Suburban races turn up plenty of election-night oddities

Elections have a way of bringing out the truly goofy aspects of human nature, if not the best and the worst in both politicians and voters. So, with apologies to Marv Albert's Achievement Awards sports bloopers, cue up "12th Street Rag," here's "the wild and the wacky as compiled as always by our crack staff." Call it election news of the weird:

It's a tie, wouldn't you just know it? Pending provisional and late-arriving absentee ballots, the mayoral race in tiny Mettawa ended in a tie at 143 votes apiece between Jess Ray and incumbent Barry MacLean. It was as if the entire town got together like the parents at a kids' camp talent show and made sure the vote came out even so nobody's feelings would be hurt.

The case for online voting. The total turnout in Hanover Park was 2,465. Yet the 10 election stories, letters and editorials on the Daily Herald Web site elicited 1,633 comments, and throw in the related stories about the village board and the like and the total was more than 3,000. So much for the adage that if you don't vote you can't complain.

Political wisdom, Part One. Wauconda Mayor Salvatore Saccomanno accepted his loss to Trustee Mark Knigge gracefully by saying, "All good things come to an end. I am prepared to become John Q. Public once again."

Sour Grapes Award. Patrick Whalen lost his bid to become a four-year trustee in Pingree Grove, but won a seat on the Rutland Township board of trustees. "I don't care," he said. "I won the one I wanted to win."

I'm going to - Branson, Mo.? Palatine Mayor Rita Mullins didn't speak to reporters after the 20-year incumbent ran third in losing to Jim Schwantz. Her daughter said only that she was going away - not to Disneyland, but to Branson, Mo.

Something less than a plebiscite. Winfield Village President Rudy Czech lost his bid for re-election by running last in a four-candidate race with 196 votes, just a fraction of the 1,413 votes that put him in the mayor's seat in 2005.

The tipping point. The referendum for the Roselle Fire District tax levy was voted solidly thumbs-down in DuPage County, but passed when Cook County voters affirmed it by an even larger margin.

Political wisdom, Part Two. Round Lake Park Mayor Jean McCue explained her re-election by saying, "I was myself. I didn't lie. And I've lived here all my life." Not exactly Lincoln, but stately just the same.

Believe it - or not. McCue and newly elected Round Lake Mayor Jim Dietz are sister and brother.

Now that's a ringing - if hollow - rejection. All 12 municipalities and townships with advisory referendums on the Cook County 1 percent sales-tax hike voted against it.

Polls open, nobody home. One Kane County precinct found no votes cast in a Bartlett race, and one Island Lake precinct registered no votes at all.