Here’s who’s on the 2023 ballot in DeKalb County

SYCAMORE – Polls close at 7 p.m. April 4 for the Consolidated Election, which will seat candidates for municipal city councils, school and village boards, park and fire districts across DeKalb County. Here’s who’s on the ballot:

On Feb. 23, workers at the Clerk and Recorders Office expected to send out 4,184 vote-by-mail ballots to those who’ve requested the service, said DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder Tasha Sims, who is administering her first election since her swearing in after the November General Election.

“We have a good team in place, I know we do,” Sims said. “Election judges started showing up today to help put together vote-by-mail, permeant vote-by-mails. I’m just really happy with the way everything’s running.”

The Clerk and Recorders Office has enough election judges to staff the more than 50 polling places that’ll operate throughout DeKalb County on April 4, but Sims said she wouldn’t turn any volunteers away.

Voter turnout for consolidated elections historically are much lower compared with presidential or even midterm elections, but Sims said it’s one of the elections she finds to be the most important for the local community.

Election races might experience lower voter turnout for a variety of reason, said Chris Mooney, a political science professor emeritus at University of Illinois Chicago. Chief among them are less-publicized races, voters being tired from the previous election cycle, a lack of party to side or identify with or overall being content with the state of their community.

“Most people don’t hear what’s going on with council members unless they’re doing something outrageous,” Mooney said. “Voters also get a lot of their information through television advertisements, and that isn’t happening in these races.”

Sims said voters should remember that local elections are just as significant as larger ones.

“I always think Consolidated Election is one of the very most important elections, because it does affect your everyday life,” Sims said. “You’re talking about school boards, and you know your alder people, your library districts and park districts. This is the stuff that affects your everyday, outside your front door.”

“Election judges started showing up today to help put together vote-by-mail, permeant vote-by-mails. I’m just really happy with the way everything’s running.”

—  Tasha Sims, DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder

How do I find my polling place?

Your polling place is determined by your precinct number and listed on your voter registration card, which you should have received in the mail. You also can check your local county board of elections office at www.dekalb.il.clerkserve.com.

Can I request a mail ballot for the April 4 Consolidated Election?

Yes. The last day the Dekalb County Clerk and Recorders Office can accept a request for a mail ballot for April’s election is March 30.

Where can I register to vote on Election Day?

DeKalb County residents who are not currently registered to vote or who have changed their name and/or address within the county, may register and vote on Election Day. They are encouraged to visit the Election Day Registration Center at the DeKalb County Administration Building or the polling place that accommodates the voter’s address so it may be done. If already registered to vote, at your current address, you are advised to vote at your designated polling place only.

How do I know if I’m registered to vote?

Unsure? Double-check at ova.elections.il.gov/RegistrationLookup.aspx.

Who’s on the ballot in DeKalb County?

Here’s a list of candidates who currently are running for an office somewhere DeKalb County in this year’s Consolidated Election, according to the clerk and recorder’s office.

School Board candidates

Sycamore Community School District 427 Board of Education

Alexander Franklin Grados

Beth Marie Evans

Indian Creek Community School District 425

Jerry Oslon

Darryl Beach

Mark Peterson

Joshua Merchant

Genoa-Kingston School District 424

Julie Ratliff

Max (Jake) Wesner

Melyssa Gustafson

David Cleveland

Mary Hintzsche

Mark Bradac

DeKalb Community School District 428

Christopher Michael Boyes

Steven Byers

Samantha McDavid

Vanta Bynum

Howard Solomon, Eric Larsen and David Seymour are running as write-in candidates.

Sandwich Community School District 430

Lisa SAitta

Angela Hysjulien

Ryan O’Neil

Brian Kubisak

Somonauk Community School District 432

Kurt Hohenberger

Elizabeth Kuhn

Erik Wold

Nicholas Deacon

Anthony Rogowski

Blake Johnson

Hinckley-Big Rock Community School District 429

Debra Lynn White

Timothy Badal

Julianna Morsch

Hiawatha Community School District 426

Carissa Brendle

Amanda Fisher

Nathan Watson

Bronwyn Burgweger

Steward School District 220

Jennifer Kraemer

Paw Paw Community School District 271

Rachel Brewer

Todd Schrader

Jared Penman

Leland Community School District 1

Claire Anderson

Alan Kinney

Megan Brennan

Jakob Swenson

Heather Wesson

Earlville Community School District 9

Jennifer Smith

Barbara Meloy

Sarah Cook

Adam Browder

Creston CCSD 161

Daniel Graber

Deborah Katzman

Rochelle TWP HS DIST 212

Jeffery Tilton

Crystal Dyer

Laurie Pillen

Jordan Dobberstein

Jacob Waddle

Patricia Goodwin

Brent Ohlinger

Central Community School District 301

Eric Nolan

Jeff Gorman

Morgan Pappas

Kaneland Community School District 302

Bob Mankivsky

Aaron McCauley

Ryan Joseph Kleisner

Edmund Koch is running as a write-in candidate.

