Contested mayoral races in Elmhurst, Lombard take shape on first day of candidate filing

As members of the electoral college cast ballots to affirm Joe Biden's presidential victory, another local election season kicked off Monday with mayoral hopefuls across DuPage County officially launching their candidacies.

The start of candidate filing for most of the county's elected posts already has produced contested mayoral races in Elmhurst and Lombard.

Candidates for mayoral, village board, city council, school board, library board and park board seats can file nominating petitions through Dec. 21.

Here's an early look at who's running in some of the top races:

Elmhurst

Voters will choose from at least three candidates to decide the race for the city's next mayor. The mayoral field as of Monday includes Ward 3 Alderman Michael Bram, Ward 5 Alderman Scott Levin and Ward 7 Alderman Mark Mulliner.

In the city's 1st Ward, Jennifer Veremis, Susan Smentek and Kevin Flanagan are vying for a two-year aldermanic seat while incumbent Alderman Martha "Marti" Deuter is seeking another four-year term. Veremis was appointed to her vacant city council seat in July.

In other council races, incumbent Jacob Hill is facing a challenge from Tristan Dacre for the Ward 2 aldermanic seat. Nektarious Arvanitis is running to represent Ward 3. Brian P. Cahill filed to retain the Ward 4 seat he's held since his appointment in July. Incumbent Tina Park filed in Ward 5; Yeena Yoo, Emily Bastedo and Peter M. Dabertin in Ward 6; and incumbent Michael Brennan in Ward 7.

Glen Ellyn

The full slate of candidates who secured the Glen Ellyn Civic Betterment Party nomination in a caucus-style primary earlier this month turned in nominating paperwork to the village clerk's office Monday.

The party's nominee for village president is Mark Senak, a sitting trustee and attorney. Former Trustee Pete Ladesic says he's also planning to run for village president independent of the party system that's held influence over local politics since 1931.

In 2015, Ladesic, a homebuilder, won a third term on the village board without the Civic Betterment backing, duplicating a feat he first pulled off 12 years prior.

The party-backed candidates for the three trustee seats up for election in April are incumbent Gary Fasules and two newcomers, Anne Gould and Kelly Kalinich. Library board candidates Susan Stott, Eric Mickle and Maryanne Deaton round out the party's slate.

Lombard

Keith Giagnorio will have to fend off at least one challenger in his bid for a third term as village president. Trustee Reid Foltyniewicz is vying to unseat Giagnorio.

Three trustee candidates also filed Monday: Bradley Hanewall and Aaron Carlson in District 1; and Bob Bachner in District 6.

The seats in Districts 1, 3 and 6 will be on the ballot.

Carol Stream

Rick Gieser and Matt McCarthy are seeking reelection to the village board. Jeff Berger, Erik Crawford and Thomas Garvey also filed to run for trustee seats.

Lisle

A slate of candidates led by incumbent Mayor Christopher Pecak filed to put their names on the ballot.

Joining Pecak on the slate are two trustee candidates - William Trussell and Dan Grecco - as well as village clerk contender Lorna Turner.

Pecak captured his first mayoral term after upsetting longtime incumbent Joe Broda in the April 2017 election.

This spring, Kristy Grau, another village clerk candidate, is running as an independent.

Warrenville

David Brummel is seeking a fifth term as mayor. Brummel was first elected mayor in 2005.

Aldermen Bill Weidner, Kathryn Davolos and Clare Barry are all running again to represent Wards 2, 3 and 4. Jay Anderson, a recent appointee to fill a Ward 1 vacancy, has filed for a four-year term as alderman.

Julie Clark launched her bid to replace City Clerk Emily Larson, who is stepping down from the position.

West Chicago

Most of the city's first-day filers were incumbents. Mayor Ruben Pineda is seeking a third term.

For the city council races, the incumbents running again include Lori Chassee in Ward 1; Heather Brown in Ward 2; Sandy Dimas in Ward 4; Christopher Swiatek in Ward 5; and Jeanne Short in Ward 6.

In Ward 3, Christine Dettman is vying to replace Michael Ferguson, who is not running for reelection.

Winfield

Trustee Carl Sorgatz is running for village president. Sorgatz has been a trustee since 2015, and he's been often at odds with current Village President Erik Spande over downtown Winfield redevelopment.

Spande said in September that he was not seeking reelection after serving eight years as village president and two as trustee.

Trustee Don Longacre is seeking a second term. Newcomers Debra Piscola and Dan Janowick also have announced their trustee candidacies.

Aurora

In Aurora, two challengers, Alderman Judd Lofchie and John Laesch, will take on incumbent Mayor Richard Irvin in the April election, a field that came into focus when the city's weeklong filing period ended last month.