Dist. 11 candidates pick up the pace on final week

Candidates vying for the Lake County Board's 11th District seat are using this last week before the Nov. 4 election to shake hands, meet voters, and get their message out.

Incumbent Terese Douglass, a Republican from Grayslake, said she has been knocking on doors urging everyone to vote to ensure they have a voice in the process.

"This is really going to be an interesting year," Douglass said about the election. "A lot of people I've met seem to be down on their luck or struggling to make ends meet because of the economy. Voting is one way to make a difference."

Challenger Pat Carey, a Democrat from Grayslake, said she is stressing to voters she will be available and should be held accountable for the campaign promises she makes to voters.

"I tell people when I go door to door that people can hold me accountable if I'm elected," Carey said. "When I stand there and say I will work on an issue, and if I'm in office for a couple of months and should nothing happen, they should call me and ask me what's going on with their issue."

Carey is a former mayor of Grayslake who is trying to return to public office after stepping down from politics in 2001.

She is facing off against the incumbent Douglass, who was appointed to the county board in 2007 to replace Sandy Cole after she was elected to the Illinois legislature.

District 11 includes Grayslake and Gages Lake, and portions of Waukegan and Gurnee.

Douglass admitted it's a tough year for Republicans because Democratic Sen. Barack Obama is making a push to become president.

However, she said, as long as she gets her statement out to voters, she feels she will do all right Tuesday. "At the county level, there really is no partisanship because we represent the people at such a local level," she said. "One of the things elected officials need to do is keep an eye on how we are spending taxpayer dollars. We need to continue to keep the budget balanced while continuing to supply the services people need."

Carey said she is listening to the people in her district and hoping for a return to elected office.

"I'm looking forward to getting back involved in public service," she said.