Community School District 300

Nancy Zettler

Robert Reining

Laurie Parman

Olutola “Tola” Makinde

Randi Gauthier

Kristina Konstanty

Connie Cain

Stephen Fiorentino

Belvidere Community School District 100

Allison Reid-Niemiec

Sarah Brenner

Jorge Herrera

Holly Houk

Misty Coryell

Tosca Degennaro

Village President, Trustee candidates

Village of Waterman

Raymond Calhoun

Alison Genslinger

Anton Feitlich

John Baine Jr.

Adam Pearson

Suzanna Sedlacek, for unexpired two year term.

Village of Kingston

Frank Altmaier

Dale Coughran

Steven Vanburen, for unexpired two year term

Village of Lee

Dawn Kimpflin

Margaret Foshe

Stacey McElligott-Schnupp

Jessica Galbreath, for unexpired two year term.

Therese Voitik, for village president unexpired two year term.

Thomas Kapraun is running as a write-in candidate.

Village of Maple Park

Clifford Speare

Hillary Joy

Jennifer Ward

Village of Malta

Donald Haeffner

Lawrence R West Sr.

Lawrence M West

Thomas Folowell Jr.

Malerie Schumaker

Village of Kirkland

Daniel Chambers

Brian Benes

Jessica Fruit

Village of Somonauk

Richard McMillen

Jason Diebold

James “Doc” Dockendorf

Aaron Grandgeorge, for village president

Village of Hinckley

Russel Kula

Alyssa Prickett

Sarah Quirk

Village of Shabbona

Richard Lockowitz

W. Marcus Cinnamon

Donald Goncher

Frank Ottengheime and Dennis Sands are running as a write-in candidate.

Library trustee candidates

Kirkland Library

Lorene Finkle

Michelle Burger

Sandwich District Library

Jennifer Penn

Nancy Sanders

Julie Koesler

Emily Assell

Heather Lee, for two year unexpired term.

Clinton Township Public Library

Carol Peterson

Michael Wojcik

Hinckley Public Library District

Fran Kriesch

Amie Carey

Arlen Carls

Malta Township Library

Rene McCollum

Roger McCollum

Jason McNeal, for two year unexpired term.

Flewellin Memorial Library

Janet Clark

Darryl Kupecz

Cynthia Cinnamon

Leah Shearer, for four year unexpired term.

Jill Simpson is running as a write-in candidate.

Earlville Library District

Janice Wolff

Benjamin Hoffman

Cortland Library

Judith Olsen

Genoa Library District

James Hansen

Somonauk Public Library District

Roberta Mickelson

Paula Moore

Cynthia Westbrook

Christopher Gresk, for two year unexpired term.

Tom Harmon, for two year unexpired term.

Park Commissioner candidates

DeKalb Park District

Brian Tobin, David Castro, Donna Jonson, Chris Newquist and Michael “Corn Bred” Zasada are running as write-in candidates

Sandwich Park District

John Fincham

Genoa Township Park

Judy Thompson

Kevin Seisser

James Overlin

Sycamore Park District

William Kroeger

Benjamin Doty

Daryl Smith Graves

Franklin Township Park

Tonda Bruch

Steven Boettger, for two year unexpired term

Linda Willit, for four year unexpired term

Kingston Township Park District

Britni Van Heerden is running as a write-in candidate.

Fire District Trustee candidates

Sandwich Fire District

William Novicki

Jeffrey Beverage

Hampshire Fire District

Brian Pechtold

William Kenneth Misner

Edward “Eddie” Saunders

Leland Fire District

Jacques Wesson

Town Trustee candidates

Town of Cortland

Douglas Corson

Charmaine Fioretto

Bradley Stone

City Alderperson candidates

City of Genoa

Pamela Wesner, Ward 1

Walter Stage, Ward 2

Kendra Braheny, Ward 3

Gary Roca, Ward 4

City of Sycamore

Alicia Cosky, Ward 1

Robert Collins, Ward 1

Joshua Huseman, Ward 1

Chuck Stowe, Ward 2

Nancy Copple, Ward 3

Brett Johansen, Ward 3

Benjamin Bumpus, Ward 4

City of Sandwich

Richard Robinson, Ward 1

Cara Killey, Ward 2

Adam Arnett, Ward 2

Karsta Erickson, Ward 3

William Fritsch, Ward 3

Fred Kreinbrink, Ward 4

City of DeKalb

Carolyn Morris, Ward 1

Tracy Smith, Ward 3

John Hadley, Ward 3

Scott McAdams, Ward 5

Derek Van Buer and Tom Riley are running as write-in candidates for Ward 5.

John Walker, Ward 7

Thomas Boken Jr., Ward 7

DeKalb County Regional Board of School Trustees

Mark Charvat is running as a write-in candidate.