Lake County board, state races emerge on first day of filing
The first day of candidate filing for the March 2016 primary election revealed at least one pending political showdown in Lake County.
Republican hopefuls David Zipp and Judy Martini filed papers to run for the Lake County Board's 5th District seat on Monday. They were among about 20 candidates for various posts who waited for the Lake County clerk's office in Waukegan to open so they could make their campaigns official. More came in later in the day, officials said.
Democrats and Republicans running for Lake County's state House and Senate seats filed their paperwork in Springfield.
Candidates have until 5 p.m. Nov. 30 to file for the March 15 primary ballot. Winners go on to the Nov. 8, 2016, general election.
The county board's 5th District includes Fox Lake, Lakemoor, Volo and parts of Round Lake, Wauconda, Antioch and Lake Villa. Veteran incumbent Bonnie Thomson Carter, an Ingleside Republican, isn't running again, so the seat will be up for grabs.
A third Republican candidate for the seat is expected. Ingleside activist Denise Rotheimer has said she'll run, but she didn't file Monday.
Zipp is an attorney from Ingleside and a member of the Gavin School District 37 board. Martini is a former Lake County Board member who lives in Fox Lake and now serves on that town's planning commission.
Ingleside resident Gloria Charland was the lone Democrat who filed for the District 5 seat Monday.
Under Illinois law, candidates appear on the ballot in the order in which they file paperwork. Because Zipp and Martini both were in line before the clerk's office opened at 8:30 a.m., a Dec. 3 lottery will determine which name appears first.
Any candidates who submit paperwork for the same primary race between 4 and 5 p.m. on the last day of filing also will have ballot placement determined by lottery, Lake County Clerk Carla Wyckoff said.
The race for president will top the ballot in 2016. Contests for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, state Senate, state House, countywide office and county board will appear on the ballot, too, as well as other local offices.
A couple of legislative races with Lake County roots materialized Monday.
Republican state Rep. Sheri Jesiel of Winthrop Harbor filed for the 61st District seat, as did potential Democratic challenger Nick Ciko of Lindenhurst. Jesiel joined the legislature last year.
And state Sen. Melinda Bush, a Grayslake Democrat, faces a likely challenge from Gurnee Republican Michael Amrozowicz for the 31st District seat she's held since 2013.
Republican state Rep. Ed Sullivan Jr. of Mundelein isn't running for re-election to his 51st District seat. His choice for successor, Republican Nick Sauer of Lake Barrington, was the only candidate who filed for the state job Monday. Sauer is a Lake County Board member whose term there is up for election in 2018.
State Sen. Dan Duffy of Lake Barrington isn't seeking re-election in the 26th District, either. The only candidate who filed Monday for the seat was Republican Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods. Mettawa Mayor Casey Urlacher and Barrington Hills Village President Martin McLaughlin have said they're running for Duffy's job, but neither filed Monday.
Back at the clerk's office in Waukegan, the first candidate in line Monday was Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd, a Democrat in his first term who is seeking re-election. Rudd got to the county government center at 7 a.m.
"I didn't want to waste any time (filing) during the day," said Rudd, whose office generally opens at 8 a.m. "My fear was that there would be a long line."
Rudd is expecting a challenge from Republican Howard Cooper. Cooper ran in the GOP primary in 2012 and lost to Steve Newton. Rudd eventually beat Newton to win the post.
In addition to coroner, voters will decide races for Lake County state's attorney, recorder of deeds and circuit court clerk in 2016.
As for the county board, 14 of the panel's 21 seats are up for election. Seven seats will have 2-year terms and seven will have 4-year terms.
Thomson isn't the only county board member not seeking re-election. Highland Park Democrat Steve Mandel, who represents the 11th District, is bowing out after a single 4-year term.
Democrat Paul Frank, a Highland Park City Council member, filed for the seat Monday.