Alsip-Crestwood Voters To Choose, Mayor, Trustees, Other Seats

ALSIP-CRESTWOOD, IL — Illinois’s 2021 consolidated election seemed to creep up with no warning whatsoever. Voters’ hesitation to sign nominating petitions in the midst of a global pandemic may have contributed to the 63 percent of candidates running unopposed in Cook County contests in the April 6 election.

Alsip and Crestwood voters each have hotly contested village board races. Early voting has been light in the south suburbs, closing out at Alsip Village Hall with 1,223 ballots cast and 1,765 at Crestwood’s Andrew Beila Senior Center.

It’s a rematch for attorney John Toscas and incumbent mayor Lou Presta who faced each other 2013. The burning question in Crestwood is whether Presta has given away enough restaurant vouchers to help voters forget that he is under indictment for an alleged red light camera bribery scheme.

Presta heads the Crestwood United Party slate, which includes Catherine Johnson running for village clerk, and trustee candidates Kenneth Klein, Anthony Benigno and Frank Caldario.

Toscas’ We the People slate includes clerk candidate Stephen Laude, with Erica Gray, Gary Carr and Robert Tyman vying for three village trustee seats.

Crestwood mayoral candidate Joseph Galason pulled out of the race but it was too late to take his name off the ballot.

In Alsip, current village trustee Michael Zielinski is challenging incumbent John Ryan, who is running for his second term as mayor. Ryan is heading the Better Government for Alsip slate, which includes Renee Harding running for village clerk, along with Catalina Nava-Esperaza, William Love and David Perretta.

Zielinski is running with the Alsip Community Alliance, along with Michael Piece for clerk, and trustee candidates Monia Juarez, Susan Petel and Rocio Restreop.

Crestwood and Alsip voters will also vote for candidates running for Community High School Dist. 218, which includes Richards, Shepard and Eisenhower high schools, including:

Subdistrict 2

Cindy Bartczak
Sarah Kaliski-Roll

Subdistrict 3

Candice Cantelo
Tanjilsa MB Williams

Subdistrict 4

Frank Gassmete Jr.
Thomas Kosowski

Subdistrict 7

William “Bill” Christian
Matthew B. “Matt” Heinlen

There are eight candidates running for Cook County Dist. 130 School Board. Voters will choose four:

Taylor Burmeister
Robert 'Bob' Manthei
Alejandro Montes
Rachel Heyboer
Maria Infante
Dionicia S. Martinez Magana
Kevin T. Piper
Jennifer Turn

Check back with Patch after the polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday for election results.