Although DeKalb County Clerk John Acardo’s office has certified the preliminary ballot, there’s still time for those who want to get involved with local government to do so. And in many parts of DeKalb County, there are local governments that still need the help of interested citizens. There are more than 20 local offices in communities around the area that do not have enough candidates to fill the vacancies.
It’s too late to have your name printed on the ballot, but there is time to run as a write-in candidate for those offices. Anyone interested in running as a write-in must register with Acardo’s office by Thursday.
The filing process is easy: Citizens simply go to the elections office and fill out a one-page document and they’re on their way.
The list of offices without enough candidates is long. The District 427 school board in Sycamore is short a candidate. In DeKalb, no one is running for the office of clerk, a position voters said they wanted to remain elected in a referendum last fall.
If there’s no one to elect, the clerk position becomes an appointed job by default.
Three candidates are needed for the Hinckley-Big Rock District 429 school board, and the Kaneland District 302 board is also short three candidates. A candidate is needed to fill a two-year unexpired term in Somonauk District 432, and the Genoa Township Park District board also is short two candidates.
Library boards for communities including Clinton Township, Genoa, Hinckley, and Malta all are in need of candidates. Boards such as these often can provide a good introduction to local governance for people who are interested but lack experience.
It has been noted many times before that although local elections generally don’t draw anywhere near as much interest as the race for our country’s president, it’s local government that holds more sway over the day-to-day lives of people.
The quality of local government depends on the people who are elected or appointed to run it. It is not glamorous or high-paying work, but it is an essential service.
A complete list of all the local races and the people running for them is available online at www.dekalbclerk.com/Elections/Infoforvoters.html, or by calling the election department at 815.895.7147.
For anyone who would like to get involved, there is still time to run and make a difference.
