Challengers take on city council incumbents in Elmhurst, West Chicago

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of a Ward 7 candidate in West Chicago.

The close of candidate filing has set the stage for contested races for city council seats throughout DuPage County. Here’s a rundown of some matchups in two cities:

Elmhurst

The following candidates are running for city council seats next spring: Brian Belanger and Imran Ali in Ward 1; incumbent Jacob Hill and Kevin Kirby in Ward 2; incumbent Chris Jensen and Onkar Sangha in Ward 3; Mike Baker and Robert “Bobby” Fontana in Ward 4; and Daniel Virgil and Adam Park in Ward 5. Incumbents Emily Bastedo and Michael Brennan are the only candidates in Ward 6 and Ward 7, respectively.

Meanwhile, Mayor Scott Levin is vying for a second term against challenger Mark Mulliner, a former 7th Ward alderman.

West Chicago

In Ward 1, city council member Lori Chassee faces Julieta Alcantar-Garcia.

Incumbent Heather Brown is being challenged by Domingo Rodriguez in Ward 2.

Christine Dettmann is seeking another term against Donna Santiago and Denise Carreto-Muñoz in Ward 3.

Incumbents Sandy Dimas and Christopher Swiatek have no opponents in the fourth and fifth wards, respectively.

Sitting council member Jeanne Short and Carlos Avina Soto are squaring off in Ward 6.

Incumbent John Banas is running against Micheal Flood, Mirza Baig and Matthew Myers in Ward 7, which contains DuPage Airport.

Mayor Ruben Pineda is poised to face two challengers: Daniel Bovey and Joseph Sheehan. Pineda became West Chicago’s first elected Hispanic mayor more than a decade ago. Sheehan is the owner of Kerry Farms. Bovey, a pastor of a bilingual church and a 25-year-resident, has been locked in a lengthy dispute with the city over his family’s backyard geodesic dome greenhouse.