Filing opens for Cook County offices, board
Today's kickoff of the Cook County election season became almost a social gathering for three incumbent members of the Cook County Board — Republicans Gregg Goslin of Glenview, who represents the 14th district; Timothy O. Schneider of Bartlett, 15th district; and Liz Gorman of Orland Park, 17th district.
The three office holders arrived after the county building opened at 6 a.m., eschewing the cold, predawn lines braved by representatives of other candidates.
Today is the first day of candidate filing for county offices, township committeemen and statewide offices. Filing closes on Monday, Dec. 2.
Cook County offices up for election this cycle are: county board president; county clerk; county treasurer; county sheriff; county assessor and three seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago board.
Cook Count Board district boundaries were redrawn prior to this election. See the districts at www.cookcountyclerk.com.
The Illinois primaries will be held on March 18, 2014; the general election is Nov. 4, 2014.
Goslin, Schneider and Gorman realized that everyone in line by 9 a.m. would have the same chance at the first ballot position for their race, but they did not want to take any chances.
“You never know if the car might break down or the traffic could be heavy,” said Schneider. “It's better to be safe than sorry.”
Commissioner Larry Rogers, whose 3rd district represents part of Chicago and the South suburbs, was the first to file.
“You don't want to talk with Number 10,” said Rogers, explaining the publicity factor makes lining up early worth it.
Number two to file was Commissioner Stanley Moore of the 4th district, who said his representatives went to the office building as early as 9 p.m. Sunday and took turns waiting outside throughout the cold night.
Michael Urban, from Elk Grove Village, filed this morning to run for the 15th district Democratic primary. He got to downtown Chicago about 5 a.m.
“The last three years I have been really involved with Cook County,” said Urban. “I have attended board meetings and heard about the jail system being overcrowded. I realized I need to step in.”
The clerk's office will hold lotteries on Dec. 10 to see who gets the first spot in races where more than one candidate filed at 9 a.m. today and the last spot for those who file between 4 and 5 p.m. on Dec. 2, the last day of filing.