Schaumburg Township Democrats, GOP setting slates for April election

Former Republican state House candidate John Lawson will seek re-election as Schaumburg Township assessor in April, solidifying a GOP township slate that will feature mostly incumbents.

Both the Republican and Democratic organizations of Schaumburg Township will be holding caucuses the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 4 to determine their candidates in the April race.

Schaumburg Township Supervisor Mary Wroblewski said she and all her fellow Republican incumbents, except for Highway Commissioner Robert Fecarotta, have expressed interest in running again. Trustee Scott Kegarise has told her he’s considering running for Fecarotta’s post, which would leave the Republicans in need of a new trustee candidate, Wroblewski said.

Lawson likely will be the only candidate for assessor — a rare example of an elected office that requires an educational qualification. Wroblewsi said she had someone who’d agreed to take the six months of classes necessary to succeed Lawson, but that no longer will be necessary after his loss last week to Democratic incumbent Rep. Michelle Mussman for the 56th District state House seat.

The other incumbents who’ll seek re-election include trustees Diane Dunham, W. Robert Vinnedge and Jeffrey Mytych, Collector Brendan Seyring and Clerk Timothy Heneghan.

Schaumburg Township Republican Committeeman Ryan Higgins said he’s still pinning down an exact time and location for his party’s caucus. Though Schaumburg Township Republicans haven’t often used a caucus, Higgins said it’s less expensive to taxpayers than having a primary election in February.

The township’s Democrats have more regularly relied on a caucus system, but have less regularly been successful in getting candidates elected. But Democratic Committeeman Rocco Terranova said he’s encouraged by the showing of Democratic candidates in the suburbs last week.

“I feel that’s going to help us, I do,” Terranova said.

The Democrats’ caucus will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Schaumburg Park District’s Community Recreation Center, 505 N. Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg.

As there are no Democratic incumbents, Terranova said he likely won’t know who his candidates are until the caucus. He said there has been no one who’s volunteered to take the classes necessary to run for assessor.