Incumbent Helmer holds big lead in Prospect Heights mayoral race

With 6 of 11 precincts reporting, Prospect Heights Mayor Nick Helmer is leading by a wide margin in his re-election bid being challenged by Ward 2 Alderman Larry Rosenthal.

With unofficial returns from the reporting precincts, Helmer had 419 votes or 73.4 percent of the total to Rosenthal's 152.

Helmer, 76, is seeking his third term as mayor, saying he wants to build on the successes of his first eight years in office.

Those included pulling Prospect Heights out of the financial morass that had the city laying off police officers, trimming work hours for other employees and operating city hall only four days a week.

He also touted his administration's ongoing work on flood relief projects, the creation of events like Run the Runway at the Chicago Executive Airport and efforts to make city government more accessible to residents.

Rosenthal, 80, was making a bid for mayor after serving four years as alderman from the city's 2nd Ward.

A onetime school board president in Skokie, Rosenthal said he hoped to get residents more involved in decision-making process of the city council and "create and insure an atmosphere of transparency" in city government.

Rosenthal also suggested a referendum might be necessary to secure funding needed to address flooding that has plagued parts of the city. Helmer, wary of voters' rejection of a home rule referendum in November, suggested the city instead fund flood relief first through the sale of property and tax increment financing district money.