Your Vote: A Guide to Races that Affect Elmhurst in the Nov. 6 Election

It has been a long election season, but it's all about to come to a head as voters hit the polls Tuesday, Nov. 6. Local campaigns in DuPage County, and Elmhurst in particular, have centered on issues related to dual-elected duty, pensions, spending and the struggles of redistricting.

Elmhurst is new to the 24th Senate District, thanks to the redistricting process that occurred last year. While pre-Primary rhetoric was loud in the 24th District between Republican's Kirk Dillard and Chris Nybo, Patch hasn't gotten any response from Dillard's Democratic opponent in the General Election, A. Ghani.

Elmhurst also is new to the 5th Congressional District, which spreads with long fingers all the way to Chicago's lakeshore.

Links below will lead you to candidate profiles and positions, news coverage and candidate blogs.

• Want to talk on election night? Join our live blog at 7 p.m. Tuesday. (This blog will not be accessible until Tuesday.)

LOCAL RACES

Elmhurst residents on the north side of town will be asked to choose three candidates among the six running for DuPage County Board in District 1. Residents on the south end will choose three out of four running in District 2. DuPage Forest Districts 1 and 2 also are contested.

DuPage County Board District 1 (includes roughly the north half of Elmhurst)

• Rita Gonzalez (Incumbent, D)
• Thomas Michael Castillo (D)
• Maria C. DeAngelis-Vesey (D)
  (Gonzolez, Castillo and DeAngelis-Vesey did not return Patch's candidate questionnaire.)
• Sam Tornatore (R)

DuPage County Board District 2 (includes roughly the south half of Elmhurst)

• Liz Chaplin (D)
• Elaine Zannis (R)
• Sean Noonan (R)
• Peter DiCianni (R)

Articles associated with these DuPage races:

• DiCianni Announces he will Step Down as Mayor if Elected to DuPage County Board

DuPage County Forest Preserve, District 1

• Marsha Murphy (Incumbent, R)
• Michael Braun (D)

DuPage County Forest Preserve, District 2

• Joe Cantore (Incumbent, R)
• Don Kirchenberg (D)

DuPage County Clerk of the Circuit Court

• Chris Kachiroubas (Incumbent, R)
• Ralph Scalise (D)

The following DuPage County races are uncontested:

DuPage County State's Attorney

• Robert Berlin (R)

DuPage County Auditor

• Bob Grogan (R)

DuPage County Coroner

• Richard Jorgensen (R)

DuPage County Recorder

• Fred Bucholz (R)
  

DuPage Judges

Illinois State Bar Association announced in October its recommendations in the following races. Says ISBA: "Evaluation ratings, which are the result of an in-depth review of candidates, are the opinion of the Illinois State Bar Association; the Judicial Advisory Poll ratings do not reflect the opinion of ISBA, but rather the opinion of those attorneys who participated in the poll." Click here to see the State Bar opinion.

DuPage County Bar Association issued a different opinion. Click here to see the DuPage Bar evaluation.

2nd District Appellate Court

• Joe Birkett (R)

18 Judicial Circuit

• Alice Wilson (D)
• Patrick O'Shea (R)

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Republicans are pushing hard to make House Speaker Mike Madigan and the Democratic majorities in the General Assembly an issue, saying, essentially, that a vote for a Democrat is a vote for Madigan. Following are the contests that involve Elmhurst:

23rd Senate District (includes a small portion of Elmhurst's west side):

• Carole Pankau (Incumbent, R)
• Tom Cullerton (D)

24th Senate District (includes almost all of Elmhurst):

• A. Ghani (D)
• Kirk Dillard (Incumbent, R)

46th House District (includes a small portion of Elmhurst's west side):

• Deborah O'Keefe Conroy (D)
• Daniel Kordik (R)

47th House District (includes almost all of Elmhurst and is uncontested)

• Patricia R. "Patti" Bellock (Incumbent, R)

CONGRESS

One of the most-watched congressional races in northern Illinois is in the 8th District, which includes a small portion of Elmhurst's west side. Democrat Tammy Duckworth's bid to unseat Rep. Joe Walsh, a Tea Party favorite, has drawn a lot of national attention and out-of-district financial support.

And, in the 5th District, the largely Republican communities of Hinsdale, Elmhurst and Oak Brook, since redistricting, are now tied directly to Chicago and its Democratic incumbent, Mike Quigley, who is predicted to win re-election.

5th Congressional District (includes almost all of Elmhurst):

• Dan Schmitt (R)
• Nancy Wade (G)
  

Since legislative redistricting last year, nearly all of the city of Elmhurst is now in the 5th District, which includes more than 700,000 residents and stretches from Lake Michigan on the east to Hinsdale on the south, Des Plaines on the north and Elmhurst on the west.

The two challengers to Mike Quigley's seat will have a tough time defeating the incumbent legislator, who has served the 5th District since 2009. Quigley did not return Patch's candidate questionnaire.

Republican challenger Dan Schmitt also did not return the Patch questionnaire. He did, however, answer questions for the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. He also put together this Youtube video explaining the redistricted 5th District geography, and his thoughts on government spending and health care, among other things.

Green Party candidate Nancy Wade has been a community activist since the mid-70s and has spent considerable time advocating for women. Wade completed the Elmhurst Patch questionnaire.

8th Congressional District (includes a small portion of Elmhurst's west side):

• Tammy Duckworth (D)

In one of the most heated races in Illinois, Republican incumbent Joe Walsh has been duking it out daily with Democratic challenger and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth. Only a sliver of Elmhurst's west side is in the 8th District, but it's an interesting contest, nonetheless. We'll let the articles do the talking:

• UPDATE: Congressman Joe Walsh Addresses Abortion Comments
• Letter: Walsh's Comments were 'Wrong and Demeaning'
• 8th Congressional District: Duckworth Addresses DNC'
• Joe Walsh Skipping National GOP Convention
• Duckworth Campaign Sets Fundraising Record

REFERENDA

Two referenda will ask Elmhurst residents if an elected office holder should be allowed to hold a second elected position. The referendum by the City of Elmhurst is binding; the DuPage County referendum is advisory.

While the two referenda are asking the same question, the wording requires a different answer for each. Those opposed to dual-elected duty should vote "yes" on the Elmhurst proposal and "no" on the county proposal. Those in favor of dual-elected duty should vote "no" on the city proposal and "yes" on the county.

Dual-elected Duty, City of Elmhurst:

Shall the Mayor, Aldermen, Clerk and Treasurer of the City of Elmhurst be prohibited from simultaneously holding other public elective office in the State of Illinois after November 6, 2012?

Dual-elected Duty, DuPage County:

Should Illinois law permit an individual to hold two or more public elected offices simultaneously?

State Constitutional Amendment: Also on the ballot is an amendment to the state constitution that would require a three-fifths majority for any government body to change its pension system. Both conservative and liberal lobbying groups have lined up against this amendment, saying it's bad policy and doesn't address the problems with the state's pension burdens.

Last-minute Questions?

Click here to check your voter registration status.

Click here for a complete list of DuPage County polling places.

For more information about your polling place or precinct changes, please contact the DuPage County Election Commission at 630-407-5600.