Evanston Write-In Candidates Trigger Clerk, Aldermanic Primaries

EVANSTON, IL — At least four races are set to appear on the next year's primary ballot in Evanston, thanks to more than a half-dozen candidates who will not.

As of Thursday morning, nine candidates had filed declarations of intent to be write-in candidates for aldermen or city clerk, according to the Evanston City Clerk's Office. State law calls for primaries in nonpartisan local elections whenever there are at least five declared candidates.

The deadline for write-in candidates to force a primary election by filing nomination papers is 5 p.m. Thursday, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections and the clerk's office.

A three-way race for mayor was already due to appear on the Feb. 23 ballot, due to a 1992 referendum that allows a candidate to win outright with 51 percent of the vote, bypassing a spring runoff. All other primary races for City Council and clerk would head to two-way runoffs at the April 6 consolidated municipal elections, regardless of how many votes the leading candidate receives.

That means the race for city clerk will have the unusual distinction of a candidate running as a write-in during the primary — only to appear on the ballot in the runoff.

Four people filed write-in candidacy declarations in the clerk's race Monday and Tuesday: Jackson Paller, Darrell Patterson, Adedapo Odusanya and Misty Witenberg. (Following the publication of this article, Cynthia Beebe and Eduardo Gomez also entered the race for city clerk.)

But Stephanie Mendoza will be the only name to appear on the February ballot because Jane Grover, a former alderman, was removed from the ballot at an Evanston electoral board hearing after she effectively conceded to an objection to her signatures. She had not declared a write-in candidacy as of Thursday morning.

Another candidate the electoral board tossed off the ballot will be mounting a write-in challenge.

Shelley Ann Carrillo, an 8th Ward resident, was removed from the ballot by Mayor Steve Hagerty and 4th Ward Ald. Melissa Wynne. As the city's secondmost senior alderman, Wynne was called into service on the electoral board during last week's hearings because senior councilmember Ann Rainey and City Clerk Devon Reid are both running for the office of 8th Ward alderman, along with attorney Matthew Mitchell, a Ridgeville Park District commissioner.

Joshua Hall and Christine Leone joined Carrillo as write in candidates in the 8th Ward aldermanic race. Leone later withdrew, according to the city clerk's office.

In the 4th Ward, two people declared write-in campaigns, adding to the three candidates set to appear on the ballot.

Write-in candidates Patricia Connolly and Sari Kadison-Shapiro will compete with Diane Goldring, Jonathan Nieuwsma and incumbent 4th Ward Ald. Don Wilson, who announced Monday he has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Write-in candidates can still get their votes counted if they file paperwork before Dec. 24, but their candidacies will not have an effect on whether primaries are held, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Thursday is also the deadline for Illinois candidates to officially drop out of the race and for local election authorities to certify the ballot.

Ahead of those deadlines, primary races are in the cards for city clerk, 4th Ward alderman, 8th Ward alderman and mayor. Only one race is set to be uncontested on the April ballot — no one has sought to challenge 9th Ward Ald. Cicely Fleming.

Related:
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Objections To Candidates Set For Evanston Electoral Board Hearing
Lawsuits Seek To Toss Two Candidates Off Ballot In Evanston
Judge Reverses Evanston Electoral Board, Removes 2 Candidates