State Board of Elections: D218 Board Seat To Remain Empty

The District 218 Board of Education will be down one member for the next two years after the Illinois State Board of Elections determined the board failed to fill a vacant seat in the required time period.

Incumbent board member Ron Pratl resigned shortly after winning reelection with just a 21 vote margin citing personal reasons. The board then interviewed two possible replacements.

Linda Flanagan-Vahl, who narrowly lost to Pratl in April's election, and Pratl’s brother, Donald, both were considered. The board was unable to come to a consensus on either candidate, said Board President Randy Heuser last week.

The state board's determination that the seat was not filled in the proper time frame means it will sit empty until the next election in 2013.

District 218 elects its board members from seven separate geographical districts, not district-wide like most boards. The vacant seat is in the sixth district.