Election board members brace for their removal

The chairman of the DuPage Board of Election Commissioners says it’s simply a matter of time before he and his fellow board members lose their jobs.

J.P. “Rick” Carney’s prediction comes as the person responsible for appointing the three-person panel is preparing to fill a number of vacancies and expired seats on boards and commissions throughout the county.

Carney noted county board Chairman Dan Cronin hasn’t yet made a move to reappoint the commission’s longest- serving member, Democrat Jeanne McNamara, who first was appointed to the board in 1976. Her 3-year term expires on Jan. 29. And Republican Charlotte Mushow, appointed in 1999, has been serving for a year on an expired term.

Carney said he believes McNamara, Mushow and he will be replaced by the time his term ends next January.

“I think all three commissioners should be replaced,” said Carney, a Wheaton Republican who has been on the commission since 2005. “Then, whatever plan Mr. Cronin has for the election commission can be carried out. I think he has some overall plan that we fall into in some way.”

On Wednesday, Cronin stopped short of saying that every election commissioner will be replaced. But he said it might be time “to consider some new people.”

“I made a commitment to the voters that we were going to take the county in a new direction,” said Cronin, who is responsible for nominating indivduals to 53 different boards and commissions. They include fire protection districts, sanitary districts and the DuPage Airport Authority.

Unlike the other panels, though, Cronin doesn’t need county board approval to appoint someone to the election commission, which was formed in 1974. Under state law, both political parties must be represented on the panel, but Republicans hold two of the three seats.

“It’s important to have the very best at the election commission,” Cronin said. “I believe that bringing in people with a fresh perspective is valuable. And I have been planning and have been researching and have been intending to address the election commission since the day I was elected.”

Cronin said he is holding off on making various appointments until after a comprehensive review of two dozen specific boards and commissions — including the election commission — has been completed.

“Once I make an appointment, the process for removal is not very well defined,” Cronin said. “There would have to be some egregious behavior.

“So I want make sure I do it (the appointments) right,” he added.

The public accounting and consulting firm of Crowe Horwath LLP is expected to provide a report to the county within the next two months. Officials then will explore ways to improve efficiency, streamline operations, share services and possibly consolidate agencies.

DuPage is unique in Illinois with a countywide election commission. As part of its responsibilities, the commission organizes, executes and documents all of the elections occurring within its boundaries.

Replacing board members won’t change the way the bipartisan agency operates, Carney said. “The election commission is always going to work the way it has because it’s regulated by federal law,” he said.

Election commissioners are paid $27,500 a year. McNamara and Mushow also receive health insurance. Carney doesn’t get health insurance and eliminated that perk for future members after he joined the board. He also ended pension benefits for commissioners in November 2005, but McNamara still will get a pension.