Listen: La Grange Public Library Board Candidates Answer Questions

Blogged March 31—Incumbent La Grange Public Library trustee Caroline Coryell and non-incumbents John P. Reardon and Bridgette O'Connor give their opening statements and answer questions regarding homeless people in the library, and more, in this uncut audio of the Citizens' Council of La Grange candidates' forum held March 9 at La Grange Village Hall, 53 S. LaGrange Road. The three candidates are endorsed by the Citizens Council of La Grange and are running unopposed in the April 5 municipal election.

Signs of the Season

Blogged March 27—Like spring, the municipal election is cause for "growth" in La Grange and La Grange Park yards. While the photos here show a close-up of each party or candidates' sign, a drive around the villages shows varying combinations in clusters: Caucus village candidates with independent school board candidates; party village candidates with caucus school board candidates; caucus and independent candidates' signs side-by-side; and more. While there are four contested elections in the two villages—La Grange Park village board, School District 102 board, School District 204 board (LTHS), and Park District of La Grange board—the park district candidates were not represented in yard signs, according to a perusal of main and side thouroughfares in the two villages on March 25.

Want To Endorse A Candidate? Send a Letter to the Editor

Blogged March 21—La Grange Patch will publish letters of endorsement for candidates in the April 5 municipal election in the Letter to the Editor section. Letters will be accepted through Friday, April 1. Read the to-date Letters to the Editor here. Read how to submit a letter and what to do if you're a candidate, here.

Vote Early (But Not Often) At These Nearby Spots

Blogged March 15—Early voting for the April 5 municipal election of La Grange and La Grange Park officials began Monday and runs through March 31. All early voting sites are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays. Some locations are open Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m, according to the office of Cook County Clerk David Orr.

To vote early, bring a valid ID—which could be a current driver's license, state-issued ID card or another government-issued ID with a photograph—to one of the Cook County locations listed here. Below is a sampling of the locations, focusing on close proximity to La Grange and La Grange Park.

Video: Candidate Forum for Contested D102 School Board Race

Blogged March 11—The questioning of District 102 school board candidates during a forum held March 7 is available to view online, courtesy of LTTV, at this link. The forum, hosted and moderated by the League of Women Voters of the La Grange Area, invited the seven candidates running for four 4-year terms and one candidate running unopposed for a 2-year term. Race background: The District 102 Delegate Assembly endorsed three incumbents and two newcomers but one incumbent lost the endorsement by running for a different term than the one for which he was endorsed, and two incumbents have since declined campaign support from the DA. The three incumbents originally endorsed by the DA joined a coalition, Moving District 102 Forward, with fellow incumbents running for re-election. Delegate Assembly candidates: Matthew Scotty, Peter Daniels; both running for 4-year terms. Moving District 102 Forward candidates: incumbents Dawn Aubert, Joyce Easter Fitch, David May, Donald Sands and Peter Tiemeyer; all but Tiemeyer are running for 4-year terms; Tiemeyer is running unopposed for 2-year term. Kay L. Mautz is running independently for a 4-year term.

Meet La Grange Candidates at Village Hall

Blogged March 9—All are invited to the Citizens Council candidates forum at La Grange Village Hall, 53 S. LaGrange Road, moderated by Citizens Council chair Katie Justak. The Council, a nonpartisan resident group, endorsed candidates for the village and library boards, who are running uncontested. The Council's two candidates for the park district board face incumbent Park District of La Grange commissioner Brad Belcaster, who is running as an independent. The event begins at 7 p.m. on March 9 with a time for the public to meet candidates. Then, each candidate will be given two minutes for an opening statement, followed by a time to answer questions from the public and the Council, followed by a one-minute closing statement.

