a 67-year-old real estate broker, is dean of the city council at 26 years. He touts his experience making decisions during two recessions and serving on roughly 40 boards and commissions.

Chirico, a 54-year-old business owner who has been on the council four years, says he is committed to responsible economic development and taking a measured approach to city policies.

Haselhorst, a 55-year-old dental practice manager, says he would focus on improving the city's economic health and public safety from problems such as heroin overdoses and a rowdy night scene.

Walker, a 62-year-old retired firefighter, says he has the time to devote to the job and would preserve Naperville's high quality of life.

Elgin

Mayor David Kaptain and challenger Joseph Galvan have sparred on leadership style, Latino involvement in the community, economic development and support for the arts.

Kaptain, 67, says his six years on the council and four years as mayor make him the best candidate to continue leading Elgin. He vows to strengthen education through a local collaborative and build the city into a destination with art, entertainment and better use of the city's riverfront.

Kaptain said his challenger doesn't have the local government experience necessary to lead the city of 110,000.

Galvan, a 58-year-old housing and development expert, has not served locally but is on the board of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois and a past regional director for the Midwest region of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

He says he would be a stronger leader than Kaptain and bridge the gap between government and the majority of residents, including Hispanics, who are 44 percent of Elgin's population. Galvan is the grandson of Mexican immigrants.

Buffalo Grove

A downtown development proposal that was pulled before the Buffalo Grove village board could vote on it still is making its mark on the campaign for village president.

Trustee Beverly Sussman, who is challenging Village President Jeffrey Braiman's re-election bid, was a vocal opponent of a $320 million plan that would have created condominiums, entertainment venues, retail and office buildings, and dozens of acres of open space.

Sussman, a retired educator who has been on the village board since 2009, opposed the plan because it would have been built on a floodplain and would have placed a large supermarket on a quiet street near homes and a church.

Braiman, a 62-year-old attorney who has been on the board since 1991 and is seeking his second mayoral term, didn't get to cast a vote on the plan, but said it was important to not shoot it down outright.

He said the proposal was worth considering because it could have generated between $5 million and $8 million in sales taxes each year.

Oak Brook

Property taxes are on the minds of Oak Brook Village President Gopal Lalmalani and his two challengers, Natalie Cappetta and Mark Moy.

Lalmalani is a 65-year-old cardiologist who says he would not increase taxes nor create a property tax if elected to another 4-year term.

His challengers also oppose creation of a municipal property tax, something Oak Brook never has had, replying instead on sales taxes from Oakbrook Center mall.

Cappetta is a 49-year-old attorney and member of the village's zoning board of appeals who grew up in Oak Brook. She says her knowledge of the town's past gives her a unique perspective and she aims to maintain Oak Brook's suburban character.

Moy is a 65-year-old retired emergency room physician and village board member who said he would bring dedication and fiscal responsibility to the village's top post.

Campton Hills

Patsy Smith, the only village president during the village's eight-year history, is seeking another term. But she'll have to do it as a write-in candidate against a trustee whose name will appear on the ballot.

Smith faces a challenge from Trustee Harry Blecker. Smith and a four-person majority, which includes Blecker, often have been at odds. A lawsuit was filed against the write-in candidacies of Smith and three others, but it was dismissed.

Smith, a 48-year-old office manager, says she has the best experience for the position and will continue to focus on the village's finances.

Blecker, a 68-year-old salesman, says he would preserve the village's semirural quality of life and minimize the effects of future development.

Volo

Two men are vying to become the second village president elected in Volo.

Trustee Stephen Henley, 65, is facing off against political newcomer Zach Steffens, 38, to replace outgoing Village President Burnell Russell.

Russell was Volo's first elected village president when the community incorporated in 1993. He's remained in the post ever since.

Henley, the executive director of Marvel Capital LLC, said bringing Lake Michigan water to the village is the biggest issue in the next four years. Steffens, owner and operator of a Culver's restaurant in Palatine, said bringing in more retail and adding a parks program are his top priorities.

Pingree Grove

Village President Greg Marston and the board's longest tenured trustee, Steve Wiedmeyer, are candidates in a two-way race for the village's top seat. Challenger Patrick Whalen dropped out.

Marston, 44, has been village president since 2011 and says he wants to keep the village on a path of fiscal responsibility, transparency and prudent growth.

Wiedmeyer, a trustee since 1996, said his experience running a business and helping the town grow make him the best candidate.

Lily Lake

The race for village president in Lily Lake pits eight-year incumbent Jesse Heffernan against challenger Mike Carlson.

Carlson is calling for increased financial transparency and elimination of the code enforcement officer, while Heffernan said the small town's finances are an open book - in the red so far but facing challenges because of the closure of Lily Lake's only gas station.

• Daily Herald staff writer Lee Filas contributed to this report.