Candidates set for April 1 election in Palatine, Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg
Only voters in Palatine’s District 1 have a decision to make in the village’s April 1 municipal election, while incumbents in Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg essentially clinched new four-year terms Monday.
The weeklong period of candidate filing for potential Feb. 25 primaries in those three Northwest suburbs is over. Though no primaries were triggered, the book is now closed on additions to the April 1 ballots for those villages as well.
Palatine resident Greg Langer filed to challenge incumbent Tim Millar for the District 1 council member seat, while Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz and District 6 Council Member Brad Helms are unopposed for reelection.
Newcomer Joe Falkenberg filed for the District 4 council seat Greg Solberg recently stepped down from, while Zoe Lange filed for Palatine village clerk to succeed longtime incumbent Marg Duer who’s not seeking another term.
Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod is unopposed for a new term as are his fellow incumbents on the village board that include trustees Karen Mills, Karen Arnet and appointee Patrick Kinnane, as well as recently appointed Village Clerk Patty Richter.
In Schaumburg, the offices of mayor and village clerk are not up for election in the current cycle. But incumbent trustees Jack Sullivan, Jamie Clar and appointee Esha Patel are unchallenged for new four-year terms.
Eight candidates filed for four available seats on the Elgin City Council in the April election as well. Incumbents Corey Dixon, Dustin Good and Steve Thoren are joined by Diana Alfaro, Maggie Beyer, Cecilia Brooks, Erik Pena and Mark Smith. Current council member Carol Rauschenberger elected not to run for a fourth term.
The four municipalities require primaries when the number of candidates exceeds four times the number of seats for a position.
Such numbers occurred nowhere Monday, allowing the Feb. 25 primary to be skipped.
The candidate filing period for the general election among local governments without potential primaries is Nov. 12-18.
Along with municipalities, elections for school, park, library and fire protection districts as well as townships are also April 1.
• Daily Herald staff writers Rick West and Steve Zalusky contributed to this report.