Baldino with large lead in Arlington Heights trustee race
Write-in candidates Richard Baldino of Arlington Heights, Eleni Hatzis of Mount Prospect and Lawrence Schmidt of Streamwood were leading in their races for village board, the Cook County clerk's office said Wednesday.
The results are still unofficial as county election authorities have until Tuesday to certify results. The clerk's office received the last of any remaining mail-in ballots Tuesday, while all other ballots cast on Election Day and early votes have been counted, spokesman James Scalzitti said.
In Arlington Heights, Richard Baldino tallied 2,715 votes to 388 for Mark Walker, according to the unofficial results.
Both filed as write-ins in February amid controversy surrounding a social media post by then-trustee candidate Joe Favia, who later withdrew from the race in the face of public pressure.
"We had a lot of support and volunteers and would not have done anything without them," Baldino said Wednesday, adding that he is still awaiting results to be certified before declaring victory.
Baldino would be sworn in at the next village board meeting May 1 - the same night the board is scheduled to vote on opting out of Cook County's minimum wage and sick leave ordinances. Baldino said he hasn't yet taken a public position on the issues.
Among the three incumbent trustees whose names appeared on the ballot, Jim Tinaglia tallied 4,844 votes, Bert Rosenberg had 4,310 and Thomas Glasgow had 4,272, according to the unofficial results. Four 4-year seats were available.
In Mount Prospect, first-time candidate Eleni Hatzis had 747 votes, followed by longtime former trustee A. John Korn with 723 and newcomer Walter Szymczak with 393.
Only two names were on the ballot, even though there are three available 4-year spots. Incumbent Michael Zadel had 2,391 votes, and newcomer Bill Grossi had 2,190, according to unofficial totals.
Hatzis, who would be sworn in May 2, said running for office was a learning process - as much as it was telling voters how to correctly spell her name on the ballot. She says her top priorities are to bring more family-friendly businesses downtown and more economic development to the south side.
In the race for a 2-year term in Streamwood, Lawrence Schmidt had 140 votes to 126 for Rezwanul Haque.
If Schmidt holds his lead, he would be sworn in at the end of the old board's May 4 meeting.
Incumbents Michael Baumer, William Harper and William Carlson were unopposed in the race for three 4-year seats on the board.