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DeKALB – Four incumbents are seeking reelection to their positions at DeKalb City Hall in the April 1 consolidated election.
Mayor Cohen Barnes, 2nd Ward Alderwoman Barb Larson, 6th Ward Alderman Mike Verbic and 5th Ward Alderman Andre Powell filed their nomination papers to the office of the DeKalb city clerk by the Nov. 18 deadline.
Powell was appointed to fill the remaining DeKalb City Council term for the 5th Ward spot vacated when former Alderman Scott McAdams resigned. Filing papers show that he will seek the elected spot for a full term.
Fourth Ward Alderman Greg Perkins did not file because he said he does not plan to seek reelection, however.
Candidates interested in running for office had a window from Nov. 12 through Nov. 18 to file their nomination petitions. There are mayoral and aldermanic seats open in the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th Wards, and two of those races will be contested.
The consolidated election will convene April 1.
Here’s how the ballot is shaping up in DeKalb:
Mayor’s race
- Incumbent Cohen Barnes
- John Walker (currently serving as 7th Ward alderman)
- Kouame Sanan, an employee in Northern Illinois University’s IT Department
Resident Linh Nguyen’s name was removed from the ballot Tuesday when the city’s Electoral Board ruled that she had filed her papers outside of the legal window to file. Nguyen said she plans to appeal in a fight to remain on the ballot.
2nd Ward
- Incumbent Barb Larson
- Michael Embrey
- Laura Lackson
4th Ward
- Justin Carlson
5th Ward
- Incumbent Andre Powell
6th Ward
- Incumbent Mike Verbic
City clerk spot uncertain
The DeKalb city clerk’s office also is up for reelection after a failed referendum in November that would have made the seat an appointed employee instead of an elected official.
City employee Ruth Scott has been taking on the clerk’s duties in the meantime after a judge removed Clerk Sasha Cohen from office in March, ruling that he’d abandoned his job after he failed to file statements of economic interest, according to the law. Recent action by the DeKalb City Council means a new clerk, if elected in the spring, will not be paid a city salary.
Cohen and the clerk’s position had been at the center of years of scrutiny from city officials, alleging that he repeatedly failed to adequately perform the duties voters in 2021 elected him to do.
No one filed this month to run for the DeKalb city clerk’s office in the spring, however, city officials said.