Aurora set for primary to eliminate one mayoral candidate

Aurora will hold a primary election early next year to narrow its field of mayoral candidates from five to four.

The state's second-largest city will conduct the primary Feb. 28 because no more than four candidates are allowed to compete for a single council seat in the April 4 general election.

Four of the mayoral candidates - Linda Chapa LaVia, Rick Guzman, Richard Irvin and Mike Saville - have been campaigning for the seat since Tom Weisner announced he would step down before the end of his third term due to health concerns. His last day in office was Oct. 30.

A fifth mayoral candidate, Jose Luis Del Bossque, filed for the position Monday, triggering the need for the primary.

The first four candidates all filed their nominating petitions at the Aurora Election Commission at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21, which was the start of the weeklong filing period. A lottery will take place Wednesday to determine who will get the top spot on the ballot.

Del Bossque automatically will appear last on the ballot.

Chapa LaVia is a veteran of the Army and National Guard who has served as a state representative since 2003. Guzman has worked as assistant chief of staff in the mayor's office since 2011. Irvin is an at-large alderman who has been on the city council since 2007. Saville, a real estate agent, joined the council in 1985 and currently represents Ward 6 as alderman.

In addition to the race for mayor, nine candidates are running for the six aldermanic seats that are up for grabs in the April general election. Incumbents Juany Garza, William "Bill" Donnell, Scheketa Hart-Burns and Edward J. Bugg will run unopposed in wards 2, 4, 7 and 9, respectively.

Two candidates - incumbent Robert J. O'Connor and Matt Harrington - are running for the at-large seat.

The Ward 10 race will be the hottest aldermanic race, with three candidates: Keith Bradley, Judd Lofchie and Robert H. Paolicchi. Incumbent Lynne Johnson did not file for re-election.