Aurora municipal filings open Monday

Candidates for Aurora mayor and six of the city's 12 aldermanic seats can begin filing nominating petitions this morning in preparation for the April 7 election - and a possible February primary.

The Aurora Election Commission, 77 S. Stolp Ave., will open at 9 a.m. for candidates hoping to be first on the ballot in their respective races.

Commission director Linda Fechner said candidates must file between today and 5 p.m. Dec. 15.

If five or more candidates file for any one seat, it will necessitate a Feb. 24 primary to thin the field for that seat to no more than four candidates in advance of the April 7 general election, she said.

The eight incumbents whose terms expire in April include Mayor Tom Weisner, Alderman at Large Robert O'Connor, Second Ward Alderman Juany Garza, Fourth Ward Alderman Rick Lawrence, Seventh Ward Alderman Scheketa Hart-Burns, Eighth Ward Alderman Rick Mervine, Ninth Ward Alderman Leroy Keith and Tenth Ward Alderman Lynda Elmore.

Each of the terms, except for Mervine's seat, are for four years. The Eighth Ward seat is only a two-year term because Mervine was appointed in May 2008 to fill an unexpired four-year term.