More than 130 file for spots on McLean County primary ballot
BLOOMINGTON — Thirty-one candidates filed for McLean County Board and countywide positions by Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline along with more than 100 candidates for precinct committeemen.
McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael said the abundance of candidates should not create any problems for the March 17 primary election.
“We’ll just have a lot more proofing to do” to make sure the ballots are accurate, she said.
Early voting starts Feb. 6.
A lottery will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday in lobby outside the clerk’s office to determine the ballot position of candidates who filed for the same position in the same party by 8 a.m. Nov. 25. They are Republicans Michelle L. Anderson, incumbent, and Trisha P. Malott, who filed for county auditor; Democrats Lea Cline and Nathan “Chiko” Russo, who filed for District 8 on the County Board; and two Democrats who filed for committeeman spots in Precinct 12.
“We have have had nonstop filing today for precinct committeemen,” Michael said.
A total of 51 Republicans, 51 Democrats and four Libertarians filed for precinct committeemen positions.
Half of the 20 seats on the McLean County Board are up for election in 2020. All 20 will be up for election in 2022 because of the redistricting that will happen after the 2020 Census.
The concern every year is whether there will be enough election judges, said Michael.
She needs 400 to 450 judges to staff polling places. At this point, all spots are filled, but the judges have to complete one four-hour training session before they are eligible to serve, Michael explained.
For the upcoming election, there will be two polling places on the Illinois State University campus, one at the Bone Student Center and one at the Watterson Towers residence hall.
“You just don’t know what turnout will be,” she said, but it is expected to be high not only because of local contests but because it will be a presidential election year.
Candidates who filed for countywide seats by Monday’s deadline were:
Auditor: Michelle L. Anderson, incumbent, and Trisha P. Malott, both Republicans; Robert B. Fazzini, Democrat; and Kevin Woodard, Libertarian.
Circuit clerk: Don Everhart, Republican, incumbent, and Erik Rankin, Democrat.
Coroner: Kathy Yoder, Republican, incumbent, and Abbi Sorrells, Democrat.
State’s attorney: Don Knapp, Republican, incumbent.
Filing for County Board seats were:
District 1: Catherine Metsker, Republican, incumbent
District 2: William Friedrich, Republican, incumbent, and Jeff Bertrand, Democrat.
District 3: George O. Wendt, Republican, incumbent, and R.J. McCracken, Democrat.
District 4: Adelita Cruz and Steve Harsh, both Republican, and Benjamin Webb, Democrat.
District 5: John D. McIntyre, Republican, incumbent, and Rachael Lund, Democrat.
Distric 6: George J. Gordon, incumbent, and Hannah Beer, both Democrats, and David Scarpelli, Libertarian.
District 7: Jacob Beard, Republican, incumbent; Val Laymon, Democrat; and Darin George Kaeb, Libertarian.
District 8: Lea Cline and Nathan “Chiko” Russo, both Democrats, and Jordan Baker, Republican.
District 9: Susan Schafer, Republican, incumbent, and Jacilyn “Jackie” Gunderson, Democrat.
District 10: Josh W. Barnett, Republican, incumbent.
Contact Lenore Sobota at (309) 820-3240. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Sobota
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