advertisement

Olson leaving DuPage board; Democratic primary in one district

The last day of filing for the spring primary brought several surprises Monday, including the announced departure of a longtime DuPage County Board member and news that there will be a rare contested Democratic race.

A week after submitting her nominating petitions to seek re-election, county board member Debra Olson said she’s going to step down from the board Dec. 14 to become executive director of the DuPage Homeownership Center.

“It’s a tough decision because I love being on the county board,” said Olson, who has served on the board since 2002. “I love this work.”

But after giving it serious thought, Olson said she decided to accept the full-time position at the nonprofit organization, which provides a range of counseling services to promote responsible homeownership. The Wheaton resident has been volunteering since April as the center’s unpaid interim executive director.

“My passion has gone more and more in this direction,” Olson said of helping first-time homebuyers and homeowners in crisis. “It’s the right thing for my family, and it’s the right thing for this time of my life.”

Word of Olson vacating her District 4 seat resulted in two Republican challengers entering the primary. Christopher Edwards of Glen Ellyn and Amy Grant of Wheaton will vie for three district seats on the board along with incumbents JR McBride and Grant Eckhoff.

In the meantime, board Chairman Dan Cronin will have to appoint someone to complete Olson’s term, which ends Nov. 30, 2012.

The other surprise Monday was that there will be a Democratic primary on March 20 to determine who will run in the fall for county board District 6.

Incumbent Dirk Enger — one of three Democrats on the county board — will be joined in the primary race by Terrell Barnes of Roselle and Bartlett residents Dave Barry and Lauren Nowak.

The Republican contenders for District 6 will be incumbent board members Jim Zay and Robert Larsen, plus David J. Sabathne of West Chicago, Kevin Wiley of West Chicago and Tom Sutton of Wayne.

The decision by District 2 incumbents Jeff Redick and Pat O’Shea not to seek re-election has nine Republican candidates competing in the county’s most crowded primary race. The GOP challengers are Mike Loftus of Lisle; Lombard Trustee Zachary Wilson; Rafael Rivadeneira of Elmhurst; Sean Noonan of Elmhurst; Elmhurst Mayor Pete DiCianni; Jim Long of Downers Grove; Charles Mueller of Elmhurst; and Oak Brook Trustee Elaine Zannis. Brien Sheahan of Elmhurst is the only incumbent in the race.

In District 3, incumbents Brian Krajewski, John Curran and Michael McMahon will be in a seven-person GOP primary race that includes Woodridge Trustee Greg Abbott, retired DuPage Judge Ken Moy of Hinsdale, Joe Wozniak of Naperville and Gary Grasso of Burr Ridge.

The GOP primary race for District 5 will have board members James Healy and John Zediker and Lisle Trustee Ed Young, former Naperville Councilman Richard “Dick” Furstenau, Naperville resident Patty Gustin and Aurora residents Paul Santucci and Tonia Khouri.

It doesn’t get any easier for two incumbent Republicans on the forest preserve board.

District 4 incumbent Michael Formento of Glen Ellyn faces a primary challenge from Tim Whelan of Wheaton. And three Republicans have decided to challenge District 5 incumbent Carl Schultz. The Aurora resident will face Thomas Althoff of Lisle and Naperville residents Mary Lou Wehrli and Charles Schneider.

In forest preserve District 6, four Republicans are hoping to claim the seat being vacated by Commissioner Roger Kotecki. They are Kory Atkinson of Roselle; Pete Connolly of Wayne; Al Murphy of West Chicago; and Art Pierscionek of Bartlett.

