Curious About Becoming An Elected Official?

Curious About Becoming An Elected Official?

Learn How at Cantigny Sept. 27 at 7:00 p.m.

   Ever wonder how you can get onto the school board? Do you just know you can do a better a job than someone on the city council? How about becoming a member of the fire, park or library board? How can you become the assessor?
   Then come to Curious About Candidacy?, a free presentation at Cantigny Park on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 7:00 p.m. and learn from experts what elected posts are available and how to get yourself onto the ballot.
   Nomination papers for local offices can be circulated starting Sept. 25 and must be turned in by Dec. 24, even though the elections are not until April 9 next year.
   “There are 3,850 elected offices in the Chicago area, and 53% of them are held by someone who was either appointed or was the only candidate,” says Stan Zegel, publisher of The Winfield Register, who has compiled such statistics over many years. “There are plenty of voters, but not enough candidates.”
   “The right to vote is meaningless unless voters have a choice,” notes Robert T. Saar, Executive Director of the DuPage Election Commission, who will be one of  the speakers.
   Other speakers will be an election attorney, a community lawyer , and representative officials from each of the types of public bodies that have elected offices, who will explain what each elected position does, the amount of time required, and requirements.
   Among them are former Winfield mayor John R. Walde, now treasurer of Algonquin; Winfield library director Matthew Suddarth; and Winfield Park District executive director Mark Pawlowski.
   Others include election attorney Anish Parikh; community lawyer Maryam Judar from the Citizen Advocacy Center; David Brummel, Mayor of Warrenville;  Michael J. Super, president of the Addison Fire Protection District; Darlene Ruscitti, regional superintendent of schools; Michael McKinnon, past chairman of the College of DuPage; and Jim Vondran, assistant to the supervisor of Lisle Township.
   The formal presentation in the Visitor’s Center Auditorium will be followed by general questions and answers, and then individual questions of the experts at tables in the lobby.
   The forum is sponsored by Cantigny Park, The Winfield Register, and the Citizen Advocacy Center.
   Admission and parking are free. Doors open at 6:30 pm on September 27. Reservations are suggested but not required. Call (630) 260-8162 or send an email to Register@Cantigny.org. Cantigny Park is located at 0s151 Winfield Rd. (Wheaton), just south of the intersection of Roosevelt Rd. (Route 38) and Winfield Rd.