DuPage candidates get early jump on filing

Simply getting up early wasn't good enough for Bob Grogan.

By the time the DuPage County Election Commission opened its doors 8 a.m. Monday for candidates to file for the March 20 primary, the DuPage auditor had spent an entire night holding his spot at the front of the line.

“I got here about 9:30 p.m. and started doing thank you cards for the people who signed my petitions,” said Grogan, who sat at a table and chair just outside the commission's office inside the county building.

Grogan's determination surprised County Court Clerk Chris Kachiroubas, who showed up around 4:30 a.m. Monday only to find out that he was third in line.

“I just want it to be done,” Kachiroubas said of the petition-filing process. “What it took in terms of resources and labor to get the signatures, I want them (election commission officials) to have the final product.”

More than 40 countywide, county board and forest preserve candidates filed their paperwork first thing Monday morning. While the filing period doesn't end until Dec. 5, it's already clear there will be contested Republican primary races in four of the six county board districts.

All 18 county board members are up for re-election because their district boundaries have been redrawn. There are three members for each district. Brien Sheahan is the only District 2 incumbent seeking another term on the board. A long list of other Republicans are targeting the seats that Jeff Redick and Pat O'Shea are vacating. The challengers who filed their nominating petitions Monday morning are: Mike Loftus of Lisle; Lombard Trustee Zachary Wilson; Rafael Rivadeneira of Elmhurst; Sean Noonan of Elmhurst; and Elmhurst Mayor Pete Dicianni.

If he becomes a county board member, Dicianni said he would continue serving as Elmhurst mayor.

“My goal is to do both if I win,” said Dicianni, adding that he would drop the pay he receives as mayor. County board members are paid about $50,000 a year. “I wouldn't double dip, but I enjoy the (mayor) position. I'd do it for free.”

The field of District 2 candidates is expected to grow. Jim Long of Downers Grove and Charles Mueller of Elmhurst have said they are planning to run.

District 3 incumbents Brian Krajewski, John Curran and Michael McMahon officially launched their re-election campaigns while two fellow Republicans also jumped into the primary fray.

“I came to the county to streamline processes out here, reduce costs and implement long-term fiscal discipline,” said Curran, a Woodridge resident. “We've taken many positive steps in that direction. But we have a ways to go, and I want to continue to work on these endeavors.” Woodridge Trustee Greg Abbott and retired DuPage Judge Ken Moy of Hinsdale also filed paperwork to enter the District 3 board race.

Moy, who served on the board from 1984 to 1996, said he wants to return because government has become too large. “We've got to consolidate and shrink it,” he said.

In District 5, incumbent board members James Healy and John Zediker will be challenged in the primary by Lisle Trustee Ed Young, former Naperville Councilman Richard “Dick” Furstenau, Naperville resident Patty Gustin and Aurora residents Paul Santucci and Tonia Khouri.

Young said he believes he's “uniquely qualified” to be a board member because of his background as a CPA and village trustee. “I think that's the kind of skill we need at this point in time,” he said.

Tony Michelassi of Aurora — one of the three incumbent Democrats on the board — is expected to file his petitions before the Dec. 5 deadline so he can seek re-election.

Democratic incumbent board member Dirk Enger is hoping to continue representing District 6. He was joined in line Monday by Republican incumbents Jim Zay and Robert Larsen.

Challenger Tom Sutton also entered the GOP primary race. The 52-year-old Wayne resident says the county has “needs that aren't being met.”

“We've got some problems with overspending,” Sutton said. “We also need to reduce regulation so we can get businesses back and get our construction and development back on track. So I'm hoping to get in there and work with the other board members to get that done.”

David Sabathne of West Chicago and Kevin Wiley of Bartlett both said they intend to run in the Republican primary in District 6 but haven't filed yet.