One more candidate enters Aurora council race

A new aldermanic candidate filed nominating petitions Tuesday to seek the 1st Ward seat in Aurora.

The post, held by appointed alderman Tina Bohman, did not draw any candidates Monday when the filing period opened for the spring municipal election.

But on Tuesday, Fred Collier filed petitions with the Aurora Election Commission to run for the position representing a section of northeast Aurora located completely in Kane County.

Collier joins eight other candidates who have filed to run for six available seats on the Aurora City Council.

The seats for the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 8th wards will be open next spring, as well as one of the two at-large aldermanic positions. Mayor Tom Weisner is not up for election.

Four of the nine hopefuls are incumbents trying to keep their seats. They are Rick Mervine in the 8th Ward, which is entirely in DuPage County; Richard C. Irvin for the at-large post; Ted Mesiacos in the 3rd Ward; and Michael B. Saville in the 6th Ward.

The other four all are running to represent the 5th Ward, where Alderman John "Whitey" Peters said he will not seek re-election. Candidates who have filed to run for Peters' seat are Steve Solarz, Carl Franco, Kevin Mathews and Deena Bess Sherman.

The filing period continues until 5 p.m. Monday at the Aurora Election Commission, 323 W. Galena Blvd. If more than four people file for any one aldermanic seat, it will trigger the need for a February primary to narrow the field to no more than four in the April 7 general election.