Two Council Contenders Drop Out
Aldermanic candidates in the second and eighth wards have withdrawn their petitions for office, leaving those seats uncontested, the 'Evanston Review' reports.
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Two candidates have withdrawn from the race for city council, according to the Evanston Review.
James C. Dyer, who was running in the second ward, and eighth ward candidate Thomas Just are now off the ballot, the Review reports.
That leaves only two seats contested in the April elections. As Patch has previously reported, Edward Tivador has filed to run against first ward incumbent Judy Fiske, while Mark Sloane is running against sixth ward incumbent Mark Tendam.
Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl, City Clerk Rodney Greene, Alderman Peter Braithwaite (2nd) Alderman Melissa Wynne (3rd), Alderman Donald Wilson (4th), Alderman Delores Holmes (5th), Alderman Jane Grover (7th), Alderman Ann Rainey (8th) and Alderman Colleen Burrus (9th will not face opposition for another term.
Dickelle Fonda
8:44 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
I find it unfortunate that there were not more challenges to incumbents on city council. It would have served Evanston residents well to have engaged in a democratic process wherein all candidates could participated in a healthy debate about what it really means to represent their constituents on council.
And it is especially disappointing that in the 2nd Ward the voters will end up with their alderman by default -- as he was never elected in a democratic process -- but rather was appointed and now annointed.
Lonson Williams
10:20 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Dickelle, why don't you run if you find it so disappointing? Being an alderman is a thankless job. The hours are long and the pay is low.
To say that "voters will end up with their alderman by default," is a little much. The previous alderman quit. Would you have rather had zero representation for two years?
It is pretty clear that the mayor's appointment is accepted by the ward residents otherwise someone would have run against Braithwaite. The barrier to get on the ballot is low. You don't need a lot of money. You just need 26 signatures from people living in the ward.
It is easy to criticize the process on an internet forum; fortunately we have people like Ald. Braithwate who are willing to actually do what it takes to participate.
John C Thomson
10:00 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
As a former election judge for a couple of decades and a former candidate for both the city hall and Ridgeville Park District I predict that this will be an all time low in voter turn out. Seven wards don't have to vote. But who gets affected the most will be the Ridgeville Park District because most folks won't turn out if thats all that is on the ballot. I have a sense after the recent elections people are tired of political dialogue, whose going to do what for whom. Nothing changes, theres nothing new under the sun. Frankly, Evanston will get what there hand calls for.
Dickelle Fonda
7:49 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Lonson- my concern is about the process and not necessarily about the individual:
I believe that in a democracy it is best for all- including the alderman to actually be elected by the people!!
Lonson Williams
5:28 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Dickelle, There has been nothing untoward with regard to the process.
The old alderman left mid-term. By law the Mayor had to fill the vacancy until the next election. The next election is this April. To qualify for the ballot you have to file petitions with the clerk with signatures representing .05% of registered voters in the ward a certain number of days before the election. If someone wants to run as a write-in candidate all they have to do is fill out a form with the City Clerk 60 days before the election. On April 9 voters will elect from a list of those candidates that followed the procedure to qualify for the ballot and votes for recognized write-in candidates will also be tabulated.
That is the process. What is wrong with it?
It is wholly wrong to say that--at the end of the process--the alderman will not "actually be elected by the people."