Candidates Forum For Contested D102 School Board Race

Blogged March 7—On the evening of March 7, voters can meet and hear from candidates running for seats on the La Grange School District 102 board, up for election April 5. The forum, hosted and moderated by the League of Women Voters of the La Grange Area, begins at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Park Junior High School, 325 N. Park Ave. Seven candidates are running for four 4-year terms and one candidate is running unopposed for a 2-year term. The District 102 Delegate Assembly endorsed three incumbents and two newcomers but one incumbent lost the endorsement by running for a different term than the one for which he was endorsed, and two incumbents have since declined campaign support from the DA. The three incumbents originally endorsed by the DA joined a coalition, Moving District 102 Forward, with fellow incumbents running for re-election. Delegate Assembly candidates: Matthew Scotty, Peter Daniels; both running for 4-year terms. Moving District 102 Forward candidates: incumbents Dawn Aubert, Joyce Easter Fitch, David May, Donald Sands and Peter Tiemeyer; all but Tiemeyer are running for 4-year terms; Tiemeyer is running unopposed for 2-year term. Kay L. Mautz is running independently for a 4-year term.

Editor's note: This post previously stated incumbent candidates endorsed by the DA declined the endorsement; in fact, they declined DA campaign support; Easter-Fitch and May remain endorsed by the DA. Sands lost the DA endorsement when he decided to run for a 4-year term.

How-To: Be An Election Judge

Blogged March 7—To apply to be an election judge in Cook County, or to find an assignment for those already enrolled as election judges, visit the Cook County Clerk Website.

Miss La Grange Park Trustee Candidates Forum? Watch in Entirety Online

Blogged March 7—LTTV, the television station out of Lyons Township High School, covered the La Grange Park trustee candidates forum on March 3. For those who missed the forum, sponsored by the Legaue of Women Voters of the La Grange Area, watch the event in entirety anytime here on the LTTV YouTube channel. Three Rose Pary candidates—incumbent Tim Hayes, Susan Storcel, Jason Vitell—and two La Grange Park Caucus candidates—incumbent Scott Mesick, Patricia Rocco—are running for three open seats on the seven-person Board of Trustees. The Caucus' third candidate, Jane Klingberg, recently resigned and withdrew her candidacy—full story here.

La Grange Citizens Council Accepting Questions From Public For Candidate Forum

Blogged March 4—E-mail questions for La Grange Citizens Council endorsed candidates for village board, library board and park district board by March 7 to lgcitizenscouncil@gmail.com. The questions will be addressed by the candidates on March 9 during a public forum at La Grange Village Hall, 53 S. LaGrange Road, which will be moderated by Citizens Council chair Katie Justak. The Council's candidates for village and library board are uncontested; incumbent Park District of La Grange commissioner Brad Belcaster is running as an independent after the Council endorsed two other candidates to run for the two open seats on the Board.

Meet La Grange Park Trustee Candidates Tonight at Forum

Blogged March 3—The League of Women Voters of the La Grange Area is hosting a forum for La Grange Park trustee candidates tonight, March 3, at 7 p.m. at the La Grange Park Village Hall, 447 N. Catherine Ave. Three Rose Pary candidates—incumbent Tim Hayes, Susan Storcel, Jason Vitell—and two Caucus candidates—incumbent Scott Mesick, Patricia Rocco—running for three open seats on the seven-person Board of Trustees. The Caucus' third candidate, Jane Klingberg, recently resigned and withdrew her candidacy—full story here.

Important Dates: Voter Registration Deadline, Early Voting, Election Day

Blogged March 1—According to the office of Cook County Clerk David Orr, March 8 is the last day to register to vote in the April 5 consolidated election; early voting in the April 5 election lasts from March 14 - 31. Complete list of important dates is here.

Complete April 5 Consolidated Election Ballot Published

Blogged March 1—The office of Cook County Clerk David Orr released the full ballot that will be available to early voters beginning March 14 and to all registered voters on April 5. View the ballot here—it includes all candidates running for village, school, library and park district boards in La Grange, La Grange Park and all of Cook County.

La Grange Park Board, Caucus Lose Jane Klingberg, But Ballot Remains In Tact

Blogged March 1—The La Grange Park Village Board incumbent trustee quit Feb. 24 after a resident questioned her ability to serve given her new out-of-state job and alleged new residence; she withdrew her re-election bid days later, but her name will reamain on the April 5 ballot because they were already printed. Read Patch's full story here.