Who’s running for office in DuPage County

DuPage County State’s Attorney

Republican: *Robert Berlin

Democrat: None

Clerk of the Circuit Court

Republican: *Chris Kachiroubas

Democrat: Ralph Scalise

DuPage County Auditor

Republican: *Bob Grogan

Democrat: None

DuPage County Coroner

Republican: Richard Jorgensen

Democrat: None

DuPage County Recorder

Republican: *Fred Bucholz

Democrat: None

DuPage County Board

District 1 (Pick 3)

Republican: *Donald Puchalski, Salvatore “Sam” Tornatore and *Paul Fichtner

Democrat: Thomas Michael Castillo, Maria DeAngelis-Vesey and *Rita Gonzalez

District 2 (Pick 3)

Republican: Sean T. Noonan, *Brien Sheahan, Peter “Pete” DiCianni, Rafael Rivadeneira, Zachary Wilson, Mike Loftus, Jim Long, Elaine Zannis and Charles Mueller

Democrat: Elizabeth Chaplin

District 3 (Pick 3)

Republican: *Brian Krajewski, *John Curran, *Michael McMahon, Ken Moy, Greg Abbott, Gary Grasso and Joe Wozniak

Democrat: Sharon E. Bryant

District 4 (Pick 3)

Republican: *Jerry “JR” McBride, *Grant Eckhoff, Amy Grant and Christopher Edwards

Democrat: Charles Ditchman, Dan Bailey

District 5 (Pick 3)

Republican: Paul Santucci, Patricia “Patty” Gustin, Richard “Dick” Furstenau, Ed Young, Tonia Khouri, *John Zediker and *James Healy

Democrat: Tony Michelassi

District 6 (Pick 3)

Republican: Tom Sutton, *Robert Larsen, Kevin R. Wiley, *Jim Zay and David Sabathne

Democrat: *Dirk Enger, Terrell Barnes, Dave Barry and Lauren Nowak

DuPage County Forest Preserve

District 1 (Pick 1)

Republican: Marsha Murphy

Democrat: Michael Braun

District 2 (Pick 1)

Republican: *Joe Cantore

Democrat: None

District 3 (Pick 1)

Republican: *Linda Painter

Democrat: Steve Leopoldo

District 4 (Pick 1)

Republican: *Michael “Mike” Formento and Tim Whelan

Democrat: Robert Flesvig

District 5 (Pick 1)

Republican: Charles Schneider, Mary Lou Wehrli, *Carl Schultz and Thomas Althoff

Democrat: Dennis Clark

District 6 (Pick 1)

Republican: Al Murphy, Kory Atkinson, Arthur Pierscionek and Pete Connolly

Democrat: Shannon Burns

* denotes incumbent

State legislature

41st House

Republicans: Darlene Senger of Naperville

42nd House

Democrats: William Adams of Wheaton

Republicans: Chris Hage of Wheaton, Jeanne Ives of Wheaton, Laura Pollastrini of Carol Stream, Dave Carlin of Naperville

45th House

Democrats: JoAnn Franzen of Roselle

Republicans: Dennis Reboletti of Elmhurst

46th House

Democrats: Deborah Conroy of Elmhurst

Republicans: John Humes of Addison, Daniel Kordik of Villa Park

47th House

Republicans: Patti Bellock of Hinsdale

48th House

Republicans: Sandra Pihos of Glen Ellyn

49th House

Republicans: Mike Fortner of West Chicago

77th House

Democrats: Kathleen Willis of Addison

Republicans: Angelo “Skip” Saviano of Elmwood Park

81st House

Republicans: Deborah Boyle of Downers Grove, Ron Sandack of Downers Grove

84th House

Democrats: Alex Arroyo or Aurora, Stephanie Kifowit of Aurora, Ken Maurice of Aurora, Carole Cheney of Aurora

Republicans: Patricia Fee of Naperville

21st Senate

Republicans: Michael Connelly of Lisle

23rd Senate

Republicans: Carole Pankau of Itasca, Randy Ramey of Carol Stream

Democrats: Greg Brownfield of Bartlett, Thomas Cullerton of Villa Park, Kevin Allen of Addison

24th Senate

Democrats: A. Ghani of Oak Brook

Republicans: Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, Chris Nybo of Elmhurst

25th Senate

Democrats: Corinne Pierog of St. Charles, Steven Hunter of Geneva

Republicans: Dave Richmond of Batavia, Richard Slocum of Sugar Grove, Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove

39th Senate

Democrats: Don Harmon of Oak Park

41st Senate

Republicans: Christine Radogno of Lemont, Duane Bradley of Lemont

42nd Senate

Democrats: Linda Holmes of Aurora

Republicans: Peter Hurtado of Plainfield

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.